The Kite Runner Essay

Graeme Godfrey The Kite Runner

Amir is the protagonist as well as the narrator in Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner”. Throughout the novel Amir is faced with various mental and physical challenges that help shape his character. Amir changes throughout the novel from a selfish and cowardly child into a fatherly and selfless adult.

During Amir’s childhood, he experiences what may be categorized as depression due to his strained relationship with his father, Baba, and the envy he feels towards Baba’s relationship with and Amir’s best friend, Hassan. Amir is constantly attempting to prove himself to his father whilst taking every opportunity to make Hassan look like a fool. He frequently enjoys taunting Hassan’s lack of academics in order to sooth the overwhelming jealousy he feels. Amir feel’s that his father blames him for the death of his mother, who died while giving birth. Amir feels that he is responsible for his mother’s death and his guilt overwhelms him. He dedicates the upcoming kit tournament to help mend the broken relationship with Baba. After Amir had cut down the final kite, Hassan set out to retrieve the opposing kite so that Amir could return it to Baba. Amir, in the most cowardly moment of his childhood, lets Hassan get defiled by a local bully in order to receive the kite. This moment leads to a major change within Amir, instead of feeling better because of his improved relationship with Baba, Amir feels even more depressed because he betrayed his best friend.

After Amir had started his adult life, earned a career, and married Sohrab, the only obstacle blocking him from acquiring complete happiness was his guilt and his inability to bear a child with his wife. In order to atone for his childhood mistakes Amir attempts to take responsibility of Sohrab, Hassan’s son. During the process of getting Sohrab into America Amir realises that his promise to Sohrab, to not return him to an orphanage, must be broken. After Amir releases this information to Sohrab, the young boy attempts to commit suicide, and is very nearly successful. This event causes Sohrab to have very little trust in Amir, and Amir once again is driven into a dark and depressed state. During this depressed state Amir feels that he had failed Hassan yet again. Since Sohrab is somewhat of a replacement for Hassan in Amir’s life, Amir feels even more guilty about all of the prior mistakes he had made. This guild forces him to reflect heavily upon the rape of Hassan.

During a confrontation with Sohrab and Assef, Amir courageously sacrifices himself in order to spare Sohrab from getting beaten. This selfless action in turn allows Amir to forgive himself for his past mistakes and become a selfless father figure to Sohrab. This atonement to repair damages to Amir’s conscience as well as all the other people throughout his lifetime that he had harmed causes Amir to grow into a mature and selfless adult. Because of Amir’s selfless act, Sohrab once again gains trust in Amir and regards him as a new father figure. This allows fro major change in Amir’s character as he feels that by saving Sohrab from both a life in an orphanage and Assef, he has no need to continuously feel guilt about his past.

Throughout the novel Amir is faced with various challenging decisions that he often makes the selfish choice upon because of a lack of better judgement. Although Amir hurt people in his past, as he grows into his adult life his is able to atone for past mistakes and become a selfless adult.