The Levels of Power Relationship in the Kite Runner

Abstract

The purpose of the present research was to analyse the linguistic manipulation in the novel, The Kite Runner, according to the agenda of Critical Discourse Analysis. The researcher employed Huckin’s analytic tools of CDA to make it clear how the author manipulated the text in favour of his objectives. It was analyzed how the social relations, identity, knowledge, and power were constructed through the use of linguistic devices in the text of the novel. The results of the present research revealed that the writer used specific linguistic devices to influence the readers to make them accept ideological message contained in the text. He used the text as a tool of propaganda in favour of the Western Agenda in Afghanistan. He employed linguistic manipulation as a powerful instrument for the construction of his version of reality. This study is an effort to unfold power relations, dominance, oppression, repression, and marginalization in The Kite Runner. It will help the readers in decoding the text manipulation by applying CDA.

Keywords: The Kite Runner, text interpretation, CDA, power relations, propaganda, critical thinking