The Kite Runner Character Strengths Weaknesses Essay

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.