How Is Amir Selfish In The Kite Runner

In Khaled Hosseini’s three part novel ‘The Kite Runner,’ Amir is portrayed to the reader as an inconsiderate boy who unforgivably “ran” from his best friends rape. Although his selfish actions were unforgivable, the people around Amir unintentionally push him to the point were he needs to be this selfish to gain affection. In the third part of the novel these actions bring out the good in Amir, “and that.. Is what true redemption is.. When guilt leads to good.” Amir stands up for himself and is moved to do good not just because of the guilt of his actions but also because of family.

Amirs selfish actions although unforgivable are in ways not only his fault. When Amir “ran” from Hassans rape, it was not because he was just a “coward” Amir had been pushed away by his father and yearned for his affection so much that he thought, “Hassan was the price to pay.. to win Baba” and his affection, this is significant because it could be argued that if Amir had not had to win Babas affections the key scene of Hassans rape may have turned out differently and Amir may not have felt the guilt and need to commit his following selfish acts.
Whether or not good is bought on by guilt it is still the action of good and it doesn’t matter what the force behind it is.
After Amirs betrayal he had the courage to search for atonement, saving Sohrab relieved him of his sins from the “winter of 1975” and the beating he receives from the “sociopath” Assef helps him to feel “healed at last” this is significant because it shows that Amir has been suffering for his sin and the suffering that Amir has been living with proves that he is good, because “A man who has no conscious, no goodness, does not suffer.” Even if it is the guilt that’s motivates Amir’s actions it is the deed that should be recognized and not the force behind
it.

Throughout the novel acts of selfishness are seen from other characters. Baba like Amir “was a tortured soul” he was selfish in that he took the secret to the grave that he was Hassan’s father and had spent his whole life looking for atonement for this betrayal, this is significant because it shows Amir is not the only character in the novel that is selfish. Soraya ran away from home and does not seek atonement for her betrayal....

Amir may be a selfish person, but it can’t be said that he is the single most selfish person, other factors play a large role in the scences that take place in Hossenis novel. These factors help the reader to see that it is writing our wrongs and the steps we take towards forgiveness are what matter most.