Sina Ahmadian July/18/2015
The Kite Runner: Final Blog
The primary
theme in “The Kite Runner” is betrayal and redemption. Throughout the story
Amir tries to deal with his guilt by avoiding it. He blames his self for Hassan’s
rape by helplessly witnessing the tragedy. Every time he hears Hassan’s name,
he is regretful of his past actions. This grief follows him for more than
twenty years. Amir's guilt is so overwhelming that it forces him to commit an
even greater act of betrayal: He deliberately plants items under Hassan's
mattress to make him appear guilty of theft and force Baba to evict Hassan and
Ali from the household. But instead of denying the false accusation against
him, Hassan admits to the theft in order to protect Amir. “I actually aspired to cowardice... Assef was
right: Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay,
the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba”-Amir (Chapter 7). Fifteen
years after Baba’s death, Amir finds out about his father’s betrayal towards
Ali and Hassan. “As it turned out, Baba and I were more alike than I'd ever
known. We had both betrayed the people who would have given their lives for us.
And with that came this realization: that Rahim Khan had summoned me here to atone
not just for my sins but for Baba's too” -Amir (Chapter
18). He figures everything he knew once as a child was a lie,
and feels betrayed. The only way he can redeem himself is to rescue Sohrab from
the corrupted Afghanistan and introduce him to a new life in America. Amir
decides to bring his nephew to United States and give him a life that his
half-brother never got to experience. These low points in Amir and Baba’s lives
create a sense of tension and guilt throughout the novel, but the betrayals of
Amir and Baba also lead to quests for redemption that bring about some good in
the end. Baba begins a charitable life, while Amir rescues Sohrab from Assef. I’ve
seen movies with similar theme, such as “Shawshank Redemption”, which made it
easier for me to understand the concept of “Redemption” in the novel, and the
guilt people feel until they are able to redeem themselves.
I would highly recommend this book to any reader that is looking forward to a story full of epic story-line that is built on friendship, trust and redemption. The story strongly draws in and attaches the reader to the story. The story is not only fascinating; it comes with learning aspects. It informs the readers about Afghanistan culture and traditions. As a reader, I was easily I was able to relate and make connection with story and the characters, and feel emotions as I proceed. Furthermore, I found myself being able to vision the story and understand the daily life in Kabul. I would recommend this novel to more mature readers and adults. There are many foreign words and events that are hard for younger children to relate and understand. If I were to explain the story to someone, I would not spoil the numerous surprises in the story. I would merely tell them Amir’s perspective growing up in Afghanistan; Baba a wealthy and respected businessman and the outcome of the Russian invasion on the relationship between Amir and Hassan.
