By the end of the novel, all the characters have redeemed themselves. Discuss.
Whilst redemption is a paramount theme in Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, it is not exemplified in all of the primary characters of the text. The Kite Runner is told through the retrospective view of Amir, a well-to-do Afghani who immigrates to America due to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Throughout the novel, Amir seeks to escape, and then later, to atone for his sins committed in Afghanistan as child, ultimately succeeding in doing so. Moreover, Baba is also able to redeem himself for his past actions, both in while in America and in Afghanistan. However, the novel’s primary antagonist, Assef, never redeems himself for the heinous crimes he commits …show more content…
Amir witnesses the rape of Hassan by Assef while in Afghanistan, and is unable to confront Assef about it, instead he “aspired to cowardice”, and let Hassan be raped in hopes of retrieving the blue kite in order “to win Baba”. He carries this guilt with him until he is well into adulthood and receives a call from Rahim Khan, who tells him that “there is a way to be god again”, and that he need only come to Pakistan. Amir reluctantly accepts, thus beginning his journey to redemption. He is told by Rahim Khan that he must travel to Kabul to save Hassan’s son, Sohrab, and Amir begrudgingly accepts the task, realising that his “actions may have cost Hassan a chance at” a decent life in America. When Amir later agrees to fight Assef to the death for the freedom of Sohrab, he is beaten near to death, and while his “body was broken”, Amir ultimately “felt healed”, as he had finally redeemed himself in his eyes by receiving “the punishment [he] craved” for the sins he committed. Amir furthers his path to redemption towards the end of the novel, as he independently commands General Taheri that he “shall never again refer to [Sohrab] as ‘Hazara Boy’”, proving that he cares for Sohrab in treats him as an equal. Thus it is made clear how Amir is able to redeem himself for his past sins in the …show more content…
Whilst in Afghanistan, he makes it apparent that the Hassan and Ali are not just his servants, telling Amir that “this is his home and we’re his family”, and as he “never missed Hassan’s birthday”, it can be implied that he is trying to redeem himself for his wrong doings that resulted in the illegitimate birth of Hassan. Additionally, Baba makes subtly tries to warn Amir against making similar mistakes, telling him “there is no act more wretched than stealing”, as Baba hopes in vain that he can prevent his son from making a mistake that will haunt him as he did. Furthermore, Baba tries to rekindle his relationship with Amir, as Baba leaves the impression on Amir that “his father always hated” him a little. This along with Baba’s constant trails to make Amir think “his son was worthy” leading to a very distant relationship. Baba then makes the decision to immigrate to America, as “one last gift for Amir”, as it is a place for him to “bury his memories” and forget his guilt while making amends with his father. Amir describes Baba as a “widower who remarries but can’t let go of his dead wife”, in this sense that he is unable to relinquishes his memories of Kabul and Afghanistan, showing the sacrifice he made moving to America to grand a better life for Amir in order to set things right after depriving Amir of the love he so rightfully deserved.
Whilst redemption is a paramount theme in Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, it is not exemplified in all of the primary characters of the text. The Kite Runner is told through the retrospective view of Amir, a well-to-do Afghani who immigrates to America due to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Throughout the novel, Amir seeks to escape, and then later, to atone for his sins committed in Afghanistan as child, ultimately succeeding in doing so. Moreover, Baba is also able to redeem himself for his past actions, both in while in America and in Afghanistan. However, the novel’s primary antagonist, Assef, never redeems himself for the heinous crimes he commits …show more content…
Amir witnesses the rape of Hassan by Assef while in Afghanistan, and is unable to confront Assef about it, instead he “aspired to cowardice”, and let Hassan be raped in hopes of retrieving the blue kite in order “to win Baba”. He carries this guilt with him until he is well into adulthood and receives a call from Rahim Khan, who tells him that “there is a way to be god again”, and that he need only come to Pakistan. Amir reluctantly accepts, thus beginning his journey to redemption. He is told by Rahim Khan that he must travel to Kabul to save Hassan’s son, Sohrab, and Amir begrudgingly accepts the task, realising that his “actions may have cost Hassan a chance at” a decent life in America. When Amir later agrees to fight Assef to the death for the freedom of Sohrab, he is beaten near to death, and while his “body was broken”, Amir ultimately “felt healed”, as he had finally redeemed himself in his eyes by receiving “the punishment [he] craved” for the sins he committed. Amir furthers his path to redemption towards the end of the novel, as he independently commands General Taheri that he “shall never again refer to [Sohrab] as ‘Hazara Boy’”, proving that he cares for Sohrab in treats him as an equal. Thus it is made clear how Amir is able to redeem himself for his past sins in the …show more content…
Whilst in Afghanistan, he makes it apparent that the Hassan and Ali are not just his servants, telling Amir that “this is his home and we’re his family”, and as he “never missed Hassan’s birthday”, it can be implied that he is trying to redeem himself for his wrong doings that resulted in the illegitimate birth of Hassan. Additionally, Baba makes subtly tries to warn Amir against making similar mistakes, telling him “there is no act more wretched than stealing”, as Baba hopes in vain that he can prevent his son from making a mistake that will haunt him as he did. Furthermore, Baba tries to rekindle his relationship with Amir, as Baba leaves the impression on Amir that “his father always hated” him a little. This along with Baba’s constant trails to make Amir think “his son was worthy” leading to a very distant relationship. Baba then makes the decision to immigrate to America, as “one last gift for Amir”, as it is a place for him to “bury his memories” and forget his guilt while making amends with his father. Amir describes Baba as a “widower who remarries but can’t let go of his dead wife”, in this sense that he is unable to relinquishes his memories of Kabul and Afghanistan, showing the sacrifice he made moving to America to grand a better life for Amir in order to set things right after depriving Amir of the love he so rightfully deserved.