Kite runner

The Kite Runner
Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner,” revolves around a crucial theme of sin and redemption. In Hosseini’s novel, redemption is significant because sin is so persistent. Amir opens the story by telling us not about how exactly he sinned, but about sin's strength. Throughout the novel, the theme of Sin and Redemption is evident throughout the actions of the main characters, Baba and Amir as they sin and plead for redemption.
Throughout the novel, the protagonist, Amir weighs each event against his sin, his betrayal of Hassan. He struggles to find a purpose in life; he’s determined to face the consequences of his sin, seeking redemption. As Hassan went to get the blue kite for Amir, he ran into Assef in the alley way. Hassan refused to give Assef the kite because it belonged to Amir. Amir peeked into the alley way and saw Hassan getting raped. He had one last chance to make a decision. “I ran because I was a coward.” (Hosseini 77) Amir is comparing himself to a coward. A coward is a person who shamefully lacks in the courage to do something and Amir was a coward. He could have saved Hassan, his brother but he was afraid Assef would hurt him and did not want to put himself in danger. So he allowed Assef to rape Hassan. As we learn towards the novel's end, Amir is not the only character who seeks for redemption. Baba was also held guilty for his past sins as Rahim Khan Mentions in his letter to Amir. “Your father like you was a tortured soul.”(Hosseini 301) Rahim Khan is trying to show Amir what he is going through, probably isn't even close to comparison of what his father has been through. His definition of a tortured soul would be because he is showing more love to Amir than his real son because he denied his son. It’s not that he wanted to but it's because he wanted to keep his friendship with Ali and not lose Hassan. That’s why his heart parts in two. Baba committed a sin of theft and Amir committed sin by betraying Hassan for his own selfishness for approval from his Baba. Amir and Baba both seek redemption to be cleansed of their sins.
Rahim Khan was like a father figure to Amir and knows all that he has done, he had always known. He also knows Amir has lived hiding the secrets of his acts of cowardice and betrayal. In the summer of 2001, after living for many years in America, Amir receives a telephone call from Rahim Khan, his father’s old friend. Rahim tells Amir that he is ill and needs him to come to Pakistan. “Come. There is a way to be good again, Rahim Khan had said on the phone just before hanging up. Said it in passing, almost as an afterthought. A way to be good again.” (Hosseini 192) Amir Figures Rahim Khan must have some reasoning behind him wanting Amir to return to back to Pakistan, so he agrees to return back to the East. A phrase at the end of the phone call makes Amir think about the past: "There is a way to be good again." Amir made a bad choice in the beginning of his childhood, which exposed what he truly is. Amir cannot truly redeem himself but is being offered a chance to be cleansed of his sin.
Amir feels deceived by his own father because the things Baba stole had been sacred but from Amir he stole the right to know he had a brother, from Hassan his identity and from Ali his honor. Turns out Baba had been the worst kind of thief. “He had sat me on his lap when I was little, look me straight in the eyes, and said, there is only one sin. And that is theft... when you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth.” (Hossieni 225) It’s ironic that Baba had said that when he was a thief himself. Amir realizes he is more like Baba than he had supposed. They both had betrayed there best friends. Amir betrayed Hassan similarly Baba betrayed Ali by sleeping with Sanaubar. Baba was a saint in Amir’s eyes but it turns out he was wrong; because of Baba’s sin Amir and Hassan never got to know that they were brothers until it was too late. Amir thinks he is the only sinner among his family. Amir is continuously trying to live up to Baba’s expectations, but he doesn’t realize that the only reason Baba is so hard on him is because of his guilt over his own sin. Rahim knows all that Amir has done and he has lived hiding the secrets of his acts of cowardice. With this return, Amir is being offered a chance to redeem himself. 20 years ago, Hassan ran the kite for Amir and they had won. Hassan had risked his life just to get that kite for Amir. Present day, Amir finally sees a turning point in Hassan's son, Sohrab. Amir feels as if he is finally redeeming himself by rescuing Sohrab and making plans of taking him back to America. While they are still in Pakistan, Sohrab and Amir both fly kites together with the neighborhood kids.
"Do you want me to run 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.
Then I turned and ran." (Hosseini 71)
During the kite competition as children, Hassan had said this to Amir after they had won. He told him he would run the kite. Now 20 years later, it is Amir who says this to Sohrab. Amir knows he has to redeem himself and his way was to save Hassan's son. Amir used to be the person who people would fight his battles for now he is the one fighting the battles and being more like Hassan. He could be good again. This is the beginning for Amir to start forgiving himself for all of the sins he committed against Hassan. Amir is finally gaining that redemption for his past sins. “I ran. A grown man running with a swarm of screaming children. But I didn't care. I ran with the wind blowing in my face, and a smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips. I ran."(Hosseini, 371)Amir ran the kite for Sohrab and finally gained that redemption and happiness he has been longing for. That smile showed that he is finally happy and feels as if he has redeemed himself. After picturing this heart racing mini kite tournament in the park Amir also shows his love and appreciation for Sohrab. Amir runs the kite for Sohrab like Hassan had done for him many years earlier. Now, Amir just wants to express his love to Hassan through Sohrab and almost use him as a way to see Hassan and show his redemption to him.
Throughout Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner” the theme of Sin and Redemption was evident throughout the main characters Baba and Amir. They had both sinned and longed for redemption which they later attained throughout the novel. Amir searched for redemption for what he had done to Hassan. Similarly Baba sought redemption for what he had done to Ali. Baba did not confront his sins but sort of attained that redemption he longed for. Amir was given a chance to redeem himself and was successful in gaining happiness that he has been longing for. In Conclusion, Redemption is a process that can long to achieve. For a person to be redeemed, they must have committed some type of sin. Baba and Amir turned out to be more alike than they had thought. They both were sinners. In the novels end, Baba and Amir had both managed to redeem themselves for their sins.