The Kite Runner Review

In The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hoseini, (Riverhead Press, New York, 2003) the main character Amir moves to America from Afghanistan in search to forget his past. He goes on a journey of redemption in which gives him a chance "to be good again". Through Amir's journey he has to recognize his sin and then he has to search for redemption in order "to be good again".

Amir, who lived in Afghanistan with his father Baba and two servants Ali and Ali's son Hassan, grows up playing with Hassan and doing everything with him but struggles calling him a friend. Hassan was a Hazara and Amir a Pashtun which in history Hazara's and Pashtun's did not get along. "The curious thing was, I never thought of Hassan and me as friends either. Not in the usual sense, anyhow...we taught each other to ride a bicycle with no hands...Because history... I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara... and nothing was ever going to change that" (22). As Amir struggles to really truly call Hassan a friend he is face with problems. Amir has a problem being able to stand up for him self and others. Amir would run into his first test of courage or cowardice. and "Assef was the son of one of my father's friends... you knew about Assef and his famous stainless-steel brass knuckles, hopefully not through personal experience... His word was law..." (38). Amir and Hassan would run into Assef. Assef threw insults at Hassan and Hassan just stood there and did not say anything. "Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be. We are the true Afghans, the pure Afghans, not this Flat-Nose here" (40). Assef put on his brass knuckles and was going to give Amir a beating but Hassan was not a coward and stood up to Assef. "I turned and came face to face with Hassan's slingshot... 'Please leave us alone, Agha,'... He searched Hassan's face intently...This isn't the end for you either, Amir. Someday, I'll make you face me one on one" (43). Amir was not able to stand up to Assef and showed his cowardice. Amir would get one more chance to stand up for Hassan. In the winter of 1975 during the biggest kite tournament in twenty-five years, Amir had a chance for redemption. It came down to the end of the tournament and when it was finally over Amir has won the tournament. As the last kite fell from the air Hassan took off chasing it. "Hassan! I called. Come back with it" (67)! Amir goes to look for Hassan "I found no sign of Hassan" (69) as he searches for him he finally finds Hassan "Hassan was standing at the blind end of the alley in a defiant stance...Blocking Hassan's way out of the alley were three boys... in the middle Assef..."(71). Assef had his brass knuckles and was throwing insults at Hassan. Assef continue to insult Hassan and wanted the kite. Hassan stands strong and will not give the kite up. "Amir agha won the tournament and I ran this kite for him. I ran it fairly. This is his Kite" (72). Hassan then picks up a rock and get ready to fling it at Assef as Amir stands there and has the chance to step in a save Hassan "I opened my mouth, almost said something. Almost. The rest of my life might have turned out differently if I had. But I didn't. I just watched. Paralyzed" (73). Hassan then fling the rock and hits Assef and that day would leave Amir looking for redemption. Amir watches Hassan get raped by Assef. Amir not knowing what to do end up running from his problems which he ends up moving to America to try to forget about his past.

In America, as Amir settles into his new life he never forgets what happen in the winter of 1975. Amir moves on with his life graduates from high school and then gets married. He still was searching for redemption and everything