Redemption: The novel begins with an adult Amir looking back on the events of his childhood. He is trying desperately to ignore his unatoned sins, but realizes that “it’s wrong what they say about the past…about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out”(Hosseini 1). Even after Amir and his father flee to America to one afternoon from decades ago still haunts him. Amir’s inaction that day impacts the rest of his life and leads to lies, betrayal, and guilt. He desires to be forgiven for his sin and does everything he can to find redemption. Amir is hopeful that “there is a way to be good again”(Hosseini 2). Social and ethnic tensions: The Kite Runner allows us a look at Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion and then after. The peaceful Afghanistan that Amir was born into is no longer in existence; rival groups now fight amongst each other. “There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood”. Throughout The Kite Runner, there is tension on account of religious, ethnic, and economic factors. Amir, a privileged Sunni, struggles to understand his relationship with his Shi’a servant, Hassan. The boys grew up together, but “in the end, [Amir] was a Pashtun and [Hassan] was a Hazara, [Amir] was a Sunni and [Hassan] was Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing”(Hosseini 25). Hassan and his father, Ali, are discriminated against because of their religious beliefs and physical features. He is bullied because some believe “Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns…the pure Afghans, not this Flat-Nose here. His people pollute our homeland, our watan. They dirty our blood”(Hosseini 40). The relationship between Amir and Hassan is complicated because of the social pressures. The boys are as close as brot... ... middle of paper ... ...n is to Ali. The acceptance of family and the ties between families greatly draw the novel together which we see longer after the family moves from Afghanistan. Symbols The Kite: Not only is the kite featured in the title of the novel, it also plays a major role in setting the tone of the book. The most important symbol in the book represents both betrayal and redemption. The pomegranate tree: The pomegranate tree symbolizes Amir and Hassan’s relationship. The tree once proved Hassan’s loyalty to Amir and grew fruit. Years later the tree is still there, just like Hassan’s loyalty. However, the pomegranate tree no longer bears fruit. The sling shot: The sling shot represents childhood. Hassan used the slingshot to stand up for Amir and himself. Sorhab also uses this as a means of protection. The slingshot symbolizes standing up for what is right and also innocence.
Kite Runner depicts the story of Amir, a boy living in Afghanistan, and his journey throughout life. He experiences periods of happiness, sorrow, and confusion as he matures. Amir is shocked by atrocities and blessed by beneficial relationships both in his homeland and the United States. Reviewers have chosen sides and waged a war of words against one another over the notoriety of the book. Many critics of Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, argue that the novel would not have reached a lofty level of success if the U.S. had not had recent dealings with the Middle East, yet other critics accurately relate the novel’s success to its internal aspects.
We all are heroes of our own story, and it is a quality seen in many movies and books. The hero's journey is about progress and passage. This journey involves a separation from the unknown, known world, and a series of phases the hero must go through . Each stage of the journey must be passed successfully if the person is to become a hero. In “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, the main character Amir faces a series of trials and goes through obstacles where the concept of his childhood dies. Amir's mother passes away during his birth, and his left with the suspicion that his father blames him for her death. Amir longes for his father's attention and approval, but does not receive any affection as a son. He grows up with his Hazara best friend, Hassan. In Afghanistan culture, Hazaras are considered lower class and inferiors in society. Amir describes his friendship with Hassan saying, “then he would remind us that there was a brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that not even time could break." (20). Amir first refuses the call of action due to being afraid of the adventure ahead of him. Call to action is the very first step of the hero's journey, where the hero is disrupted and the
Redemption is gaining honor and self-forgiveness through a selfless act that reflects off of one’s regretful actions of their past. In the novel, The Kite Runner, Amir is the main character who goes through many life struggles and mistakes, then finds himself on a road to redemption. Amir and Hassan were best friends throughout their childhood and Hassan was the honorable, trusting best friend, the one to always take a stand for what he believed was right. Amir’s lack of courage caused him to stay silent in the worst of times, letting Hassan get tortured for the things he did not deserve. The themes of sacrifice, honor and redemption are carried out in many ways throughout this novel being shown through the actions of Hassan, Baba, and Amir.
