Finding Peace In Khaled Hosseini's 'The Kite Runner'

Discuss how and why one of the main themes in the novel is about finding peace in one’s soul.

In the novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, finding peace in one’s soul or redeeming oneself is key to the plot. Ever since the beginning of the novel, the protagonist has been trying to find redemption, as well as forgiveness and appreciation from his father in order to mend their skew relationship. He blames himself for the death of his mother. Moreover, betraying his best friend, and half-brother, did not bring him any closer to redemption. Furthermore, the author makes it seem as if the mistakes that he had made in the past, are the ones that he can never forget. However, on one fateful day he received a phone call from an old friend, Rahim Kahn, a phone call which brought him all the way back to his childhood.
The novel begins with a complicated relationship between Amir, the protagonist, and his Father, Baba. “I always felt like Baba hated me a little… I had killed his beloved wife… The least I could have done was to have the decency to have turned out a little more like him.” Makes it clear that Amir feels that he is
responsible for his mother’s death, moreover, he believes that Baba blames him. It also seems as if the harder Amir tries to gain his father’s approval, the more difficult it becomes to find. From this point on, redemption becomes a clear theme.
Hassan is very significant character in the novel. It is a crucial moment, when Hassan is confronted by Assef and his friends. “I had one last chance… to decide who I was going to be.” Brings it to our attention that Amir could have stood up for the person who loved and trusted him the most. But instead, he chose to look for his father’s approval for winning the Kite Tournament. This is a sin that Amir constantly thinks about in the future, but instead of looking to atone for it, he merely pushes it further and further away. By doing this, Amir becomes very frustrated and decides to frame Hassan for stealing his watch and money. Which leads to the last time that they ever see each other again. This is important, because now it seems impossible for Amir to ever make up for what he did to Hassan.
The sins that Amir commits are terrible.
The author, Khaled Hosseini, makes it seem as if Amir’s past returns to haunt him in the future. As he receives confirmation that Soraya will marry him, he also finds out that she had lost her virginity to an Afghan man before Amir. This does not stop the marriage, however Amir is not very happy. He also seems to realize his sins as their relationship progresses. “Perhaps something, someone, somewhere, had decided to deny me fatherhood for the things I had done. Maybe this was my punishment, and perhaps justly so.” Tells us that Amir believed he was being punished with infertility for what he had done to Hassan many years ago. Soraya gives him an opportunity to share his sins, which would be a huge step in redeeming himself, however he refuses to speak about the past, and moves
on.
“There is a way to be good again.” Is what the phone call from Rahim Kahn was about. It brings us to the present in the novel and is the clearest chance that Amir has to find peace with himself and truly atone for his sins. Rahim Kahn sets Amir on a plane back to Kabul, where he tells him about how Hassan was his half-brother, and that he must save Sohrab. At first Amir is not sure whether he is willing to go through the trouble of finding Sohrab, however Hassan’s letter fully convinces him to do what is right.
Amir makes his way to the large mansion in Afghanistan, where he has set up a meeting with the warlord who bought Hassan from the homeless shelter. Amir has shown that he truly wants to redeem himself. He has gone through a lot of trouble to find Hassan and is willing to go through more, to bring him back to America. As they sit down with Assef, they both realize who is who and begin fighting. Amir gets seriously injured, however manages to run away with Sohrab, with the help of his shooting skills. “My body was broken… But I felt healed, healed at last.” Implies that Amir believed that he deserved this beating from Assef, which he would have gotten, had he done the right thing and helped Hassan in the deserted alley. He finally felt as if he was redeemed for his sins by saving Sohrab.
This novel highlights redemption in every chapter. Whether it be introducing the sins that needed to be redeemed, or the path that needed to be taken to find peace. Amir’s journey is all about finding true peace, for the sins that haunted him for 26 long years.