The Kite Runner

Overall I did not really enjoy reading The Kite Runner. I understand that this certain situation in places such as Afghanistan are not the most pleasant to read about, but I just found this book depressing.

Amir was a coward boy who could never stand up for himself. Hassan, his servant, always stood up for him even in the worst situations. Whenever the time arose for Amir to help Hassan, Amir did not return the favor. He not only let harm come to Hassan, but he also kicked him and his father out of his house barely caring that he had hurt Hassan, Ali, and his father Baba.

When Baba and Amir moved to America it was a good thing for the two men. Baba was used to being the rich party man who everyone loved, and Amir was consumed with him past. In America the men were not treated the same as in Kabul. This new “adventure” opened their eyes to a new world that helped them become better people. Once in America Baba showed Amir the love and attention that he never received throughout his childhood in Kabul. He supported his schooling and even though he was a little weary about Amir becoming a writer he still reluctantly gave his support. Amir had regretted the day in the alley when he did return the favor to Hassan, but in America he was trying to move past the horrible thing he had done. Since the memory of that day in the alley was so engraved into Amir’s mind, that day was always looming over him and he could never seem to get rid of his guilt.

Amir was, in a way, forgiven for his sin after he went to retrieve Hassan’s son Sohrab. At first he was not willing to risk his life for this boy, but eventually he agreed. The fact that Amir went and risked his life to save Sohrab “made him good again” just like Rahim Khan had promised.

It is sad that Sohrab didn’t adjust well to his life in America. He had been through so much with his parents being killed, living in an orphanage, being sold to a bad man named Assef, treated unkindly, and witnessing the terrible events of a violent war. At the end of the book when Amir cut down the green kite at the Afghan New Year Festival the smile that Sohrab gave was a glimmer of hope to Amir that everything was finally going to be alright even after all these years of terrible events.