“People find meaning and redemption in the most unusual human connections.” (Khaled Hosseini) The wise man that spoke these words also wrote the book The Kite Runner. Hosseini wrote this eye opening book to create awareness to what life is like in the middle East. Since September 11th there has been a lot of prejudices against Muslims and people of Middle Eastern descent. This book does not only open your eye to life in the Middle East but, has a lot of major conflicts. The one that we are never allowed to forget is the time when Amir did not save Hassan from being raped by Assef. The rest of Amir’s life he lives with the guilt of that moment of his childhood. Amir learns redemption does not always come in the way one would hope. There was …show more content…
Since Amir was just a child he did not know how to deal with this feeling, so he tried to make it go away. Amir’s first attempt was to ignore Hassan. Amir did not speak to Hassan until the middle of the next week.” I had just half-eaten my lunch and Hassan was doing the dishes. I was walking upstairs, going to my room, when Hassan asked if I wanted to hike up the hill. I said I was tired,” (Hosseini, 86). This did not last long because Hassan’s chores revolve around Amir. Baba advises him to work things out with Hassan. When that did not work Amir sees if Hassan forcing physical pain on him would give him peace at mind. Amir “hit him with another pomegranate, in the shoulder this time. The juice splattered his face. ‘Hit me back!’ [He] spat. ‘Hit me back goddamn you!’ [He] wished he would. [He] wished he’d give [him] the punishment [he] craved,” (92). Hassan obviously did not inflict pain on him so he resulted to his last option. He “looked out [his] bedroom window and waited until Ali and Hassan went grocery shopping… Then [he] took a couple of the envelopes of cash… and my watch, and tiptoed out… [He] crossed the yard, and entered Ali and Hassan’s living quarters… [He] lifted Hassan’s mattress and planted [his] new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it. I waited another thirty minutes. Then [he] knocked on Baba’s door,”(104). Hassan took blame for stealing the money and watch and then Ali informed Baba that they were leaving. The moment they walked out he did not feel free he felt more guilt because Baba cried when they left (107). Seemingly none of these attempts pleased him and his only hope is moving to
Amir resents his choice to be a coward when Hassan is raped. His guilt is immediate and it gnaws at him. A few days after Hassan was assaulted, Amir already feels guilt and resentment inside him. “’I [Amir]
In Amir's desperate attempt to get out from under feelings of crushing guilt, he planted his birthday present of a watch and some money under Hassan's mattress and told Baba. "I knocked on Baba's door and told what I hoped would be the last in a long line of shameful lies." (pg.104) But when Hassan replied "yes" to stealing, Amir "flinched, like I'd been slapped. My heart sank and I almost blurted out the truth. Then I understood: This was Hassan's final sacrifice for me." (pg. 105) Amir said he loved Hassan in that moment, more than he ever loved anyone but he didn't tell the truth. He remained silent hoping that the stealing would get them fired and he could "move on, forget, start with a clean slate...be able to breathe again." (pg. 106) However, Baba forgave Hassan for stealing, to Amir's complete shock, but Ali insisted they leave anyway and that broke Baba's heart.
The only way to have full redemption is to tell the truth. In The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, Amir is a boy living in Kabul, Afghanistan, as the son of Baba. Who is a wealthy businessman of great success. He is a very generous person, building an orphanage, giving to the poor, and lending money to friends in need. Baba has a very well acquainted business partner and a good friend Rahim Khan, who gives Amir great attention that Baba does not give to him. They have Ali and his son Hassan, who are servants to them. Amir and Baba flea Kabul when the Soviets invade Afghanistan, leaving everything behind. When they emigrated to America, Amir and Baba live in great poverty. Baba is a manager at a gas station, then gets lung cancer and dies. He has a lot of guilt, giving to people and doing good deeds is not a way to redeem one’s self.
Amir's entire life had been haunted by what he saw happen to Hassan. Although he was a child at the time, he couldn't accept his shortcoming during a time of need. He was jealous of his father for being able to stand up for himself and others and Hassan's undying loyalty to him. He developed a pattern of behavior - of covering up his mistakes and hiding his past – that he could not rid himself of until he suffered like Hassan did. He made it up to Hassan by saving his son, and he made it up to himself by suffering the way he
“For you, a thousand times over.” In The Kite Runner by Kahled Hosseini, there is a recurring theme of redemption that is portrayed by various literary devices. Kahled excellently juxtaposes devices such as irony, symbolism, and foreshadowing to show redemption within his first novel.
