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The Kite Runner Quote Analysis

Decent Essays

One of this novel’s themes is the ability to redeem oneself by removing political and religious barriers and fighting for what is right, without allowing obstacles to prevent such action. In the first quotation presented, Amir redeems himself for hiding money beneath Hassan’s mattress to frame him for larceny. Years later he has “planted a fistful of crumpled money under a mattress” (pg. 254), this time it’s to provide for an impoverished household. This is Amir’s way of starting to apologize to Hassan. The subsequent quote presents Amir realizing that the only way to be released from his past is by repenting. Amir says ““I have a wife in America, a home, a career and a family”. But how could I pack up and go back home when my actions may have …show more content…

The quote “the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years” (pg. 1) shows, in the most blatant of ways that although Amir ran away to California, he continues to feel guilt about his inaction towards Hassan’s abuse 26 years earlier. The guilt about his past “claws its way out” whether Amir is living in Afghanistan or across the world. The second quote selected, discusses how the knowledge of Hassan’s rape weighs on Amir and will do so for the rest of his life until he deals with the issue. His curse is he’s ‘’going to get away with it.” The final quote “My body was broken—just how badly I wouldn’t find out until later—but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed” (pg. 303), is describing how Amir feels after he is beaten by Assef. Having faced his fears and felt sufficiently punished for what he did to Hassan, Amir is finally somewhat free of the burden that had been weighing on him. Having recognized his past, he needn’t run from it any longer. The song designated to represent this theme (“What I’ve Done” by Linkin Park) perfectly represents, facing one’s past. The passage stating “I'll face myself, To cross out what I’ve become, Erase myself, And let go of what I’ve done” (verse 3) describes how confronting oneself leads to redemption (“cross out what I’ve become”). By repenting the singer is forgiven by others and himself for what he has done. In other words, he can finally start to “let go”. This is exactly what Amir does in The Kite Runner. He returns to Afghanistan to repent for his actions toward Hassan, and in doing so he learns to forgive

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