The Kite Runner - Importance of Forgiveness
The Importance of Forgiveness
Forgiveness is essential to daily life. An important person does the unthinkable, and finally that person earns forgiveness. It is important to forgive oneself, so one can forgive others, too. In The Kite Runner, novelist Khaled Hosseini tells about the past of the Afghan refugee, Amir, and about the importance of forgiveness regarding to what happens in Afghanistan a long time before Amir arrives in America. Amir grows up in Kabul with his prosperous father, Baba, who has two servants, Ali, and his son, Hassan. Amir and Hassan are best friends until Hassan is raped, and Amir doesn’t help him. Amir can’t get over his guilt, so he takes it out on Hassan and treats him very badly. Thus, Hassan and Ali leave Baba’s house. During the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan Baba and Amir flee to America. Many years later, Amir goes back to Kabul and rescues Sorhab, Hassan’s son, who is being abused by Assef, the same bully who once raped Hassan. Amir brings him to America, and finally he gets over his guilt. In this novel, many deeds need forgiveness; many individuals seek redemption, and at the end, they all find it. This is shown by Hassan’s forgiveness of Amir, by Amir’s forgiveness of Baba, and by Amir’s forgiveness of himself. Even though Amir doesn’t help Hassan when he gets raped, Hassan forgives him. All this happens when Amir wins the annual kite running contest in Kabul, and Hassan goes to run the last kite for him. Amir tells him to come back with it; Hassan screams, “For you a thousand times over” (Hosseini 67), and takes off. After a while, Amir starts to worry and goes after him. Amir finds Hassan in an alley where Assef and his friends rape him. Amir just stands there; he’s scared and doesn’t know what to do, so he leaves the alley. When Hassan comes back, he is bleeding. Hassan never tells anyone what has happened, and after this day the friendship isn’t the same anymore between Amir and Hassan. However, kindhearted Hassan
Forgiveness is essential to daily life. An important person does the unthinkable, and finally that person earns forgiveness. It is important to forgive oneself, so one can forgive others, too. In The Kite Runner, novelist Khaled Hosseini tells about the past of the Afghan refugee, Amir, and about the importance of forgiveness regarding to what happens in Afghanistan a long time before Amir arrives in America. Amir grows up in Kabul with his prosperous father, Baba, who has two servants, Ali, and his son, Hassan. Amir and Hassan are best friends until Hassan is raped, and Amir doesn’t help him. Amir can’t get over his guilt, so he takes it out on Hassan and treats him very badly. Thus, Hassan and Ali leave Baba’s house. During the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan Baba and Amir flee to America. Many years later, Amir goes back to Kabul and rescues Sorhab, Hassan’s son, who is being abused by Assef, the same bully who once raped Hassan. Amir brings him to America, and finally he gets over his guilt. In this novel, many deeds need forgiveness; many individuals seek redemption, and at the end, they all find it. This is shown by Hassan’s forgiveness of Amir, by Amir’s forgiveness of Baba, and by Amir’s forgiveness of himself. Even though Amir doesn’t help Hassan when he gets raped, Hassan forgives him. All this happens when Amir wins the annual kite running contest in Kabul, and Hassan goes to run the last kite for him. Amir tells him to come back with it; Hassan screams, “For you a thousand times over” (Hosseini 67), and takes off. After a while, Amir starts to worry and goes after him. Amir finds Hassan in an alley where Assef and his friends rape him. Amir just stands there; he’s scared and doesn’t know what to do, so he leaves the alley. When Hassan comes back, he is bleeding. Hassan never tells anyone what has happened, and after this day the friendship isn’t the same anymore between Amir and Hassan. However, kindhearted Hassan
Cited: Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner New York: Penguin, 2003. Print.