Kite Runner Reflection

The novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is about an Afghan boy named Amir. The Kite Runner is about Amir’s childhood in Kabul, and his life after he commits a big mistake, he makes the mistake of being a bystander when Hassan is raped. This mistake causes him guilt and stops him from moving forward with his life. After Amir moves from Kabul to America he tries to move on but his past pulls him back to his childhood hometown in Afghanistan. To escape his past he has to go back home and resolve his previous mistakes. Amir’s journey to Kabul forced him to confront his childhood cowardliness as he selflessly saves Sohrab.

Amir travels to America to escape his betrayal of Hassan. Even though he moves his past still has an hold on him. He

When Rahim Khan and Amir meet in Peshawar, Rahim Khan fills Amir with details about Afghanistan, and Hassan. Amir finds out that the Talibans killed Hassan and his wife and Hassan’s son Sohrab is living in an orphanage. In the beginning, Amir is unaware of Rahim Khan intentions as he wants Amir to bring Sohrab from Kabul to an Orphanage. Amir rejects Rahim Khan offer because Kabul is a dangerous place and Amir can not risk his life because [he has] “a wife in America, a home, a career and a family” ( 221). After all Hassan did for Amir, he rejects the request because he is satisfied with his american life. Rahim Khan is extremely disappointed in Amir’s answer, and tries to convince him to get Sohrab, “I remembered [Baba] said to me, ‘Rahim, a boy who wouldn 't stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up for anything” (221). Amir’s main flaw is that he is a coward and Baba knows that, which is why he doubts his own blood, his own son. Rahim Khan criticizes Amir’s abilities but he still rejects his uncle’s request until Rahim Khan spills Baba secret, he reveals that Hassan’s real dad is Baba, that Amir and Hassan are half brothers. The secret is the reason Amir wants to end the cycle, “the cycle of lies, betrayals and the secrets” (226). He wants to end the cycle to resolve the past to redeem himself and Baba so he goes to Kabul to get

He becomes a dynamic character when he decides to take a challenge and go to Kabul to get his nephew. Before going Kabul he was a self centered coward, scared to face his past or any sort of confrontation. Amir starts changing his behaviour, when “[he] did what he had done twenty six years earlier: [He] planted a fistful of crumpled money underneath the mattress” (242). Twenty six years ago he put his birthday money and his watch underneath Hassan’s mattress to frame him for stealing. Amir framing Hassan of being a thief is the one of Amir biggest regret of his life. After being accused Ali and Hassan left Kabul for good, Amir putting money under the mattress caused him to lose Hassan and never see him again. Twenty Six years in the future Amir does the same thing for a good deed and hides the money to feed a family. This does not mean Amir redeem himself but his kindness meant a lot to Wahid and his family. Later when Amir goes to the lair of the Taliban, he starts second guessing himself and says “This isn’t you, Amir, a part of me said. You’re gutless” (275). Even though he is scared, he does not turn back and run away. He overcomes his cowardness he jeopardized his life to take back Sohrab. The Taliban leader turns out to be Assef, the boy who raped Hassan 26 year ago, the same person who rapes and makes Sohrab a scarified lamb. Amir life came full circle, similar situation,