Josh O's Online Journal

In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, the idea of guilt and redemption in society is explored through the various experiences of each character. It is especially prevalent with Amir’s witnessing of Hassan’s assault, where instead of confronting it he decides to run away. This displays how some people in society would rather run than face consequences, even if it could affect them in other ways.

”I opened my mouth, almost said something. Almost. The rest of my life might have turned out differently if I had.”

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The summer downpour trickles down upon the treetops, Underneath ferns rustle with each stray jade droplet. Daylight streams through the gaps, catching brief glimpses of the glistening overgrowth. The valley flows with rivers of mist and cloud cascades down from the sky like waterfalls. A mid-day shower as it nears dawn.

Listen. listen to the forest’s heartbeat. Listen to the river’s thumps and splashes and churns, there’s life coursing through it’s wild veins. The flora slurps from these streams. The fauna crunches on those leaves. Deep within the valley birdsong echoes, a tune of joyous praise to the body they share. Each fern and tree, rustling like hair. shuffling in the light breeze, flowing on it’s gentle breath. Plip, plip, plip, the rain settles softly on the canopy, pooling and dripping onto the damp forest floor below. The lands billowing laugh thunders in the distance, it’s bones creak as it shifts and quakes. All of it is alive, and with each other they thrive.

It’s nearly dawn now, sunlight is chipping it’s way through the thick layer of cloud and mist. The reddened dawn bleeds onto the land, igniting each drop of rain. Like glow worm caves the dew drops flare up. A last stunning view as the sun shyly peeks over the hills. It’s cleared up now, each cloud goes their separate ways. lit up like red glossy berries.

Now look closer, the sun reveals things that go unseen in the storms. Like the stones that surround it a little bird lays still. There’s poison on the ground, discriminating against none it instead takes it all. Yet scampering amongst the trees are dashing shadows. Thriving scraggly creatures not from here , their eyes shimmering lights hiding in each darkened tree top. Then look to the river, there’s no fish in it’s flowing embrace nor nearby birds that graze. Like sewerage the water doesn’t flow, instead it churns and sloshes. Here in this little paradise the water is murky and rotten, full of gunk and muck and waste. Dull light glints off something unnatural. Sodden plastic wrap scattered around, the trail leading in a rubbish dump.

Yet you stand unswayed, you set the jaws that can’t bite the birds. A little coffin for the scampering monster. The streams and rivers wave as you pass, knowing that that net in your hand is the wand that will return their slippery friends. Then you turn to head back to the doc hut. The forest flaps and swoops and sings as you pass underneath. During the hike back you gaze at the forest. A finely crafted glass sculpture that you tend to. Even on an island surrounded by a raging torrent of molten slag it is peaceful. And you wish to keep it that way and as you reach the hut, sat comfortably at the of a hill, in front of you is the reason why. Lit up like frozen fireworks is a dusk lit valley. A little place that rains too much, breaths to loud and shines too bright.

In moonlight it comes to life. When the cold sharp air comes out to bite, the crimson logs begin to hum their soothing tunes. You all sit nearby, embraced by it’s warmth, engulfed in it’s flickering dance. Each new piece of wood alters the fiery display. Without this bowl of ember an icy touch would snatch your breath, but instead it recedes. Your shoes dig into the damp grass, the day before to chilled to dry it. Wet dirt is flicked by kicking legs. You sink into cushions beneath you, the couches encircling the fire like hogs to a watering hole. Behind you is something tall, looming like a wall to stop the icy breeze. A proud hedge, showing off it’s lush green perm. This night will go on, only to end when the fire waves goodbye.

In The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini the subject of guilt and redemption plays a big part of the novel. Amir, the main character and clear anti-hero of the story, was given a large amount of depth into his strengths and weaknesses. These traits originally built regret which later turned into a desire for redemption. In the beginning he showed us his selfishness, his lack of morality, his greed. This is when he waded through deep waters, his guilt, the current he fought against. People don’t usually change that easily. But somewhere along the line he showed us something different, his newfound motivation to change, his hidden perseverance, his strengths? Finally, he had arrived at the shallows, he was nearing his redemption.