Right before he goes to run the blue kite, Hassan says to Amir, “For you a thousand times over!” (Hosseini 67). This is one of the most significant quotes in the novel, The Kite Runner by the number one New York Times bestselling author Khaled Hosseini. This quote means to do anything, no matter what deed or task, however many times for a person. A common phrase exchanged between loyal friends or partners. Speaking of loyalty, this is one of the main themes present within The Kite Runner. Quite frequently and especially in this novel, loyalty often comes with the reality of (ADD MORE) In the novel, The Kite Runner by author Khaled Hosseini, the theme of loyalty is present throughout the book and especially
“Forgive and forget” is a common phrase in our society. However, one may argue that mistakes are never truly forgotten. The Kite Runner suggests that the best way to resolve your past and make up for your mistakes is through doing good. Through Rahim Khan’s wisdom, the actions of Baba, and the journey of Amir, Khaled Hosseini illustrates that the need for redemption, due to unresolved guilt, can haunt someone throughout their life.
... Recovering from this rescue, Amir learns that an orphanage Rahim spoke of does not exist. This leaves him with the issue of what to do with this child. Amir ponders to himself, “I wondered what I'd do with the little wounded boy on the bed, though a part of me already knew” (Hosseini, 328). Related to redemption, this quote foreshadows that Amir will adopt and take Sohrab home. For what is he to do but save his brother's son? To redeem himself of a betrayal long ago Amir knows he has to take in and take care of Sohrab. Thus, foreshadowing is a principal device in evoking the theme of redemption.
The pomegranate tree represents a very important symbol in the novel that supports many aspects of Hassan and Amir’s relationship. Amir and Hassan became close friends, and created their special connection in the novel at
Amir, the main character and narrator in the Kite Runner, belongs to a wealthy family in which his father is a powerful businessman. Amir is also a part of the dominant Pashtun ethnic group and Sunni religious group. Amir in the Kite Runner tells the story of his friendship with Hassan. Hassan and his father, Ali, are Amir’s servants. Hassan on the contrary is a low-caste ethnic Hazara and belongs to the minority Shi’it religious faith. This provides many of the Afghan’s who are different such as Sunni’s, who make up 85% of the Muslim faith, to persecute people like Hassan for their religion.
Amir also committed a sin that affected him negatively throughout his life. This sin occurred when Hassan, Amir’s best friend during his childhood, was getting raped by Assef. This situation occurred when the children were chasing kites. Hassan got the kite first, but Assef insisted that he wanted the kite. Assef also had a racial and religious prejudice against Hassan. Because Hassan did not give the kite, Assef decides to rape Hassan as a “punishment”. Instead of helping his friend out, Amir just walked away from the scene and let Hassan get violated in one of the most vulgar ways. After this incident, Hassan quietly walked back home and gave Amir the kite for which he was confronted by Assef for. The kite in this situation proves to be an important symbol. Whereas earlier in the novel the kite represented happiness and fun to Amir, in this situation it represented sin and guilt to Amir. The only reason that Hassan got raped was that he was trying to get a kite for Amir. Now the kite acts a reminder to Hassan of his wrong-doing and it will now begin to haunt him for a long time. Although when in America, Amir does not get reminded about Hassan, deep inside he still feels guilty. Amir immediately begins to feel the most guilt when he goes to Iran when Rahim Khan, Amir’s childhood friend, asks him to come. He feels that Rahim Khan has reminded him of his “past of unatoned sins”(Hosseini 2).
The other source of tension in Amir’s life is his relationship with Baba, his hard-driving and demanding father. Desperate to win his father’s affection and respect, Amir turns to the sport of kite flying, and at the age of 12, with the assistance of Hassan, he wins the annual tournament in Kabul. Amir’s victory soon is tarnished when he witnesses a vicious assault against his friend, who raced through the streets of Kabul to retrieve the last kite, Amir had sliced from the sky, and fails to come to his aid. Amir’s cowardness is compounded by a later act of betrayal that causes Ali and Hassan to leave their home, and he now faces the nightmare, bearing the burden of his poor choices for the rest of his life.
