The Kite Runner Movie And Book Comparison Essay

As with most screenplays based on the novel, there are many differences between the book and the film, as movies do not have enough time to include every detail that the novel is able to display. The same goes for Mark Forster’s adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's novel, The Kite Runner, as it is immensely different in the way the film depicts Amir’s story. Throughout, The Kite Runner, Amir is on a journey of redemption to be free from the guilt that has haunted him since his childhood. The novel, The Kite Runner, develops deeper relationships between characters, which helps to portray Amir’s journey to redemption more effectively than the film. This is shown as Amir attempts to redeem himself of his betrayal of Hassan. Also, it is demonstrated

as Amir tries to win Baba’s approval and redeem himself of killing his mother. Lastly, this is proven through his attempt to rescue Sohrab from Afghanistan to be free from his sinful actions of his childhood.

In the novel, after Amir betrays Hassan, Amir, now an adult, attempts to redeem himself from his past actions, which is not as effectively shown in the film. Amir returns to Afghanistan to visit his father’s friend, Rahim Khan when Amir is given a letter from Hassan which reads, “And I dream that someday you will return to Kabul to revisit the land of our childhood. If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you” (Hosseini 230). However, in the film’s adaptation of, The Kite Runner, Hassan’s life as an adult is only briefly touched upon, and all that is mentioned is either told to Amir by, Rahim Khan or told by Hassan in this short letter he writes to Amir. This is such an important part of the book, so in the film, when Hassan’s life is so vaguely described, it is difficult for the audience to recognize the development of Hassan’s character. Amir stays away from Afghanistan due to the overriding guilt he feels from betraying Hassan, but after reading Hassan’s letter, Amir now feels forgiven and released into freedom. This sense of redemption is not evident in the film as Amir does not show signs of feeling forgiven or redeemed of his past

actions towards Hassan. Similarly, when Amir returns to Afghanistan, he stays at Farid’s brother’s house, he shows his first act of redemption and narrates, “Earlier that morning, when I was certain no one was looking, I did something I had done 26 years earlier: I planted a fistful of money under a mattress” (Hosseini 254). Whereas, in the film, Amir does not stay at Farid’s brother’s house, so this act of redemption of placing the money under the mattress does not appear in the movie. In the novel, when Amir places the money under the mattress, he is redeeming himself of the similar act of when he betrayed Hassan in an attempt to get Baba to fire Ali and Hassan. By removing this scene from the film, the audience misses crucial character development that helps to start Amir’s journey to redemption. Overall, Amir and Hassan’s development is important to understand why Amir is so determined to redeem himself of his actions toward Hassan as a child.
Also, throughout the novel, Amir is desperately trying to win Baba’s approval to redeem himself of killing his mother, but this is not evident in the film, since the movie excludes key background information about Baba and Amir’s relationship. For example, as Amir is explaining why he is so determined to win the kite tournament, he narrates, “I was going to win, and I was going to run that last kite. Then I’d bring it home and show it to Baba. Show him once and for all that his son is worthy. Then maybe my life as a ghost in this house would finally be over” (Hosseini 60). However, in the film, it does not mention that Amir wants to win the kite tournament for Baba’s approval in order to redeem himself of killing his mother. The novel clearly explains that Amir wants to win the kite tournament for his father’s approval and forgiveness, but this is important background information which is missing in the movie. Since the novel gives more insight to why winning the tournament is so important for Amir, by providing more background information on Amir and Baba’s relationship, Amir’s journey to redemption is able to be displayed more effectively than in the film. Additionally, Amir is fighting with Assef to prove to Baba that he can fight his own battles, since Baba thinks Amir is unable to stand up for himself, or for anything. when Amir is fighting with Assef in an attempt to rescue Sohrab, Amir narrates, “My body was broken - just how badly I wouldn’t find out until later - but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed” (Hosienni 303). Whereas, in the film, Amir does not laugh during, or even after the fight, so it is not evident that Amir feels redeemed of his childhood actions during this scene in the movie. By excluding the laughing during this scene from the film, it portrays Amir’s journey to redemption less effectively, since it is not clear that Amir is being healed from his previous actions. The novel is much more effective at showing this redemption, since it explains that after fighting with Assef, Amir feels redeemed and is finally free to live his life without guilt. These examples prove that in the novel, Amir’s relationship with Baba is better developed, which makes Amir’s journey to redemption more effectively depicted than in the film.
Lastly, In the novel, Amir saves Sohrab to redeem himself from his childhood sins, but in the film, Amir’s redemption by saving Sohrab is not as effectively portrayed, since the film leaves out crucial scenes that help to depict Amir’s redemption. As, Amir attempts to bring Sohrab home, he faces many obstacles, such as when, Raymond Andrews, the man at the American embassy in Islamabad, says, “you have death certificates?... Your next problem is that you need the cooperation of the child’s country of origin… That makes things extremely complicated. Just about impossible… ” (Hosseini 374). However, in the film, Amir is able to bring Sohrab back to America without any difficulty bringing him into the country. In the book, Amir goes to much greater efforts to bring Sohrab back with him to America. This portrays his redemption more effectively than in the film, because when Amir goes to great lengths to save Sohrab, it shows how important it is for Amir to be redeemed. The lack of effort demonstrated in the film, as Amir retrieves Sohrab, makes the redemption of bringing Sohrab back less effective than in the novel. Similarly, Amir saves Sohrab, when he rescues Sohrab from a suicide attempt. Amir finds Sohrab in the bathtub, wrists cut. He gets Sohrab to the hospital and desperately prays for the boy’s recovery. Thankfully, Sohrab survives and Amir does not leave his side throughout Sohrab’s recovery. Whereas, in the film, this suicide scene is not included and Amir and Sohrab leave Afghanistan and return to America without any complications. In the novel, Amir is able to save Sohrab from his attempted suicide and feel redeemed after saving the boy, and Amir and Sohrab’s relationship is able to be developed deeper through this redemption. By excluding Sohrab’s suicide attempt completely, means that another act of redemption is not being portrayed in the film, and Amir and Sohrab’s relationship is not being developed further. Therefore, in the novel, Amir’s relationship with Sohrab is better developed, which makes Amir’s journey to redemption more effectively portrayed than in the film.
In conclusion, the novel, The Kite Runner, does a much better job depicting Amir’s journey to redemption than the film, as it develops deeper relationships between characters. This is shown as Amir attempts to redeem himself from his betrayal of Hassan. Also, it is demonstrated as Amir tries to win Baba’s approval and redeem himself of killing his mother. Lastly, this is proven through his attempt to rescue Sohrab from Afghanistan to be free from his sinful actions from his childhood. Although there are many differences between the book and film of, The Kite Runner, at the end of each story, Amir finally becomes the man who stands up for himself and his sins, and is able to live the rest of his life free of guilt.