Discuss the use of symbolism in relation to the theme of entrapment in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner.

Encompassed within Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner is both a narrator trapped within the confines of his own guilt and trauma, and a nation entrapped by conflict and political instability. Hosseini's emphasis on the image of the kite itself is one example of his incorporation of symbolism to present the theme of entrapment. Alongside its use in the title, which immediately highlights the kite's importance in the novel, one repeatedly notices its presence throughout several of the text's turning points. For example, the fact that it is a kite Hassan refuses to surrender to Assef demonstrates that it is more than just a toy or object to his character, and that it is simultaneously representative of his loyalty to Amir. Ironically, this is undone by Amir's consequent betrayal of Hassan, turning the kite into a symbol for Amir's ongoing guilt and regret as the novel progresses. Naturally associated with liberation due to its free-flying craft and capability, the absence of the kite during Amir's journey to Afghanistan is also significant, as the revelation that kite running has been banned under Taliban rule illustrates the extent of oppression that has become instilled in Afghan society throughout that period. Hosseini's strategic placement of the kite in the final scene of the novel following Amir's rescue of Hassan's son, Sohrab, is thus not only symbolic of Amir's redemption, but a symmetrical way to resolve the personal conflicts presented within the novel.