The Kite Runner Amir Character Analysis

Karl Taro Greenfeld once said, “The harsh truth of every relationship, even between those who love each other, like fathers and sons and daughters, or husbands and wives, is that the love is always unequal.” In The Kite Runner, Amir, the protagonist, life changes tremendously and is displayed through relationships, events, and character development. As Amir matures, he witnesses and experiences many things things most young men don't typically encounter. Amir’s mother died when he was just a boy and he does not have a personal connection with his father. These factors in the early stages of his life create his personality and develop his basic morals. Throughout the book, we see glimpses of Amir’s heart and how selfish and insecure he is in everyday life. For example, Baba, Amir’s father, offers to take the boy’s to the lake, but Amir lies and tells Baba that Hassan is ill and unable to come. Amir does this so he can have more time alone with Baba. Amir would go to many extremes to protect and grow his relationship with baba. Hassan receives the same treatment from Baba as Amir, which makes Amir feel ordinary and undistinguished. When Baba buys Amir a kite, he insists on getting one for Hassan as well. Baba invites Hassan wherever he
invites Amir. Overall, Amir feels under- appreciated and unimportant to his father which greatly affects his life. Finite events or objects can have immense effects on ones character forever.
In The Kite Runner, we see Amir experience an epiphany that one childhood event made him the person was. Since the day he witnessed his best friends rape, he was never the same. Relationships were destroyed and his viewpoint of life was altered greatly. We also se how one small object, the blue kite, could represent so much. The blue kite, in a sense, was a way to Baba’s heart. It was a key to Baba’s approval. Amir believed that once Baba saw what he had accomplished by winning the flying race, Baba would be proud of him. Even though some things may seem insignificant, they have the potential to play very large roles in the sculpting of one’s
character. Over the course of The Kite Runner, the reader sees many underlying themes. For instance, we recognize forgiveness, redemption, and family being displayed throughout the book. Rahim Khan says, “ There is a way to be good again…” This displays the theme of redemption and forgiveness. This quote gives hope and shows that anyone can make a change in their life. “Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay to, the lamb I had to slay to win Baba,” Amir says. Hossseini gives an example of the strong role of family in The Kite Runner. Baba and Amir’s father- son relationship plays an immense position in shaping the plot of the book. Themes are a key factor in the reading of stories, because they cause the reader to look deeper into the meaning of the book. The Kite Runner is a book that appeals to many human emotions. The reader often feels sympathy, anger, and joy for the characters. Many lessons can be learned from the book as well such as, seeing the characters mistakes of lying and not being loyal. Amir’s life is seen changing greatly due to the fact that the book is written in the form of events in Amir’s life as he grows older. Amir’s life is altered when his relationships with friends and family are destroyed.