The Kite Runner Argumentative Essay

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear” (Nelson Mandela). Similarly, this idea is seen multiple times in the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. In this book a young boy named Amir who lives in Afghanistan experiences a traumatic event in his early childhood that tests his bravery. Unfortunately, Amir proves in this stage of his life that he does not possess bravery. After this event, Amir experiences other small occurrences that call for courage and slowly make him more brave. Eventually, Amir returns to Afghanistan where his bravery is tested once again and the chance to redeem himself is presented. The main factors

that constitute bravery are putting yourself in the face of danger for others, following your heart, and expanding ones horizons to new extents.
To begin with, an essential characteristic to true bravery is the will to put oneself in danger for the good of others. In Amir’s case, he has the chance the save his former best friends son, Sohrab, from an evil man named Assef. Assef, the man who caused the traumatic event early in Amir’s childhood, faces Amir for the first time in twenty-six years and wants revenge. Amir,
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after being a bystander his whole life, stands up to Assef and says that he’ll fight him on one condition: the winner walks away with Sohrab.

Although Amir is feeling endless fear while fighting Assef, he continues anyway. By the end of the fight, Amir states, “My body was broken—just how badly I wouldn’t find out until later—but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed” ( Hosseini 289). Amir may have gotten beaten up but he finally stood up to the man who had haunted him everyday for twenty-six years. This made amir feel healed of the sins he committed in his past

In addition, Following your heart is one of the main contributing factors to true bravery. In The Kite Runner, Amir enjoyed writing from a very young age; he grew up writing stories and took a great deal of interest in writing when he moved to the United States. Shortly after graduating high school, Amir decides that he wants to major in Creative Writing at college. Up to this point in Amir’s life, his father had never been truly fond of his interests in writing. Consequently, his father replied with a large amount of rude comments denouncing his choice but Amir says to himself, “I would stand my ground, I decided. I didn’t want to sacrifice for Baba anymore” (135). This shows that Amir is brave enough to defy his fathers wishes and take control of his own

life.
Lastly, True bravery is having the guts to expand your horizons to new levels. In Kite Runner, this is seen when Amir meets Soraya for the first time. Amir up to this point in life didn’t speak to many girls. Nonetheless, a girl he finds attractive and one he wants to make his wife. Although Amir is terrified, he approaches Soraya and begins a conversation with her. During this conversation Amir’s, “…eyes were burning. [He] couldn’t bring [himself] to look her in the
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eye” (145) and yet he continued to speak with her. This shows how Amir conquered his fear and in turn portrays what true bravery is.
In conclusion, there are three main factors that make up true bravery which are putting oneself in harm’s way for others, expanding one’s horizons, and following one’s heart. True bravery arises many times in The Kite Runner such as when Amir is facing Assef, speaking with Soraya, and arguing with Baba (Amir’s Father). In the real world, true bravery is a highly desired characteristic that anyone can obtain and yet many don’t possess it. If one strives to be brave then they must stop being a bystander, stand up for what is right, and take initiative of their life