Hosseini’s
The Kite Runner is a powerful work of literature filled with great
trouble, emotion and progression. After the finishing the book, I can say that
it was worth the read and I would definitely recommend it to others. It opened
my eyes to the situation consuming Afghanistan beginning in the 1980s, the power of social class in some cultures and the power of man in the journey to recovery and redemption.
As soon I began the novel, my
favorite part of the story was the relationship between Amir and Hassan. The
two boys grew up together and had an unexplainable bond. We find out later in
the novel that they are literally half-brothers, which explains why they had
such a strong bond among a lot of other things. Although their connection was
undeniable, there were definitely two sides to their friendship. Hassan, a
Hazara servant, loves Amir to death and is completely selfless, often using his
phrase, “For you a thousand times over.”
Amir on the other hand loves Hassan, but only shows his affection in
private, where he is free from the judgment of others. He also allows him to be
sexually assaulting by the disgusting Assef (some friend). Despite, Amir’s
entitlement towards Hassan, Hassan gives Amir everything he has to offer. One
scene that really affected me was on top of the hill by the pomegranate tree
when Amir was hitting Hassan with the pomegranates. Because this was following
the rape, Amir was filled with uncontrollable pain and remorse. He tried
provoking Hassan so he would fight back and give Amir was he knew he deserved.
However, Hassan accepted the treatment and refused to inflict any pain on Amir.
Hassan level of respect and love is insurmountable. Although heartbreaking, I thought it was beautiful that
Hassan’s unconditional love for Amir was stronger than anything around him. It
was almost like he knew they were brothers from the start…he could feel it.
The
story predominantly circled around Hassan’s rape, telling of Amir’s life prior
and following the incident. In the beginning, I was very upset with Amir
because of his cowardly actions. I understood that his situation with Baba and
his insecurities issues debilitated his courage and ability to stand up for
what he believed in, however as a reader I was never able to fully forgive him
for what he did. For a while, I believed that although Amir should be a
progressive character, he was not. I continued to see him as a weakling, a
coward and the same little Afghan boy, even as he lived in America as young
adult. However, I was happy to see him successful in developing his writing
career and relationship with Soraya. It wasn’t until Amir’s fight with Assef, that
I believed he was a man. As Baba feared, he was a man who was afraid to stand
for anything, until that point in his life when he realized what he needed to
do. He got the sh*t beat out of him, stood up for what he believed was right
and got what he came for, Sohrab. Saving Sohrab from the Taliban and a future
of despair and hardship marked the ultimate source of redemption for Amir.
Sohrab embodied the very thing that Amir needed in his life. A connection to
his homeland, Hassan, Baba and his troubled past.
Overall, Amir did progress from the
beginning of the novel to the end. Throughout his life, he accepted his guilt
and suffered the consequences. However, he had yet to grow into a man, as he
continued to title himself a coward. I believe that Rahim Khan had an excellent
point in saying that “A man who has no conscience, no goodness, does not
suffer.” Amir has a good soul; it was just lost for a great portion of his life
as his insecurities clouded his judgment. However, because of his mistakes and guilt, true good
emerged, progressing Amir to a manhood of love and respect. This is a message
in the book that spoke to me with great importance. Hossenini formulated a
story, a struggle of someone who was human – with his own jealousy and
insecurities – who became a better person due to his struggles and mistakes. As
a reader, I think that everyone can relate to this aspect of the book. At
multiple times in our life we may make decisions that are wrong or we may act
cowardly at times. However, we learn from our mistakes and develop. With
adversity comes growth.
All in all, Hossenini has mastered
the art of story telling in this novel. His writing style and sequence of
events guides the reader along a compelling narrative with all the necessities
to a successful novel. He not only incorporated the inspiration and strength
that stems from family, religion and culture, but also exemplifies the
destruction of war, jealousy and self-worth. Although at times, cliché the
story is realistic and inspiring. Hossenini’s character development also brings
this novel to a level of clarity and influence. The characters presented are
consistent and as a reader you truly get a sense of who they are as they are
introduced. The Kite Runner is a story for every culture, religion and
age group. It tells a powerful story and reminds us that we are all human, that
sometimes we fail to see the Hassan’s in our life or that we have insecurities enforced
by the Baba of our life, but most importantly we make mistakes and there is
redemption. I’ve always heard about this book and I’m glad I finally got the
chance to read it. #TeamHassanforlife
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