The Kite Runner: Imagery

"The poplar trees lined the redbrick driveway, which led to a pair of wrought-iron gates. They in turn opened into an extension of my father's estate. The house sat on the left of the brick path, the backyard at the end of it...A broad entryway flanked by rosebushes led to the sprawling house of marble floors and wide windows. Intricate mosaic tiles covered the floors of the four bathrooms. Gold-stitched tapestries lined the walls; a crystal chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling..." (page 4)

In The Kite Runner, imagery is definitely an important focus; the narrator explains every surrounding in great depth and detail. For instance, the above explanation of the house continues for almost two pages; he explains almost every aspect of the house in order to present the reader with an accurate view. Throughout the rest of the novel, Amir focuses intently on the use of imagery in his memories. He wants to make certain to present the reader with the ability to see the world he grew up in and the places he experienced. For me, reading about his life in Afghanistan was definitely a culture shock. I don't think by any means I am a small-town girl. Since my dad is a pilot, my family has traveled the world quite a bit. However, my impression of Afghanistan has always been that it is a war-torn country that is falling apart. Amir's description of his early childhood helped me to understand that this was not always the case; it caused me to imagine the beauty of the Afghanistan before the Taliban overtook the government. The detailed imagery in this novel is absolutely vital to understanding the story as a whole because readers can't understand a country that is worlds away. The imagery allowed me to paint a clear picture of Afghanistan in my mind as well; I hate to admit it, but before I started reading this novel, I didn't even know what to imagine as the setting, except for sand. Lots and lots of sand. And a few camels here and there. Therefore, I feel descriptive imagery is necessary for the telling of Amir's story.