The Kite Runner

On my first reading of the book “The Kite Runner”, it was clear that the narrator’s story reflects around the incidences in life, which greatly contributed to his success. But close scrutiny of the book reveals contrary to my initial thought by presenting the other side of the story that the narrator struggled with, a past that haunts and pains so much that is impossible to let go. Amir, the narrator of the story vividly remembers the memories that awaken in him the spirit of friendship and brotherhood. The story opens by presenting family members who in the longest time possible have been kept away from the truth regarding their identities and relationships. In a contrasting set up, as a young boy the narrator has his father that he looks

While the narrator is presenting facts about what made him who he is as of the time of narration, the memories of his childhood do communicate ironically about his favorite dad. Earlier on, Amir notices the father when he is communicating to his friend Khan that he wastes much of his time with readings and writing (Hosseini 19). But at one incident when Amir is reading a story to Hassan, he receives a sincere acknowledgement of it being the best of all the stories ever read to him, without Hassan’s awareness that it was a made up story (Hosseini 23). It is realized that it was at this moment that subsequently Amir wrote his first story. Consequently, he continued to receive more attention from Hassan, by writing and asking him to be awake so as to read his stories to him. And although Hassan is illiterate, he offers insights that trigger Amir’s reasoning, something that promoted his career positively. It therefore turns out that, the words of the father did not contribute towards his success stories but rather the encouragement and audience he received from

Amir can only be relieved from his feelings of guilt if he makes peace with his past. In the message addressed to him by Khan, he is directed to “make efforts and go for Hassan’s son, left at the orphanage, for that was the only way to clear his haunting past” (Hosseini 180). These directives from Khan bring back to Amir the father’s thoughts about Amir for not standing up for anything as a man. Challenged with the memories, indeed he is left with no choice rather than setting forth to find Hassan’s orphan, not minding whatever it would cost him. This preparedness reveals a person who significantly wants to free himself from a dark and dirty past that denies one the happiness of the present life. The challenges that Amir goes through especially in tracing the boy shows the determination and serves as the beginning of reconciling himself with the late brother, Hassan. The action proves otherwise the statement made about him by the father for indeed he proves to be a man who can stand up for something when compelled to do