Archetype theory can be applied to every text, but in the Kite Runner, it is more evident than ever through the archetype of outcast and crossroads.
Outcast:
Outcast is someone that feels alone even though they have people all around them. We can see Amir going through this with his dad in the beginning, Around Hassan, and the most important time would be when he was an outcast in his own country. Amir was an outcast in his own house since the day he was born, but being an outcast in your country is a hard thing to be. Amir stated, " I feel like a terrorist in my own country"(Hosseini 231). What Amir means when he said this was that he feels like an outcast because he was blindsided to a whole different side of Afganistan. An outcast can be anyone in the world but Amir has felt like one for his whole life.
Crossroad:
In the Kite Runner, all of the characters have gone through a crossroad at least one time in their lives. Some characters like Amir and Baba have more crossroads then others. One of the major crossroads that effected Amir was when Rahim Khan told Amir to come home."I can’t go to Kabul, I had said to Rahim Khan. I have a wife in America, a home, a career, and a family. But how could I pack up and go back home when my actions may have cost Hassan a chance at those very same things?” (Hosseini 226). Amir shows his difficult predicament when he can't decide to leave his family to go back home or stay and deny his brother the same chances and lifestyle he had. This crossroads helped Amir become a better person in my opinion because if he wasn't hit with this crossroad then he would still be a terrible human being.
Conclusion:
Hosseini is a master at writing and when you read The Kite Runner through the lens of archetypal theory you can understand the writing in a very unique way.
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