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Title Examining the Trajectories of Self Actualization in Khaled Husseini’s The Kite Runner

Author(s) Mehnaz

Abstract Broadly speaking, identity is a marker attributed to the attempt to integrate and differentiate a sense of self along different personal and social dimensions. Often, the attempt to define identity and self relies on representation of self i.e., psychological construction about us as an individual in terms of how we are identified by others and what we are identifying with. In the present study the self-actualization process of Khaled Huseini and all of his male characters in the novel The Kite Runner have been investigated. The researcher has applied Abraham Maslow’s model of hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1968) as a comprehensive approach to analyze the work to understand the role of physiological and psychological needs in identity formation. The main focus in this project has been on examination of the self as a concrete whole with its appearance and essence, whereas the essence is the factors involved in giving the appearances. While identity and self has been used largely as synonyms, the findings have been examined and interpreted within the context of post colonialism in the light of Hegel’s Dialectical framework. It is pertinent to know that behind every reality the system of development works which involves many forces in bringing reality into existence or in taking out of existence here the researcher has attempted to detect the writer’s motivational force or need in undertaking this huge task to present Afghan realities in postcolonial era. Moreover, by examining the self-actualization process of male characters the researcher wished to inquire whether the work belongs to the class of postcolonial autobiographical writing. The study of human behavior and the questions of why people behave in certain ways have always been an interesting field of study. Humanists believe that as an individual grows and develops over the life span it is necessary to study the person as a whole. The great exponent of Humanistic Psychology, Abraham Maslow has rejected the idea that only external and internal forces control the human behavior. Instead, Maslow in his hierarchy of needs states that both internal and external factors control man’s behavior. He focuses on human potential, believing that humans seek the frontiers of creativity, strive to reach the highest levels of their consciousness, capabilities and wisdom to be esteemed. He also accentuates the humans’ unique ability to exercise free-will and make choices, believing that people are not merely controlled by unconscious instinctual impulses or mechanical forces (forces of behaviorism and stimuli). People at this level were labeled by Freud and Jung as possessing a healthy personality and fully functioning and Maslow called these people self-actualizing persons. His studies have led him to believe that people have certain needs and each of us is motivated by needs. Our most basic needs are unchanging and inborn, having evolved over a span of years. These needs are also the same in all cultures and are both physiological and psychological or the Basic needs and the Growth Needs. Maslow posits that physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem and self-actualization needs motivate human behavior and decision-making (Maslow, 1948a; Maslow, 1955). Maslow proposes that humans are motivated without any discrimination of cast and creed, to satisfy lower level needs like physiological and safety needs before higher level needs like belongingness, esteem and self-actualization and they have a basic right and a need to strive for self-actualization (Maslow, 1956). However, same needs cannot drive all people - at any time different people may be motivated by entirely different factors. In case of The Kite Runner Maslow's theory of hierarchy of needs and Hegel’s Dialectic framework seemed relevant and important to understand the motivational factors and the needs being pursued by the writer and each character to get insight into the role their needs played in directing their lives, purposes and personal development.

Type Thesis/Dissertation MS

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Language English

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