The Kite Runner Redemption Essay

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Redemption defined by dictionary.com, is interpreted as an act of redeeming or atoning for a fault or mistake, or being redeemed; deliverance; rescue; deliverance from sin; salvation; atonement for guilt. Throughout the course history, redemption has been present. Where there is a wrong, there is a right to counter that wrong. For instance, in Bible tellings when Jesus paid the ultimate price for sinners by giving his life to allow them live freely, receive an eternal life and be forgiven for their sins. In relation to friendships, there will always be differences that cause dispute between friends no matter how positive the relationship is. In Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, the friendship between Amir and Hassan is one that can contain less than friendly qualities with Amir’s poor decisions that leave him guilt struck all his adult life. Mentally tortured by the sins of his childhood, Amir looks to make amends from his upsetting past with Hassan. Amir searches through his past, finding redemption by visiting Rahim Khan and traveling back to Kabul, fighting their childhood antagonist Assef, and caring for Hassan’s orphaned child after his death. During Amir’s childhood in Kabul he had made life altering decisions that would forever follow him to America and into his adult life; however with Amir’s visit with Rahim Khan influenced his path of redemption by traveling to the land where he had done much wrong. Without Rahim Khan, Amir could not have learned of Hassan’s future after what happened in their past. Conversing with Rahim had taught Amir that Hassan always thought about him and hoped for the best of his friend, “Hassan had so many questions about you”(181). Amir had been caught up in his new American life that he had nearly forgotten his past guilt. The greatest lie Amir had been by Baba himself, withholding the truth, “He was my half-brother”(208). The idea that Amir had betrayed his own brother made the decision to redeem himself one that is even more needed. Without ever knowing this truth Rahim would not continuously push Amir towards going to Kabul. The knowledge of Hassan fresh in mind made Amir spring into action, “I was afraid of my life in America would draw me back, that I would wade back into that great, big river and let myself forget, let the things I had learned these few days sink to the bottom… And from this one last chance at redemption”(202). The idea of his safe successful American life waiting for him back in San Francisco was a counter weight that originally held Amir from ever acting on his past mistakes, but Amir knew this could be his only chance to ever redeem himself for what happened in his childhood. Kabul was the beginning of his path to redemption and Rahim Khan had been the spark to ignite his start for he had been the one who knew what needed to be done. Kabul had proven to change drastically from what Amir remembers to the point their childhood antagonist, Assef had even evolved into something more than a bully that terrorized him and Hassan in their childhood, but as an act of redemption Amir goes to Assef and fights him, taking his eye and …show more content…
When an individual hears”redemption,” ideas of how to make up for a wrong come to mind, as when a friend hurts a friend and must help them for the pain they caused. As well, others may think of something similar, something not very drastic or heinous. However, in Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner, Amir’s actions toward Hassan cause great pain and guilt that last through his adulthood only to eventually lead to a path of redemption. Rahim Khan was the ignition to prompt Amir to begin his path of redemption by calling him to Pakistan and presenting him with secrets that will drive Amir back to Kabul. With the knowledge that Hassan is his half-brother Amir looks towards Hassan’s son, Sohrab, as being his last chance at redemption, leading Amir to defeating their childhood enemy and bringing Sohrab back to America to be cared for by Amir and his wife. Amir redeems himself for his troubled childhood in Kabul for which he betrayed his friend Hassan, essentially becoming the ultimate act of

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