The pomegranate tree symbolizes Amir and Hassan’s relationship. When they were children, Amir and Hassan played by the tree and even carved their names into its bark naming it their own. However, after Hassan’s rape, Amir uses the fruit of the tree to pelt Hassan in the way he feels he should hurt for not preventing the rape. This is where the beginning of the rift in their friendship starts to be prevalent. Additionally, at the end of the novel after Hassan was murdered, Amir visits the tree and finds it wilting and
Amir is determined to make Baba proud by being the last kite in the sky, yet Amir constantly questions Baba's feelings toward him, “I kept stealing glances at Baba sitting with Rahim Khan on the roof, wondered what he was thinking. Was he cheering for me? Or did part of him enjoy watching me fail?” (63). Although paranoid with imaginary thoughts from Baba, Amir cautiously proceeds in the kite tournament with Hassan by his side. Conclusively, Amir and Hassan fly the winning kite and Amir treasures the first step in pleasing his father, “Then I saw Baba on our roof. He was standing on the edge, pumping both of his fists. Hollering and clapping. And that right there was the single greatest moment of my twelve years of life, seeing Baba on that roof, proud of me at last,” (66). It becomes quite evident Amir has a continual drive to be accepted by Baba, meaning he will go to extreme measures to attain such. In fact, the narcissistic side of Amir is revealed when his relationship with Baba becomes more important than Hassan's safety. Amir watches from afar as his best friend, Hassan, is raped by Assef, “Hassan was standing at the blind end of the alley in a defiant stance: fists curled, legs slightly apart. Behind him, sitting on piles of scrap and rubble, was the blue kite. My key to Baba’s heart,” (71). Amir anxiously looks past the assault of Hassan and contributes his
Was that what it would take? Had he just slipped me a key?” (Hosseini 59). Amir realizes that the key to unlocking Baba’s respect is by winning the kite-fighting tournament. If Amir does this then he believes that Baba will view him as the ideal son: a winner. The kite presents itself as a symbol of hope of as Amir sees it as the only way by which he can finally earn Baba’s respect. As Amir sets his sights on winning the tournament, he envisions a future where Baba embraces him as the ideal son. Amir understands that in order to see this dream become a reality he must first demonstrate that he can be more like Baba because “Baba was used to winning, winning at everything he set his mind to. Didn’t he have a right to expect the same from his son? And just imagine. If I did win...” (Hosseini 59). Amir foresees a future where he wins the tournament and earns Baba’s respect. It is implied that Amir’s vicctory will lead him to become someone who is looked at, not seen, listened to, not heard. This can be seen as an element of forshadowing as this is what happens to Amir after he wins. When Amir tells himself “didn’t he have the a
“Don’t listen to that guy, he’s trying to lead you down the path of righteousness. I’m gonna lead you down the path that rocks.” A devil sits on Kronk’s shoulder in the movie, Emperor’s New Groove, and attempts to convince him to make a sinful decision. A devil sits on everyone’s shoulder at some point and creates sin through his taunting demeanour. Though it is not the best choice, sinning has always been a popular decision throughout the world. With sinning, there are many outcomes, one being redemption. Most people regret their choices and decide they would like to be forgiven. In the novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, the protagonist, Amir, and his father, Baba, commit terrible sins and spend their lives seeking forgiveness; however,
In Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner, the theme, “true redemption is when guilt leads to good” (302) had a major affect on Amir. Feeling endless guilt is tiring; it clings to a person and drags him or her down constantly. Amir felt endless remorse for the way he treated Hassan and tried to find redemption his whole life, but did not succeed until he went back to Kabul to find Sohrab. Throughout the story, Hosseini uses Amir to develop the theme through three different stages, including, cowardice, personality change, and redemption.