Terrorism In The Kite Runner

Words: 1001
Pages: 5

Afghanistan remains to this day a dangerous country to set foot in. A fulfilling life or even basic survivability remains difficult because of its long history of violence, which shaped the way the country became what it is at the moment. The country is plagued on a daily basis with high crime rate, insurgency and terrorist attacks, and the violence does not seem to be diminishing any time soon. With the Soviet Union’s military invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the conflict between the Afghan communist government and the anti-communist Muslim population became fiercer. To further exacerbate the situation, the United States took measures to prevent the Soviet Union from increasing in power, as it feared a possible newfound advantage the Soviets …show more content…
In doing so, he shows the psychological effects of terrorism in society and the main characters. In many instances, people in society behave in an extremely self-conscious manner, suggesting that they have been mentally affected as a result of witnessing terrorist acts or experiencing first-hand the terror. More specifically, self-consciousness in this case is attached with the idea of terror as a result of breaking the rules imposed by the Taliban. Clearly, no citizens in Afghanistan remain unscathed; all citizens either belong to the category of direct victim or indirect victim. It can be assumed that some, if not, most people have symptoms of PTSD or in the worse care are diagnosed with PTSD. Moreover, Amir, the main character of the novel, lived in a relatively peaceful country until he is convinced to depart on a journey to Afghanistan to rescue Sohrab, the son of Hassan, whom he feels obligated to rescue in order to atone for his past sins. In Afghanistan, Amir witnesses the dysfunctional society under the regime of the Taliban. Specifically, he witnesses the suspicion surrounding the people in society, realizing that he is going to have to work hard to earn their trust. Also, Amir discovers that Hassan was killed by the Taliban. The loss of a loved one instills a feeling of grief in Amir. He becomes an indirect victim. Furthermore, Sohrab is portrayed as an individual who suffered through repeated physical and sexual abuse. It is clear that the child is diagnosed with severe PTSD. Sohrab, despite having been rescued by Amir, remains scarred with psychological trauma as a result of terrorism. He is detached from life and has given up. Accordingly, terrorism is a psychological weapon that causes mental impairment to the affected members in