Guilt And Redemption In 'The Kite Runner'

Allegra Terry
Dhyne
English 1-Period 2
6 March 2023
Amir’s Atonement
Guilt is an integral part of the human experience. It forces us to confront our flaws and change for the better so we can attempt to make amends in the future. In the novel The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini explores these themes of guilt and redemption through the character of Amir, a young boy in Afghanistan who witnesses the rape of his best friend and does nothing to stop it. He struggles with the consequences of this well into adulthood, and the guilt weighs heavily on him. However, throughout the novel, Amir atones for his wrongdoings which ultimately benefits his relationships with others and allows him to make peace with himself.
At the beginning of the novel, Amir’s

After conditions in Afghanistan become unsafe, Amir and Baba flee to America as refugees. At first, Amir sees this as an opportunity because, for him, America is a clean slate, a way to escape his wrongdoings. He views America as “a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past. [He] could wade into this river, let [his] sins drown to the bottom” (136). Even in adulthood, Amir runs from his guilt instead of making amends. He resents himself for his actions but believes that the best way to alleviate his shame is to ignore it. However, he cannot escape his past. Amir’s guilt constantly gnaws at him as he often thinks back to Hassan and his regrets. After Amir and his wife try for a child and fail, they choose not to adopt. He blames himself for their misfortune, believing that “Perhaps something, someone, somewhere, had decided to deny [him] fatherhood for the things [he] had done” (188). Because Amir has not received outright punishment for his misdeeds, he imagines that every misfortune he encounters is a manifestation of his past. This indicates that Amir’s guilt has not only followed him to America, but is influencing his relationships with his wife and others around him. Even decades after the winter of 1975, he still has not told anyone about the most pivotal moment of his life. This omission weighs heavily on him and prevents him

After years of no contact, Amir receives a call from Rahim Khan summoning him to Peshawar with the claim that he can absolve his wrongdoings. He travels to Pakistan and Rahim reveals that Hassan has been killed and Amir must retrieve his son Sohrab from an orphanage in Afghanistan. Amir realizes that “He was gone now, but a little part of him lived on. It was in Kabul. Waiting” (227). Sohrab is a parallel to Hassan, representing Hassan’s legacy and an opportunity for redemption. To be free of his guilt, Amir travels to his war-ridden hometown, risking his life. His willingness to sacrifice his life for Hassan’s child demonstrates that Amir is no longer running from his sins. When Amir finally finds Sohrab, he has been abused and traumatized by Assef. Amir rescues him and promises that he will be safe with him, and “As the boy’s pain soaked through [Amir’s] shirt, [he] saw that a kinship had taken root between [them]. What had happened in that room with Assef had irrevocably bound [them]” (320). At this point in the novel, both Sohrab and Amir have just experienced horrible things. Sohrab has been taken advantage of emotionally and physically by Assef, and Amir has been beaten to the brink of death. They both find safety in each other’s company and begin to build an important relationship. Not only does Sohrab provide Amir