"The Kite Runner"- theme

"What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace. I laughed because I saw that, in some hidden nook in a corner of my mind, I'd even been looking forward to this... I hadn't been happy and I hadn't felt better, not at all. But I did now. My body was broken- just how badly I wouldn't find out until later- but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed" (page289). The theme of redemption which shows up in this passage is a central focus and a theme throughout the novel. The action of the novel is driven by this need and want for redemption. It is because of his seeking of redemption that Amir goes to Afghanistan in order to save Sohrab. Throughout his entire life, he feels guilt because of his cowardice when Hassan was being raped. When Assef finally beats Amir close to death, he feels relief and redemption. He believes that he finally got what was coming to him. He achieves full redemption when at the end of the novel, he brings Sohrab back to America with him and helps him to start a new life. This particular passage describes the relief Amir felt when he finally began his redemption. He was so broken that when he was beat close to death, he felt healed. He finally believed he had gotten what he deserved all those years, to feel as hurt as Hassan had all those years before.

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

"The Kite Runner"- personal

"'Tell him he's wrong. War doesn't negate decency. It demands it, even more than in times of peace" (page 115).

While reading, this excerpt jumped out at me. Not only does this episode characterize Baba, but it is also inspiring. This is the passage when Baba risks his own life for that of a woman he barely knows. He helps to save this woman from being raped by a soldier. It shows how Baba is really all about tradition and standing up for what he knows is right. He is courageous and sometimes reckless, but no matter what, he won't let such evils happen in his presence. The quote itself stuck out to me because Baba is pointing out that even in war, people deserve respect and he forces the Russian soldier to give it. He truly is a good man.

This section also causes more guilt to resonate within Amir. He sees Baba standing up to prevent a rape of a woman he barely knows, while Amir could not even stand up for Hassan who was his friend and like a brother. He questions his own worth once again and this highlights the differences between Baba and Amir once again. This whole section was inspiring to me and gave me a better outlook on Baba.

"The Kite Runner"- Symbolism

"I thought about Hassan's dream... I was that monster" (page 86).

This single symbol of Amir being the monster that drug Hassan down to the murky bottom of the lake is perfect to describe how he viewed himself after the rape. He knew that what he has done was wrong, but even so, he did not change his ways or tell anyone the truth about what had happened. Amir believed for all of his young adult and adult life that he was the thing that had ruined Hassan. He realized that if he had stepped in, Hassan could have been spared, but he was too much of a coward to do what was right. This symbol of Amir being the monster explains much of his young life. It explains the guilt and regret he feels for not helping Hassan. It also explains why he felt like he needed a clean slate and why America was the perfect place for him. This symbol shows that Amir honestly believed that the rape was completely his fault. While he could have stopped it or done something to redeem himself afterward, he was not solely responsible for the rape, as Assef and his friends were the perpetrators of the rape and therefore the most responsible.

"The Kite Runner"- Internal conflict

"I'd betrayed Hassan, lied, driven him out, and destroyed a forty-year relationship between Baba and Ali... I suspected there were many ways in which Soraya Taheri was a better person than me. Courage was just one of them" (page 165).

Throughout the novel, there is much internal conflict which is pulling Amir different ways. Most of this conflict is brought about by his regret for not stoping Hassan's rape. His internal conflict begins when he has to decide if he will make up lies to convince Baba to fire Ali as his servant. In the end, his coward side wins and he ends up making up lies which lead to Ali and Hassan quitting the job. He also faces conflict during this excerpt when he isn't sure if he can tell Soraya about his past with Hassan. In the end, he is once again a coward by his standards and is unable to tell Soraya exactly what happened between him and Hassan in the winter of 1975. He realizes that because of his past of sins, he has no right to judge Soraya for her past with another man. He sees his sins of being worse than anything Soraya could have possibly done. The original conflict of his unwillingness to rescue Hassan branches out into all aspects of Amir's life and even in his adult life, this one situation still greatly affects his everyday life.

"The Kite Runner"- Protagonist and Antagonist

"I wanted that, to move on, to forget, to start with a clean slate. I wanted to be able to breath again" (page 105).

While reading, I found the protagonist to be Amir. While he is not exactly a "hero," he is the one who drives the action. It is from him that most of the conflict arises. He creates the action and keeps it going through his cowardice during the rape of Hassan, his regret afterward, and his search for redemption. Although his hubris has not been revealed yet, I see it as being a lack of ability to forgive himself and to ask for forgiveness as well. He holds in his problems from his childhood and this leads to many conflicts in his life with Baba, Ali, Rahim Khan, Soraya, and Hassan.
I found the antagonist to be Hassan throughout the book. It is because of Hassan that Amir faces many problems in his life. The excerpt is evidence of this. It shows that because of Hassan, Amir feels he needs a "clean slate." It begins with internal conflict because of his regret for not helping to save Hassan when he had the chance to stop his rape. This internal conflict progresses into problems with Baba and even holds Amir back in his adult life. Hassan and the guilt Amir feels because of him that he cannot be completely honest with his wife and other friends and family members.

"The Kite Runner"- Point Of View

"I knew it wasn't just Rahim Khan on the line. It was my past of unatoned sins" (page 1).

This excerpt from the very beginning of the novel sets the tone and the point of view for the entire story. It shows the reader that the story is going to be told from the point of view of Amir, so it will be his opinions and memories which will be shown throughout the story. It sets the POV as first person. Also, it establishes the tone which Amir expresses throughout the majority of the novel. By speaking of his "unatoned sins," he shows that he has something in his past which he regrets. This single sentence causes suspense for the rest of the novel by suggesting that he had a bad past, but by keeping it vague. Also, is establishes his nostalgic tone and shows that the majority of the novel is going to be him looking back at his past. By establishing the point of view and tone at the very beginning, the narrator can give hints to the reader about what is to come without giving away too much. Along with this, he also shows his attitude toward what happened in his past.