Betrayal In The Kite Runner

Sometimes we make mistakes that we spend our entire lives trying to correct. Acts of violence are committed, sprouting relationships are shattered and truths are hidden. In Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, a loyal friend is betrayed in the worst kind of way, and like a lit touchpaper, the events of the winter of 1975 resonate, and change countless lives. The themes of betrayal, deceit and redemption are the most prevalent ideas found in this novel. Baba deceives Amir, Hassan and Ali and steals their right to the truth; Amir betrays Hassan and Sohrab; and finally Amir searches to clear his conscience and is able to redeem himself as well as Baba.
Fifteen years after Baba’s death, Amir learns of the truths that Baba had kept hidden

from Ali, Hassan and himself. Baba was the one who had impregnated Sanaubar and as a result Ali had not been Hassan’s biological father. Amir and Hassan were half-brothers. Amir was the socially legitimate one who had inherited all of the family riches, while Hassan was the socially illegitimate one that Baba could not openly share his affections with. Ali and Hassan had died not knowing that their entire lives had been nothing but one big lie. Baba, in his hypocrisy, had committed the very thing that he preached was the only true sin, theft. Baba stole their rights to the truth, and in doing so horribly betrayed them all. Despite all of the kind deeds that Baba did throughout life, he was not able to redeem himself for his actions.
In the winter of 1975, Amir abandons Hassan, someone who would have given his life form him, in an act of cowardice and selfishness. Amir and Hassan proved victorious in the kite flying competition and Hassan had succeeded in obtaining the last kite, when he was confronted by Assef, Wali and Kamal. They sought after the kite but Hassan refused to hand it over as it was meant for Amir. As a consequence, Hassan was sexually assaulted by Assef. Amir could’ve prevented the rape, yet he chose not to intervene. Amir, in his selfishness, sacrificed Hassan to win Baba’s affections. He later betrays Hassan a second time by framing him for theft, which subsequently leads to Hassan and Ali’s departure. Afterwards, Amir, in his lack of understanding, betrays Hassan’s son. Amir made a promise to Sohrab that he would never send him back to an orphanage and then later broke his word. Sohrab was in turmoil, he may have witnessed the death of his parents, he had been sexually abused and he was forced to end someone’s life. Amir’s broken word was the last straw and as a result Sohrab attempts suicide. In these respects Amir proves to be much more like his father than he ever anticipated. However, unlike Baba, Amir is able to redeem himself of his past wrongs.
Twenty-six years after the events that happen in the winter of 1975 Amir is able to correct his, as well as his father’s, past .

His journey starts when a long lost family friend calls Amir to Pakistan, and in passing says, “Come. There is a way to be good again.”(p. 202). Rahim Khan informs Amir of Baba’s lies as well as Hassan’s death. Afterwards, on behalf of Rahim Khan’s request, Amir ventures into Afghanistan to rescue Hassan’s orphan son, a boy named Sohrab. The Afghanistan that Amir sees is not the one of his childhood, it is a hopeless place. Sohrab is being held by Assef who is now a Taliban leader. Amir is able to rescue Sohrab and cross borders, but barely escapes with his life. In Pakistan Sohrab attempts suicide and is left deeply traumatized. Once adopted by Amir and taken to the United States, Sohrab doesn’t utter a single word for an entire year. All of these things considered, Amir is not able to redeem himself until the end of the novel, when he runs the kite for Sohrab. For his entire life Amir put himself first. He always thought of his guilt, his pain, what he would go through if something went wrong. When Amir runs the green kite, he does so for Sohrab’s happiness, and only in this definitive act does Amir truly obtain his

redemption.
Betrayal, dishonesty and redemption are central ideas found in Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner. The foremost examples are of Baba’s deception, Amir’s betrayal of Hassan and Sohrab, and lastly, Amir’s journey back to Afghanistan and his gaining of redemption. The Kite Runner reminds us that, often times, the problems that we face in life do not have simple solutions. In spite of this, the novel ends on a note of hope, and for good reason, as only it can protect us when the stones are thrown.