The Kite Runner Atonement Quotes

Everyone experiences some type of guilt throughout his or her life. Whether it is on a small or large scale, there is always a sense of wanting to make up for whatever has been done. In the novel The Kite Runner, it is suggested that individuals can make up, or atone, for the bad things that they have done in their past. The author, Khaled Hosseini, explores the ideas of guilt and atonement through Amir and Baba. Hosseini develops the theme of atonement through the development of Amir’s character. Throughout the novel we see Amir grow in maturity, which eventually leads to him accepting the opportunity to atone. Through Rahim Khan we see that Amir must complete his journey to achieve redemption by confronting his past cowardice and at last feels a sense a healing by rescuing Sohrab.

Early on, Amir strives to redeem himself in Baba’s eyes, primarily because his mother died giving birth to him, and he feels responsible. Baba says, “a boy who doesn’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything” (Khaled 123). In order to redeem himself to Baba, Amir

“He moved his head slightly and I caught a glimpse of his face. Saw the ignation in it. It was a look I had seen before. It was the look of the lamb” (76). Amir is referring to the lamb that he watches get sacrificed every year for Dhul-Hijjah. Amir’s comparison of Hassan to the sacrifice of the lamb proves just how guilty he felt. A lamb was sacrificed every year for this holiday and every year Amir watched. Amir says, “I don’t know why I watch this yearly ritual in our backyard; my nightmares persist long after the bloodstains on the grass have faded” (76). This shows us what Amir is comparing Hassan’s rape to. The sole purpose of the author giving us details about the lamb sacrifice is to show how Hassan was being sacrificed during his rape. Hassan went through this experience so that Amir could please