Are Children Colouring Books? The Psychology of Trauma and Colours in Khalid Hosseini’s The Kite Runner

This paper seeks to demystify the purpose of Amir’s journey of self-discovery after betraying his illegitimate half-brother, Hassan, in Khalid Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. It attempts to reveal how the representation of colours, as a narrative element, shapes Amir’s psychological development and his liberation from guilt. Through employing a textual analysis of Hosseini’s novel, this paper explores Hosseini’s strategic use of colours associated with certain memories Amir cannot escape. The paper utilises intrusive trauma memories and colour psychology as a theoretical framework to examine and understand Amir’s internal conflict and healing process. The paper contends that Amir’s trauma has been triggered by intrusive memories linked to colours prevalent during certain incidents, which compel him to confront his past. The paper concludes that these colours act as a mechanism, aiding Amir to reconcile with his haunting past. His deliberate confrontation and reconciliation with his past lead to his liberation from the psychological burden, trauma, and guilt with which he is plagued.