Amir is selfish. This weakness of his has clung to him since childhood. He set himself up for regret in his earlier years using this greed, only later to kindle redemption. Time after time Amir showed us this trait of his, he always seemed to be okay with others self sacrifice. In the beginning he desperately wanted to spark a better relationship with his father. Never giving up on any chance that arose, even if those choices ended up hurting others. The elephant in the room when it comes to Amir’s selfishness is Hassan’s sacrifice. Where he would even go as far as to let his closest friend get sexually assaulted in front of him because of his own selfish reasons. He had a choice back then. He could’ve either stood up and helped his mate, or stand by and watch the unthinkable happen. And he chose then latter, later bringing back the kite Hassan was assaulted for so he could show it to his father. Hassan lost so much, and Amir gained so little. It’s easy to cover up Amir’s actions with the idea that he is just a child, someone who was incapable of making such a large decision at such a stressful time. However this wasn’t the case, show by how he thought how he could “step into that alley, stand up for Hassan – the way he’d stood up for me all those times in the past – and accept whatever would happen to me. Or I could run. In the end, I ran.”. Here Amir puts himself and his interests before others. He acknowledged that to run would be wrong and that he should’ve stayed. But he decides to preserve himself and his own interests. He acts selfishly. The Author sets Amir up for regret by making him act this way, he makes the wrong decisions time after time which sticks to him for a lifetime. After feeling the guilt behind his actions he is later led down the path of redemption. At this stage in the novel he is selfish and oblivious, his surroundings and actions mimic this. He does things he should clearly be regretting without knowing it himself.

Amir’s trait and ability to understand and grow from past experience was the first major step to his redemption. He regretted much of what he had done in the past, constantly thinking it over. People don’t often change, but his past selfishness pushed him on. A strength that not many people have. Amir had many unsavory traits as a child, however he also showed the ability to understand his past mistakes. As he grew into adulthood he realized his past ways were wrong. He had the strength to admit it. “It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime…” . The author shows us that Amir understands his flawed decisions. And with this understanding came a willingness to grow. These changes did not come all at once, but instead they came gradually. Hosseini made Amir grow throughout the story like this by making snippets of his past return. He felt guilty for the little things he could not reverse. The author gave Amir the strength to change so that he could turn this guilt around, and open a new path. a path to redemption. Here in the novel his mind is turbulent. He feels guilt and regret over all his past wrongdoings. Amir begins acting in ways that are unlike himself in the past to escape. But no matter what he did, the only way out is redemption.

Lastly, nearing the end in the kite runner, Amir grew the strength of perseverance. After growing up and learning that he needed to change, Amir found a new goal in life, and to complete it he needed to persevere. His character grew this way in order to redeem himself and with this new perseverance Amir was capable of reaching the goal he needed to achieve. Amir shows us this strength when he tries to get Sohrab to come with him back to America. Amir was heavily injured, tired and alone in an alien country. Everyone he talked to was doubtful, and officials were saying he couldn’t. However in the end he did it, he got Sohrab back to America with him. Amir persevered through and managed to redeem himself. He overcame his guilt with sheer determination and perseverance. The author sums the growth of this character quite nicely by ending his changes on a high note. Much like how the novel itself also ends this way. Finally Amir’s headspace is clear, he has a direct goal in life. The guilt of his past is no longer dragging him down, Instead he is brimming with perseverance.

Khaled Hosseini put Amir on a clear path for redemption. From giving him guilty mistakes in the beginning of the story due to his selfishness, to reason and ability for change. Then while nearing the finish line to redemption, he was given the strength to do so. The will to move forward, the power to persevere. These strengths and weaknesses all formed an essential part of his regret to redemption in The kite runner.

Wait no, have you noticed that, like, most people with those rap songs now that talk about, like, how raps all about drugs sex and money all the time?

Yeah.

You know those people? don’t you reckon that like, there’s like a majority of people-

Who sing about

Who sing about thi-

All rap is now days is just

Sing-

Singin about,

Yeah I know right?

I think theres more people going like,

Yeah

Ooh I’m so edgy ’cause I’m acknowledging what rap is then the people actually rapping.

I know theres more of them so it doesn’t make anymore sense

I think there are more ba- like sad bois

Yeah there are, there are more sad bois

*Prolonged silence*

Tentacion got shot though

Oh

Yeah no hes one of the dead bois
along with..

Lil pump?

And..

No like, lil fire hydrant.
I dunno what his name was

Lil peep?

Some “lil”

And ahh you know ah that lil macu millu

Yeah and Einstein no yeah, hes dead, hes long dead actually.

Yeah Einstein