Amir's Identity In The Kite Runner

Words: 1267
Pages: 6

Through the literary element of paralleling of the kite and the topic of redemption, one can gain a better understanding of Amir’s transition from childhood to adulthood. His self-identity development becomes evident as he transforms from acting passive to being active. Amir is the kite runner for Sohrab at the end of the novel, and this parallels with the beginning of the novel where Hassan takes the role as the kite runner for Amir. These parallel scenes are significant as it shapes Amir’s identity in different ways. Afghanistan has an old winter tradition that occurs every winter in various neighborhoods of Kabul, which holds a kite-fighting tournament. The winter of 1975 is Hassan’s last time to ever run the kite for Amir. This is when Amir describes the blue kite as his …show more content…
Amir achieves being “good again” which is by accepting his faults and redeems them through action rather than by being passive, or silent to an event of injustice, isolated and regretful. The topic of redemption is significant in this novel in various ways. Redemption plays a prominent role in developing Amir’s identity. He has to live with the guilt of allowing injustice to take place. He is guilty of not standing up to Assef when he has the chance to protect and prevent Hassan from getting raped. Amir is unhappy with his former life decisions and finally, he decides to go back to Jalalabad to save Sohrab, his nephew from being physically and emotionally abused by the same person who ruined Hassan’s life. Recounting the event in his head, he says, “What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace. I laughed because I saw that, in some hidden nook in a corner of my mind, I’d even been looking forward to this. I remembered the day on the hill I had pelted Hassan with pomegranates and tried to provoke him… I hadn't been happy and I hadn't felt better, not at all. But I did now…I felt