Kite Runner: Guilt And Redemption

The major themes of the novel are guilt and redemption. Guilt is the fact of having committed a specified or implied offence or crime. Redemption is compensation for one’s sins through actions that relieves one from guilt. In the novel, The Kite Runner, the author Khaled Hosseini takes us back to his home country Afghanistan. He tells a story of the life of a young boy named Amir Khan who as a Pashtun is of better race then the Hazara according to Afghani culture. Amir and his Hazarra brother are the best of friends the self proclaimed “Sultans of kabul” (Hosseini). Amir and Hassan did almost everything together but Amir could not be seen with Hassan anywhere other than his home because he is a Hazara. In the novel, The Kite Runner, the character faces problems that lead to guilt. They atone for their past sins by going on the road to redemption. Hosseini exhibits this through the characters; of Amir, Baba, Amir’s father. Hassan, his servant, a hazara, despised caste. Soharab, Hassan’s son.

Amir and Hassan were best friends, brothers, companions. Hassan’s loyalty was never questionable. However Amir dishonored their loyalty. one day during the Many Kite Royales that are held in Kabul, Amir had been the last Kite standing and Hassan was Amir’s kite runner and Amir needed That kite to show his father who was a strict and noble figure who expects a lot from Amir and is harsh on him due to the fact that Amir killed his mother when she gave birth to him. Amir thinks that he’s at a debt to his father, and getting this kite is what he believes to be his only chance to gain Baba’s respect. Hassan is not aware of the reasoning behind why Amir wants this kite badly other than its as if a medal of honor, so he being the loyal person that Hassan is, he get the kite for Amir “For you a thousand times over.” (Khaled Hosseini pg. 67). How upon trying to get this kite he is confronted by the neighborhood bully for in return of the kite he shall spare Hassan. However Hassan refuses to give up the kite and Aseef the neighborhood bully proceeds to the rape while this was going Amir witnessed this tragic event and is afraid to do anything to intervene. Amir is haunted and instead of realizing this experience and confronting it, he allows it to take control of him as he leaves it dorment trying to forget. “There’s a way to be good again.” (Hosseini pg.2) Rahim Khan, one of Baba close friends knew about the tragic event that took place and is offering Amir a chance to redeem himself. Amir redeems himself by rescuing Hassan’s son, Soharab, and brings him to the United States and raises him as his own.

Baba guilt is revealed in Rahim Khan’s letter to Amir. “He loved you both, but he could not love Hassan the way he longed to, openly and as a father.” (Hosseini pg.316) Baba revealed in his letter that he cheated and slept with Ali’s wife and conceived Hassan. He feels guilty because he betrayed Ali. Baba believed that “there is only one sin, if someone lied they are stealing someone right to the truth.” (Hosseini pg. ) Baba redeems himself by building an orphanage for kids .

Soharab feels guilty when Amir risks his life to save him from Aseef. Soharab feels dirty because the sexual abuse performed by Aseef and his guards. When they escaped Amir made a promise to Sohrab that he would never abandon him again. But he had to break this promise because the government would not allow him to take sohrab without a death certificate of his parents and he had to leave sohrab stranded in a boys home where he promised to come back for him which demolished his trust for Amir and caused him to commit suicide. Luckily he failed but after that point he never spoke to Amir again. Even after they immigrated to America. After moving to a different country and having everything, he never truly got over his depression from being abandoned only at the end of the book he is seen flying kites. Soharab becomes a way for Amir to redeem himself. He is grateful for the opportunity Rahim gave him to redeem himself and they lived happily ever after.

The Kite Runner deals the themes of guilt and redemption. However it also shows that there can be way of unburden yourself to your trauma by trying to help yourself or talking to someone about your trauma. For an example trauma. If hassan never told Rahim khan about his rape he would have never gotten Amir to find Sohrab and Amir would have never redeemed himself. The moral message of this novel is sometimes it’s better to find help then trying to forget.