Essay on Search for Atonement in Khaled Hosseini’s The...

How, after years of guilt, self-disgust, and deception, is it possible for one person to become good again? Entrapped in a cage of cowardice for so long, can they ever develop and grow as a normal human being? Amir, the anti-hero in Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, seeks to answer these questions in his own search for atonement through various existential events in his life. Amir’s misadventures begin as a boy living in an affluent Afghanistan world. On the day of his birth, his mother hemorrhages to death. Robbed of any feminine influence or comfort, he goes to his overshadowing Baba for love and acceptance. His father denies his only son the tenderness he desires, leading Amir to believe his father despises him. After all, Amir’s†¦show more content†¦As he leaps after the kite, he yells, â€Å"For you a thousand times over!† over his shoulder (Hosseini 67). While chasing down the kite, Hassan runs into Assef. Assef demands the kite as payment for previous embarrassments, but after Hassan refuses, Assef decides he will take something even more precious from him. At this point, Amir comes looking for his best friend and his trophy. He witnesses Hassan getting raped and quietly slinks away, not brave enough to protect his protector. Worse, Amir never acknowledges the incident, wounding Hassan deeper than any physical abuse. Ashamed of himself and his cowardice, Amir decides that the best way to be rid of his guilt is to make Hassan leave. He plants money and his watch under Hassan’s mattress with the hope that Baba will throw the thief out. Baba forgives Hassan, but Hassan and his father decide to leave anyway. Amir and Baba eventually leave Afghanistan as well, forced out by the Russian invasion of their beloved country. Everything he does at this point proves that he truly loves Amir; he sacrifices his wealth, business, and life to bring Amir to the safety of the United States. In response to this new country, fill ed with new people and languages, Amir and Baba’s relationship drastically transforms. Before, Baba was all powerful and knowledgeable, but now, Amir guides his father in the American way. Nowhere is this more evident than when Baba vandalizes the Nguyen’s store after they askShow MoreRelatedAtonement and Redemption, the Cure to Sin (Kite Runner)1372 Words   |  6 PagesAlex DaPonte Mrs. Gill College English March 27 2012 Atonement and Redemption, the Cure to Sin Sin will always be part of humanity, but the atonement of those sins is what matters in the end. What changes is the severity of the sin and the lengths one has to go in order to atone for those sins and redeem one’s self. In Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, guilt, atonement of sins and redemption all show that no matter what a person’s sin may be, he or she will always be able to atone for thatRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1141 Words   |  5 PagesThe Kite Runner, a novel by Khaled Hosseini, is a story about a Pushtun boy who experiences a life full of guilt after consciously betraying his best friend. Several minor characters serve dramatic roles that contribute to the development of the novel. These supporting characters include Rahim Khan, Soraya, Sohrab, Sanaubar and Assef. Rahim Khan serves as a mediator and liaison between Amir and Baba throughout their life in Kabul. Rahim Khan divulged the veracity regarding Hassan’s true fatherRead MoreCritical Analysis Of The Kite Runner 1899 Words   |  8 PagesCritical Analysis of The Kite Runner â€Å"It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (142). Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner unfolds the story of the affluent youth Amir and his servant friend Hassan, who are separated by a traumatizing sexual assault and the 1979 Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan. Despite a fresh start in San Francisco, Amir is devoured by guilt for failing to protect his loyal friend. Many years later