“That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out” (Hosseini 1). The Kite Runner opens in the year 2001 as the narrator, Amir, recalls of a daunting experience that occurred in his childhood of 1975. This predominant event—which is later revealed to be the assault of Amir’s half-brother, Hassan—would change the course of his life forever. In fact, this same memory has also “made [him who] he is today” (Hosseini 2) —a principled father to an adopted son. As the novel unfolds, Amir begins to assume the strong purpose of redeeming himself to Hassan as he struggles to alleviate his guilt. His changed, restorative intents are shaped by his past fears
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Twenty-six years had passed since Hassan’s rape, and Amir moves to America with Baba for it was “a place to bury [his] memories” (Hosseini 129). Despite his attempts to escape it, Amir’s past would push him to revisit his broken country. Living in California as a successful writer, he still bears the haunting guilt that resided in his childhood. Eventually, Amir acknowledges that he can atone for the sins he allowed to slip by, and thereby relieve his hardship. With this, he will no longer hide from the painful reminders of his youth, and alternatively, he intends to make amends in a guilt-driven journey towards redemption. His quest began when Rahim Khan calls him and claims that “there is a way to be good again” (Hosseini 192) —a way to redeem himself. Knowing about Amir’s past, Rahim Khan shows him a path to salvation. For that reason, Amir revisits Afghanistan. There, to his bewilderment, he discovers that Hassan was his brother after all. He also learns that Hassan was mercilessly killed by the Taliban, leaving his only son Sohrab—Amir’s nephew by blood—an orphan. In light of this revelation, Amir comprehends that the decision to go to Kabul and retrieve Sohrab from the orphanage is his ultimate test of bravery and
Twenty-six years had passed since Hassan’s rape, and Amir moves to America with Baba for it was “a place to bury [his] memories” (Hosseini 129). Despite his attempts to escape it, Amir’s past would push him to revisit his broken country. Living in California as a successful writer, he still bears the haunting guilt that resided in his childhood. Eventually, Amir acknowledges that he can atone for the sins he allowed to slip by, and thereby relieve his hardship. With this, he will no longer hide from the painful reminders of his youth, and alternatively, he intends to make amends in a guilt-driven journey towards redemption. His quest began when Rahim Khan calls him and claims that “there is a way to be good again” (Hosseini 192) —a way to redeem himself. Knowing about Amir’s past, Rahim Khan shows him a path to salvation. For that reason, Amir revisits Afghanistan. There, to his bewilderment, he discovers that Hassan was his brother after all. He also learns that Hassan was mercilessly killed by the Taliban, leaving his only son Sohrab—Amir’s nephew by blood—an orphan. In light of this revelation, Amir comprehends that the decision to go to Kabul and retrieve Sohrab from the orphanage is his ultimate test of bravery and