by Daniela Calvo
The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship, betrayal and the price of loyalty between two boys growing up in Kabul. Amir and Hassan grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a rich man, and Hassan is the son of Amir’s father’s servant, a Hazara. The Kite Runner describes the life of these boys and how they and the place where they live, Afghanistan, changes.
FRIENDSHIP is clearly shown on page 54 when Amir asked Hassan if he would eat dirt if he tells him and Hassan answered “if you asked, I would”. Amir was not always a good friend because he was an immature boy, like when he bothered Hassan when he did not know some big word, but Hassan was a loyal and honest friend and he would do anything for Amir.
Amir was served breakfast every morning by Hassan; then he was driven to
school while his friend stayed home to clean the house. Hassan had no resentment to Amir and was a loyal companion to him, like when he protected Amir from neighborhood bullies. Then, during the Kite-flying tournament, Hassan was raped by a boy called Assef. Amir never defended his friend and that is why he could not forget that episode for the rest of his life.
This friendship is also presented in Hassan’s letter to Amir, written when both of them were older, living in different countries. On page 218 Hassan tells him “”...I dream that someday you will return to Kabul to revisit the land of our childhood. If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you”. This quote clearly represents Hassan’s loyalty to Amir he had forgotten about that terrible episode and he had continue with his life, something that Amir could not do because he felt responsible of what had happened, because he had only stayed there to watch when he could have done something about it. Amir was sorry for leaving his friend there and this could not let him continue with his life, mostly because they had never talked about it they just acted as if nothing had happened.
The main theme of The Kite Runner is REDEMPTION this friendship and feeling of guilt lead to it. Amir’s life changed when Hassan was raped by Assef. On page 289 Amir says “...for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt in peace”. This happened when Amir went to lo
ok for Sohrab, Hassan’s son, to take him home. In order to do this Amir had to find the man who was in charge of Sohrab and when he found this man he discovered it was Assef, his old enemy. If Amir wanted to take Sohrab home he had to fight with Assef and win him. During the fight Assef hurt Amir, because he was bigger and stronger, and at some point Amir started laughing because he remembered of Hassan and the fact he had not been happy or felt better in all those years. He felt guilty and hated himself for not talking with his friend during all the time they were separated, and now it was too late, he laughed because he had kept the truth for so many years and now he was there. Like in the beginning, with that same boy who destroyed everything.
Another important episode is Rahim’s letter to Amir. On page 302 he says “...true redemption is, Amir jan. When guilt leads to good”. In this letter Rahim is trying to say that there is a way to be good again, that Baba had make a big mistake and for this he made good actions and helped people because it was his way of redeeming himself. He also said that he hoped Amir could forgive his father, him, and most important, to forgive himself because Rahim knew everything and he knew Amir he was like a father to him.
Amir decided he was finally going to end with this guilt by taking responsability of Sohrab, by giving him a home and most important love and after all those years he finally finds peace.
The Kite Runner is a great book about father and son relationships, betrayal, loyalty, friendship and redemption. It describes the life of two friends, how they changed after a horrible episode takes place, and it also describes the process that leads to the destruction of Afghanistan. It is a useful book to learn about the history of that country and while reading it you will discover new things that will increase your interest in the book.
The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship, betrayal and the price of loyalty between two boys growing up in Kabul. Amir and Hassan grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a rich man, and Hassan is the son of Amir’s father’s servant, a Hazara. The Kite Runner describes the life of these boys and how they and the place where they live, Afghanistan, changes.
FRIENDSHIP is clearly shown on page 54 when Amir asked Hassan if he would eat dirt if he tells him and Hassan answered “if you asked, I would”. Amir was not always a good friend because he was an immature boy, like when he bothered Hassan when he did not know some big word, but Hassan was a loyal and honest friend and he would do anything for Amir.
Amir was served breakfast every morning by Hassan; then he was driven to
school while his friend stayed home to clean the house. Hassan had no resentment to Amir and was a loyal companion to him, like when he protected Amir from neighborhood bullies. Then, during the Kite-flying tournament, Hassan was raped by a boy called Assef. Amir never defended his friend and that is why he could not forget that episode for the rest of his life.This friendship is also presented in Hassan’s letter to Amir, written when both of them were older, living in different countries. On page 218 Hassan tells him “”...I dream that someday you will return to Kabul to revisit the land of our childhood. If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you”. This quote clearly represents Hassan’s loyalty to Amir he had forgotten about that terrible episode and he had continue with his life, something that Amir could not do because he felt responsible of what had happened, because he had only stayed there to watch when he could have done something about it. Amir was sorry for leaving his friend there and this could not let him continue with his life, mostly because they had never talked about it they just acted as if nothing had happened.
The main theme of The Kite Runner is REDEMPTION this friendship and feeling of guilt lead to it. Amir’s life changed when Hassan was raped by Assef. On page 289 Amir says “...for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt in peace”. This happened when Amir went to lo
ok for Sohrab, Hassan’s son, to take him home. In order to do this Amir had to find the man who was in charge of Sohrab and when he found this man he discovered it was Assef, his old enemy. If Amir wanted to take Sohrab home he had to fight with Assef and win him. During the fight Assef hurt Amir, because he was bigger and stronger, and at some point Amir started laughing because he remembered of Hassan and the fact he had not been happy or felt better in all those years. He felt guilty and hated himself for not talking with his friend during all the time they were separated, and now it was too late, he laughed because he had kept the truth for so many years and now he was there. Like in the beginning, with that same boy who destroyed everything.Another important episode is Rahim’s letter to Amir. On page 302 he says “...true redemption is, Amir jan. When guilt leads to good”. In this letter Rahim is trying to say that there is a way to be good again, that Baba had make a big mistake and for this he made good actions and helped people because it was his way of redeeming himself. He also said that he hoped Amir could forgive his father, him, and most important, to forgive himself because Rahim knew everything and he knew Amir he was like a father to him.
Amir decided he was finally going to end with this guilt by taking responsability of Sohrab, by giving him a home and most important love and after all those years he finally finds peace.
The Kite Runner is a great book about father and son relationships, betrayal, loyalty, friendship and redemption. It describes the life of two friends, how they changed after a horrible episode takes place, and it also describes the process that leads to the destruction of Afghanistan. It is a useful book to learn about the history of that country and while reading it you will discover new things that will increase your interest in the book.
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