A Snare in the Narrative Structure: An Exploration of Hermeneutic Code in "The Kite Runner"

Abstract

The present paper studies the novel The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini through the lens of Barthe's narrative code theory. The paper primarily focuses on the Hermeneutic code works underlyingly to the narrative. The researchers in the present chapter analyze the mysterious and puzzling elements in the novel, which help in the formation of the text: the current study, the novel The Kite Runner through the Hermeneutic code of Barthes. Barthes gives the five codes theory in his book S/Z. The codes are Hermeneutic code, Proairetic code, Symbolic code, Cultural code and Semantic code. The Hermeneutic code is also termed as jamming, snare and delay or enigma code. The present study is important in the field of narratology because it minutely focusses on the one thread of the narrative to understand the role played by Hermeneutic code in the formation of the narrative structure.