Kite Runner Internal Conflict

In the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, there are many different important conflicts throughout the story. These conflicts are brought upon by the recurring motifs, such as redemption and loyalty. The different dissensions support the ideas of characterization by how they react to the sudden adversity in their lives. Amir attempts to redeem himself through Hassan’s son, Sohrab, by saving him and giving him a better life. Further developing the meaning of the story, connoting the mental struggle and the way priorities change over time, keeping readers mindful of the motifs and how they impact each character.
One of the most noticeable conflicts that emerge in the earlier chapters seem to be almost mundane, but does overall effect the

characterization of both Amir and Baba. Amir is a young child, yearning for his father’s attention, his approval, his love. The conflict is one of both external and internal. It had gotten to the point where Amir went through with the kite flying with Hassan just to receive his father’s approbation. The main character had to manage his father’s neglect while growing up. All Amir really wants is to be “looked at, not seen, listened to, not heard” (Hosseini 65), and while this conflict shapes the way that Amir grew up, readers are exposed to the characterization of the child, the amount of pain he was in. This develops the story further due to the ability to be exposed to the raw emotion of Amir, the real conflict between his father and him that drove him to do most of the things in his life. However, a pivotal, if not the most important, conflict that really shapes Amir’s character is the relationship between Hassan and himself. After the events in chapter seven had taken place, readers are shown the other side of the main character. His cruelties towards Hassan shocks readers, as he told him “stop harassing him” (88). The line developed the character in ways that we hadn’t seen until then, the adversity seemed to bring out the worst in Amir. The main conflict that was originally one of the relationship between a father and a son, but developed into the friendship and betrayal of two brothers.
As the story continues, Amir redeeming himself to Hassan becomes the main internal conflict of the story.

Compensating for the deficits of the way he treated Hassan completely consumes him. He shut him out of his life and then realizes how the heinous act on Hassan should be when the friends should have come together, rather than drift apart. He only realizes this when he learns about Hassan’s son, and tries to redeem himself through Sohrab. Amir says: “I have gone back to Afghanistan to bring back my half-brother’s son” (329), which changes the original conflict of redeeming himself to his father to redeeming himself to his best friend. This characterizes Amir due to how his priority shifted from his father to his friend, not concerned anymore about impressing his father, but rather vindicating his poor treatment of his friend by caring for his only son, and making sure that what happened to Hassan will never happen to Sohrab again, finally saying that Hassan “meant a lot to [him]” (237). Further along the storyline there are many times where Amir defended Sohrab, compensating for the times when he did not stand up for Hassan, allowing the sexual assault to take place because Hassan was a hazara. Later on in the story, readers note that General Sahib called Sohrab a hazara boy, and Amir stated: “...you never again refer to him as ‘Hazara boy’”(213), which shows some of the character development with Amir, showing how he is willing to stand up for someone, which is what his

father was scared that we was never going to do. He redeemed himself to both his childhood best friend and his father without even realizing it, developing his character in a way that readers were not exposed to originally.
The conflict of redemption was brought on by the conflicts caused by the loyalty of all the different character towards Amir.

Amir’s internal battle trying to fight off the crushing weight of the pain it caused him to see his family so loyal to him, yet he could not be loyal in return. This originates with Hassan and the fact that Amir did not act to save him from Assef, later when Amir was being an unloyal friend who was not there when Hassan needed him the most. When Hassan asked Amir what he did wrong, Amir told him, “I’ll tell you what a want you to stop doing” (88), while one would expect to be offended and even fight back at the impudent response, Hassan just replies with “Anything” (88). This exhibits not only the characterization of Hassan, but the willingness of how far he’ll go for a boy who does not even show him any respect. After Amir completely disregards Hassan and almost seems to flee from his problems as he goes to the United States. Later when Sohrab begins to converse with Amir, the son states that Hassan told him that “[Amir] [was] the best friend [Hassan’s] ever had” (306), this develops the characterization of Hassan as a loyal friend and further advances the previous conflict between Hassan and Amir. Even after Amir had left his friend for the United States, Hassan was still tragically devoted to his friend. However, it was not only Hassan that was devoted to Amir, but also his son Sohrab. When an old conflict emerged between Assef and Amir emerged

when the main character was trying to save Sohrab, the boy defended him without hesitation; almost displaying the same loyalty as the boy’s father did to Amir. This is important because it contributes the idea of how Amir redeems himself through Sohrab, being that Sohrab shares the same unwavering devotion that Hassan had towards Amir. This characterizes and develops Sohrab’s story line by showing an insight into how his father presented Amir to his son, and how that loyalty transmitted to Sohrab.
The motifs of loyalty and redemption were two major factors in both arising and resolving some of the main conflicts in The Kite Runner, providing readers with an insight into the emotions and priorities of the characters, especially Hassan, Sohrab, and Amir. The connection between the relationships of Hassan and Amir and then Amir and Sohrab thrive off of the conflicts and the recurring motifs throughout the novel. Amir lived his redemiton and his loyalty through Sohrab, trying to make what he did to Hassan feel like less of a burden on his shoulders. There are many different ways for one to redeem themself, but there is no better way to show loyalty than to be present in a time of need.