In the Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini wrote that “true redemption is […] when guilt leads to good” (Hosseini 302). this connection between suffering and redemption develops throughout the whole story. Hosseini hints that sacrifice leads to redemption in the book the Kite Runner through the actions of Baba, Sanaubar’s return, and Amir’s journey to atone for his sins.
Page 1 of the novel begins with: “I became what I am today at the age of twelve… I remember the precise moment, crouching behind the crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley.” Amir as an adult is still fighting guilt and pain for not saving Hassan when they were children, this shows how important the rape event was. Chapter 7, page 37 Hassan says: “For you a thousand times
Amir, Hassan’s childhood friend, watched on as he saw him being harassed and inwardly hated Hassan too. It would be fair to say that Amir’s treatment was worse, as he would ignore Hassan in public, but hang out with him in private. This duality shows Amir’s hesitation between good and evil. He knows what would be the honorable thing to do, but he is too afraid of the opinions of others and fitting in to act.
Harvey Freedenberg in an online article titled “The Kite Runner,” says that Hosseini “demonstrates striking skill at melding a page-turning story with intensely involving characters and conflicts.” He says what makes people love the book so much is, “ that it wrestles with themes… [Of] friendship, betrayal, the relationship between fathers and sons, the quest for redemption and the power of forgiveness.” Erin Miller in an online article titled “Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini” complements Freedenberg’s analysis by saying that another reason why so many people love this book is that “The core story could be set in any culture because it deals with issues that are universal,” so readers can relate to the familiar themes.
Although Amir should only blame himself for remaining idle in such a crucial time, he casts his bitterness and resentment upon a less threatening person, Hassan. This option allows him to feel relief regarding the situation without directly clashing with the true root: himself. Nevertheless, many people in society continue to deal with their struggles in this way, so understanding how it affects one's peers may change the way one handles their defense mechanisms. Principally, psychoanalysts can conclude that Amir expresses displacement after poorly reacting to Hassan’s rape.
Khaled Hosseini's, The Kite Runner, is a flashback narrated by a 40 year old Afghan-American man named Amir, who is plagued by his childhood sins until he seeks redemption for his wrongdoing and figures out that redemption requires painful sacrifice. Amir is a kid who experinced someone so loyal to him be raped and Amir did nothing to stop the rapist. One sin led to another and before Amir knew it, he was destroying his life. After his father died, who was someone who he looked up to most, Amir started to go on the path to redeem himself and his guilt where is when he learns the true meaning of sacrifice. Hosseini uses Amir’s misguided notion of sacrifice and his long journey toward redemption in order to ultimately convey that true
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, a story of a boy as he unravels his journey throughout his life. The novel consists of multiple themes such as love, friendship, betrayal, guilt, , secrets, loyalty, and redemption. As the main character, Amir recalls his past events, all of these themes start to unravel specific events that occurred in his life. “There is a way to be good again” (Hosseini 2) is where the novel unfolds the deep dark life of Amir’s regret and guilt, Baba’s secret, and Hassan’s devotion. The book is a true masterpiece which keeps the readers glued to the story as it unfolds. One of the reasons, the story attracts many readers is due to The United States recent conflict with Afghanistan. However, the story has a personal
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a historical fiction novel set mostly in Kabul, Afghanistan and Fremont, California. The novel spans the time periods before, during, and after the reign of the Russians (1979-1989) and the Taliban’s takeover (1996) of Afghanistan. It is told through the first person perspective of Amir alongside his father, Baba, his half-brother, Hassan, and Baba’s companions Ali and Rahim Khan. Growing up, Amir and Hassan are practically inseparable, as they are always playing games, reading poetry, or simply spending time together. Hassan’s mother, Sanaubar, is never present during the children’s youthful years, but they both have Baba as a shared father figure in their lives. The themes of betrayal and redemption
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini tells the coming of age story of the main character Amir. Throughout the novel, many themes are apparent as Amir gets older and deals with the events of his past. One of the main themes is regardless of any action there is always a way to redeem yourself. There are many examples of this theme in The Kite Runner, like when Rahim Khan tells Amir that he can redeem himself, another would be when Assef beats up/hurts Amir but he feels healed, finally were Amir is flying a kite with Sohrab and he smiles. The theme of redemption is present throughout the events of the novel.
Conflict between guilt and redemption has been one of the big themes of mankind, as it is described in many notable literary pieces and scriptures including the Bible. Similarly, The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini vividly depicts a young Afghan man, Amir, suffering between sin and guilt, realizing how he could’ve changed one’s destiny. This story is not merely about repentance, but also about the whole process of realization. Although Amir remains guilty by avoiding Hassan consistently after the betrayal, he seeks true repentance after realizing that apologies towards Hassan are too late.