Abstract:This thesis tries to analyze The Kite Runner from the perspective of initiation story and explore the protagonist’s growing process from the content, characters as well as writing skills. Through the research on the protagonist’s growing experiences and the journey of redemption, the thesis also describes how the protagonist overcomes difficulties and eventually becomes mature. The thesis is divided into six parts. The first part introduces the author and the work. Combining the research status all around the world, it has proved that The Kite Runner is reasonable as an initiation story. The second part introduces briefly about the definitions and characteristics of the initiation story and discusses the basis for The Kite Runner as an initiation story. The third part refers to autobiographical elements and the initiation of the protagonist from the perspective of contents. The fourth part shows us the influences of the initiation guides. The fifth part mentions the open-ending, first-person narrator and symbolism. The last part is the conclusion. According to previous analysis, we can conclude that The Kite Runner is a typical initiation story.

Key words: Khaled Hosseini; The Kite Runner; initiation story

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

1. Introduction1

 1.1 A Brief Introduction to the Author

1.2 A Brief Introduction to the Novel 

1.3 Literature Review

2. The Initiation Story and The Kite Runner..3

2.1 Definitions and Characteristics of the Initiation Story

2.2 The Kite Runner as an Initiation Story

3. Analysis of The Kite Runner from the Perspective of Content5

3.1 Autobiographical Elements

3.2 The Initiation of the Protagonist

4. Analysis of The Kite Runner from the Perspective of Characters7

4.1 Positive Initiation Guides

4.2 Negative Initiation Guides

4.3 Initiation Companions

5. Analysis of The Kite Runner from the Perspective of Writing Skills.9

5.1 An Open-ending

5.2 First-person Narrator

5.3Symbolism

6. Conclusion11

Bibliography.12

Acknowledgements13