Comparative Perspectives (DP IB English A: Language and Literature: HL): Revision Note

Conceptual links

The Kite Runner

Persepolis

Society vs. the individual

● Amir’s identity is shaped by the social hierarchies in Afghanistan, mostly focused on Pashtun privilege over Hazaras, which creates moral conflict and internal division

● Social expectations of masculinity and bravery influence his choices and silence

● Marji is forced to construct her identity under a regime that enforces religious ideology and restricts personal freedom

● The state imposes conformity, using education, propaganda, and law

Identity formation through conflict

● Amir allows his guilt to shape his identity, while his exile allows him some freedom, but he is still clouded by his need for redemption

● Returning to Afghanistan represents a confrontation with his past and a redefinition of self

● Marji’s identity evolves through rebellion, helped by her exposure to Western culture, and driven by personal loss

● Her coming-of-age is shaped by both resistance and displacement

Power, oppression, and ideology

● Under their rule, the Taliban enforce their rigid interpretations of religion, reinforcing ethnic and social oppression

● Their power is maintained through violence and fear, particularly fuelled by their racism

● The Iranian regime uses religion as a tool of political control, regulating behaviour and identity

● Power operates through surveillance, punishment, and indoctrination

Displacement and diaspora

● Amir experiences physical and emotional displacement after fleeing to America

● He struggles with his cultural identity, torn between Afghan traditions and American modernity, and a sense of not fully belonging in either place

● Marji’s exile to Europe creates a fractured identity between Iran and the West

● She experiences alienation both abroad and upon returning home

Resistance and agency

● Amir’s return to Kabul and rescue of Sohrab represents a personal act of resistance and moral redemption

● His actions save him from his guilt and anxiety, offering him salvation from his own thoughts

● Marji manages to resist through small acts of defiance, humour, and eventual independence

● Her refusal to conform reflects her desire for autonomy

The Kite Runner

Persepolis

Themes and rich ideas: Society vs. the individual

• Amir’s identity is shaped by social hierarchy, ethnic and religious division, and typical expectations of masculinity

• He struggles to reconcile personal morality with societal pressures and his desire for affection from his father

• Marji must form her identity under a regime shaped by religious ideology and political control

• She resists societal expectations that restrict freedom, particularly for women

Authorial purpose

• Hosseini exposes the social, ethnic, and political divisions within Afghan society

• He explores how guilt, loyalty, and redemption are shaped by cultural and historical expectations 

• The novel highlights the personal consequences of societal injustice and perceived moral failure

• Satrapi aims to reveal the impact of authoritarian rule and religious extremism on the people living in post-revolutionary Iran 

• Through Marji’s development, she demonstrates how ideology attempts to shape and control identity

• The text challenges simplified or stereotypical Western views of Iran

Impact on the audience 

• The novel encourages empathy by presenting Afghanistan through a personal and emotional lens, rather than focusing on its politics

• Readers reflect on themes of guilt, redemption, and moral responsibility

• It has been widely studied for its exploration of conflict, identity, and diaspora

• Persepolis was praised internationally and received many awards

• Due to its political content, it faced censorship and criticism in Iran 

• Audiences are encouraged to reconsider their assumptions about Iran and to empathise with the people living under these oppressive regimes

• It is widely studied for both its themes and its use of the graphic novel form

Textual features and authorial choices

Narrative perspective

• A retrospective first-person narrative forces the story and opinions through through Amir’s somewhat warped perspective, shaped by his guilt

• The narration creates a reflective tone, emphasising the impact of anxiety, and Amir’s moral growth

• A first-person autobiographical perspective presents events through Marji’s growing and changing understanding

• Due to the graphic novel format, the combination of visual and verbal narration provides both immediacy and reflection

Setting in the domestic sphere 

• Amir’s domestic life initially appears stable, but is influenced by wider social tensions

• The shift from Afghanistan to America highlights the contrast between private life and broader societal upheaval

• Public spaces soon become dangerous under Taliban rule

• The text moves between private and public spaces to show how political control affects everyday life

• The home provides moments of resistance, while public spaces highlight conformity and surveillance

• The contrast highlights tension between personal freedom and societal restriction

Indirect characterisation

• Amir’s thoughts, actions, and narrative reflections gradually reveal his internal conflict and moral development

• Other characters, such as Baba and Hassan, reinforce social values and tensions that shape Amir’s identity

• Marji’s character is developed through visual detail, dialogue, and personal reflection

• Everyday moments illustrate her changing beliefs, emotions, and resistance to societal expectations

Allusion

• References to Afghan history, the monarchy, the Soviet invasion, and Taliban rule place the novel within real-life history that the readers may know and understand

• Cultural and religious references deepen the social framework of the text

• Frequent allusions to political figures, historical events, and ideological movements linked to the Iranian Revolution place the story within a context readers may know or can learn about

• Similarly, references to Western culture highlight Marji’s dual identity

Symbolism

• The kite symbolises both childhood innocence and guilt, later becoming a symbol of redemption

• The pomegranate tree represents friendship, betrayal, and lost innocence

• Physical scars that Hassan and Amir eventually share symbolise trauma and atonement

• The veil symbolises control, conformity, and loss of freedom

• Clothing and visual motifs represent identity and resistance

• Keys and other recurring images symbolise false promises and hope, and ideological manipulation

Evidence

• “I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara”

• “I ran because I was a coward”

• “There is a way to be good again”

• “For you, a thousand times over”

