The Kite Runner

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Recommended: Themes of the book the kite runner

“I do not regret the things I’ve done, but those I did not do” (Rory Cochrane). Life tends to have many obstacles to go through and how they are handled depends on the person. Taking the wrong path, especially when knowing it is wrong, can lead to a life full of guilt. Guilt from a troubled past is a motif in the book The Kite Runner. Khaled Hosseini uses syntax and diction to portray a story in which the characters, especially Amir, constantly accept their past and learn to move on, while in the movie, it is harder to distinguish the characters’ growth, due to the third person point of view; yet, in both, the readers/viewers learn to understand the importance of dealing with a problem when it occurs and move on.
Soraya and Sanabuar are the perfect examples of people learning from their past mistakes and eventually move on. After running away with a man, while living in Virginia, Soraya feels the need for Amir to know so they can begin their relationship, “’When I came home, I saw my mother had had a stroke, the right side of her face was paralyzed and… I felt so guilty. She didn’t deserve that’” (164). Soraya’s paused syntax reveals her sense of guilt; although she knows it is not her fault her mother had a stroke. Soraya understood what she did was wrong and her ability to discuss her upsetting past shows that she had accepted her responsibly and moved on. This scene was perfectly depicted in the movie; although, the seriousness off the topic was slightly dulled due to Khanum Taheri, Soraya’s mother, following Soraya and Amir which at the time seemed humorous; viewers need to remember it is a different culture and some situations are handled differently. There was no mention of Sanabuar in the movie, yet she played a key role i...

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...otion is visible to Sohrab leading to the thought of his yearning to accept his past. After struggling to forgive himself for not helping Hassan, and again with Sohrab, Amir learns he is in a lifelong battle of learning to move on from his past and he is ready to do whatever is necessary to help himself and the people he loves.
Although it is hard to see the growth of the characters through The Kite Runner movie, it is visible in the book due to the additional scenes, allowing the audience to fully grasp the theme of having a troubled past and learning to accept it, and move on. If the characters never forgave themselves, they would life a life engulfed in guilt, unable to accomplish anything without feeling unworthy; which many people seem to struggle with today. Forgiveness and growth are key to accomplishment and happiness in life.

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The Kite Runner

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