Symbols In The Kite Runner

vSome say that everyone has a right to feel happy without feeling guilty, yet that may not apply in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. In the novel Hosseini uses kites as a symbol of happiness and guilt. Kites represent happiness in that for the book’s main character, Amir, kites made up the best parts of his childhood. They also represent guilt in that kites remind him of the betrayal of his brother, which weighs heavily on him. Throughout the story this use of kites as a symbol is seen in Amir’s connection to his father, his connection to his brother Hassan, and his connection to his nephew Sohrab.
During his childhood, Amir and his father Baba had a troubled relationship. Baba was always either disappointed in or cold to Amir. The only

Prior to this re-appearance Amir brought Sohrab, Hassan’s son, to America to live with him and his wife. Despite being in a much nicer place Sohrab had been quiet and distant ever since arriving to America. In addition to that, Amir hadn’t picked up a kite since the Hassan rape incident because the guilt was too much. Later on while at a park with Sohrab, Amir see’s some kids flying kites then turns to see the Sohrab sulking and he comes up with an idea. He walks to the nearest kite vendor, purchases one kite, and Amir and Sohrab fly the kite together and Sohrab is finally able to smile. After Sohrab and Amir win the kite challenge Amir goes to run the kite they cut and tells sohrab “for you a thousand times over” (371 Hosseini) giving Sohrab the same admiration his father gave Amir. In doing this Amir gets rid of his guilt over Hassan’s rape allowing himself to be truly happy, flying kites again. This also shows Sohrab being able to be happy again as he begins to let go of the memory of his hellish life as a slave to the taliban. In the end, this point in the story shows the kite brought back to its place as a symbol of happiness for the