• “We found ourselves veiled and separated from our friends”

• “At the age of six I was already sure I was the last prophet”

• “I wanted to be justice, love and the wrath of God all in one”

• “All bilingual schools must be closed”

Conceptual links

The Kite Runner

The Handmaid’s Tale

Character shaped by systems of power

● Amir’s identity is shaped by Afghan social hierarchy, ethnic division, and expectations of masculinity

● His early passivity reflects internalised privilege and fear

● Offred is shaped by the totalitarian regime of Gilead, which controls identity, language, and behaviour

● Her role as a Handmaid defines her social and personal existence

Guilt, memory, and self-perception

● Amir’s development is driven by guilt over betraying Hassan

● His retrospective narration reflects ongoing moral self-evaluation

● Offred reconstructs her identity through fragmented memories of her past life

● Memory becomes a form of psychological resistance

Transformation and personal growth

● Amir undergoes a redemptive arc, returning to Afghanistan to confront his past

● His development is active and action-based

● Offred’s development is subtle and internal, expressed through shifts in perception and quiet defiance

● Change is psychological rather than overt

Agency and resistance

● Amir reclaims agency through decisive action, particularly rescuing Sohrab

● His growth is tied to moral courage

● Offred resists through thought, memory, and small acts of rebellion

● Her agency is constrained but persistent

Impact of trauma on identity

● Amir’s return to Kabul and rescue of Sohrab represents a personal act of resistance and moral redemption

● His actions reclaim agency after years of passivity

● Offred’s identity is shaped by systemic trauma, including loss of family and autonomy

● Her narrative reflects fragmentation and psychological survival

The Kite Runner

The Handmaid’s Tale

Themes and rich ideas: Character development

• Amir’s development is driven by guilt, moral failure, and eventual redemption

• His character arc moves from passivity to action

• Offred’s development reflects psychological adaptation to oppression

• Her character evolves through internal resistance rather than overt change

Authorial purpose

• Hosseini explores how personal growth is shaped by guilt, cultural expectations, and the possibility of redemption

• He emphasises moral responsibility and transformation

• Atwood examines how oppressive systems shape identity and limit personal autonomy

• She highlights the resilience of the individual under control

Impact on the audience 

• Readers are encouraged to empathise with Amir’s moral struggle and reflect on themes of guilt and redemption

• The narrative invites judgement and eventual understanding

• Readers experience discomfort and tension as they witness Offred’s constrained existence

• The text provokes reflection on power, control, and individual agency

Textual features and authorial choices

Narrative perspective

• Retrospective first-person narration allows insight into Amir’s internal development over time

• Memory shapes the presentation of character

• First-person narration is fragmented and non-linear, reflecting Offred’s psychological state

• The narrative voice emphasises uncertainty and control

Setting and its influence on character

• The shift from Afghanistan to America reflects changes in Amir’s identity and perspective

• Returning to Kabul catalyses his transformation

• The rigid, controlled setting of Gilead shapes Offred’s behaviour and identity

• Lack of freedom defines her development

Indirect characterisation

• Amir’s thoughts, actions, and relationships reveal his evolving moral awareness

• Key events expose his internal conflict

• Offred’s character is revealed through internal monologue, observation, and reflection

• Small details convey emotional and psychological change

Allusion

• References to Afghan history and culture contextualise Amir’s development

• These elements shape his identity and moral framework

• Biblical and historical allusions reinforce the ideological structure controlling Offred’s life

• They shape both character and context

Symbolism

• The kite symbolises guilt, loss, and eventual redemption

• Physical scars represent trauma and growth

• The red clothing symbolises fertility, control, and identity

• Language and phrases act as symbols of resistance

Evidence

• “I ran because I was a coward”

• “There is a way to be good again”

• “For you, a thousand times over”

• “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum”

• “I want to keep on living, in any form”

• “Better never means better for everyone”

Comparative angle

The Kite Runner

Text for comparison 

Possible similarities 

Possible differences

Individual versus society

The tension between personal morality and societal expectations, particularly shaped by class, ethnicity, and political upheaval

The Great Gatsby

Both texts explore individuals forming identity under oppressive or restrictive social systems

Amir’s conflict is rooted in guilt and ethnicity, whereas Gatsby’s is driven by class aspiration and illusion

Power and oppression

Depicts the impact of Taliban rule and entrenched ethnic hierarchies on individuals and communities

1984

Both texts examine how systems of power control behaviour and restrict freedom

Hosseini depicts historical oppression shaped by war and ethnicity, while Orwell presents absolute ideological and linguistic control

Cultural conflict and change

Explores the disruption of Afghan society through war, migration, and shifting political regimes

Things Fall Apart

Both texts portray societies undergoing profound cultural upheaval and transformation

Amir adapts and seeks redemption within change, whereas Okonkwo resists change and is ultimately destroyed by it

Authorial purpose

Hosseini seeks to humanise Afghanistan and explore themes of guilt, redemption, and moral responsibility

1984

Both writers critique systems that suppress individuality and truth

Hosseini focuses on personal narrative and emotional realism, while Orwell delivers a political warning about totalitarianism

Impact on the audience 

Encourages empathy through personal storytelling and challenges simplified views of Afghanistan

A Streetcar Named Desire

Both texts encourage emotional engagement by exposing human vulnerability, prompting audiences to reflect on suffering, responsibility, and moral consequence

Hosseini builds empathy through historical realism, whereas Williams evokes emotional intensity through psychological deterioration and dramatic tension