"The Kite Runner"- Hassan and Amir

"Hassan had loved me once, loved me in a way that no one ever had or ever would again. He was gone now, but a little part of him lived on. It was in Kabul. Waiting" (page 227). In this passage, Amir finally realizes what he must do in order to make up for his "past of unatoned sins." He realizes that everyone in his life betrayed him in some way, but Hassan was the only person who had never done so. He also finally recognized the unwavering love that Hassan had for him. This passage shows that not only did Amir go to save Sohrab for redemption, but he also did it for Hassan. He went to save a boy he didn't even know simply because he loved his childhood friend that much. While at first, he was reluctant to go, he eventually came to his senses and realized what he must do. He broke out of his cowardice and came to terms with everything he had done. In a way, he was proving his unwavering love for Hassan by rescuing his son and bringing him back to safety. Because of what Amir finally did, he is one of my personal favorite characters. He realized the change he must make and he did what had to be done plus more.

The Kite Runner- symbols

"I looked down at Sohrab. One corner of his mouth had curled up just so. A smile. Lopsided. Hardly there. But there... 'Do you want me to tun that kite for you?' His Adam's apple rose and fell as he swallowed. The wind lifted his hair. I thought I saw him nod. 'For you, a thousand times over,' I heard myself say" (page 371). Throughout the novel, kites are a recurring image: at the beginning, in the park in America, throughout Amir and Hassan's childhood, the day that Amir and Hassan's lives were changed forever, and in this final scene, when Amir achieves true redemption. Throughout the novel, kites represent hope in many different ways. In America, it shows up as a hope for redemption. Amir sees the kites after he has talked to Rahim Khan who offered him a chance at redemption. Even though the reader does not connect the kite with hope until later on, the symbol is still present. Because of Rahim Khan's offer, Amir has a hope for redemption. Later in the novel, kites show up in Amir's childhood. In this situation, they show up as Amir's hope/desire for his father's love. When he finally wins the kite fight, his hopes are granted and his father praises him and is finally proud of him. Because of Hassan's rape though, Amir no longer flies kites for a very long time. This is symbolic of a loss of all hope in Amir. He no longer has any hope for himself, therefore he sees himself as a coward and a failure in life. This leads to many of the problems of his young adult and adult life. The symbol of the kite shows up one last time at the very end of the novel. It is when they are flying kites that Amir finally sees Sohrab smile for the first time in over a year. By having this bonding moment while flying the kite, Amir finds hope that one day, Sohrab will be happy again. The kite symbolizes hope for Amir, Sohrab, and their whole family