In Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled draws you in a devastating redemption story based in Afghanistan around the 1970-2000s. Amir, one of the main characters in the novel has a privileged life with major lessons, with guilt and redemption playing a major role in it. Amir is a young man that has made a few mistakes that would have protected his yet to be known brother named Hassan who would do anything for him since their early childhood. Amir does many acts in which he proves his redemption and his growth. Many may believe that he did not redeem himself because of questionable actions but through many acts of kindness Amir begins to prevail and he does redeem himself.
Guilt is the strongest emotion some might say. In The Kite Runner, Khaled makes Amir face many challenges and Amir doesn’t always make the right decision and is left with a lot of guilt as he grows up. Amir matures from the ignorant young boy he was into a kind and understanding man. He had always judged Hassan because he was a Hazara. While Amir knew that Hassan was the best friend anyone could have, he betrayed him several times throughout their life together. Although he faces those challenges as he grows, he puts in an effort to become a better person later on.
“Hassan is dead now. That boy sleeping on the couch in is Hassan’s son. He is my nephew. That’s what you say when they ask …. And one more thing. General Sahib, you will never refer to him as a Hazara boy in my presence. He has a name and it is Sohrab” ( Hosseini, 380). “ In this quote, we see that Amir has truly matured and does not judge anyone based on their lot in life. It shows Amir wants to right his wrongs, whether it be guilt or morals, both feelings can lead you to a better path and lead Amir on the road to redemption.
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Amir has done many acts of kindness to not only ease his guilt but to be a better person. Amir attempts to save his new nephew Sohrab and endures a lot of pain and emotional scars throughout the journey. Also, Amir did not have to attempt to save Sohrab but he tried. Nobody is perfect and Amir can not take back the things that he did but in a perfect world, none of this would have happened at all. In this novel or in reality the only thing a ‘person’ can do is to be better and to learn from their mistakes. Amir shows signs of his father in him when he leaves a handful of money under the mattress for the people who gave him food. “Earlier that morning when I was certain that no one was looking, I did something I had done twenty-six years early: I planted a fistful of crumpled money under a mattress.” (Pg. 242) This quote shows Amir attempts at redemption and his growth as a person and makes his wrongs right.
Even though I believe that Amir has redeemed himself at the end, many may argue that he has not because Sohrab is still messed up from everything that happened to him. No one can ever recover from trauma like rape. In the story, Amir feels bad for all his mistakes and tries to make up for it. Somethings can’t be forgiven or forgotten, and in Hassen’s case he will never forget that, and his kid had to go through the same thing. There will never be a thing that can make up for that. And in Amir’s case, it’s too late for that.
Many may believe that Amir did not redeem himself because of questionable actions but through many acts of kindness Amir begins to prevail and he does redeem himself. throughout the book, Amir does redeem himself. He goes out to afghan to go rescue his nephew and get his nephew and almost gets killed off the man who was sex trafficking his nephew. Another way he redeemed himself was when he adopted his nephew so he wouldn’t have to go back to Afghan. I feel that is a huge step towards redemption.
