The Kite Runner Redemption Essay

Words: 552
Pages: 3

What is redemption? What is happiness? Redemption is the feeling that one has done wrong and seeks forgiveness from the person that he or she has let down by doing something good for them. Happiness is the feeling that one receives when they do good for someone or someone does good for them. In Amir’s case of redemption, he has let down Hassan numerous times and he feels as if he needs to repay him so that their friendship can be restored. For happiness in Amir’s vision, he thinks that redeeming himself will bring out the sense of happiness. It is for this reason in the novel The Kite Runner, redemption and happiness are not necessarily the same thing. In the novel redemption and happiness play a big part, if not the biggest part of the novel for Amir. Amir in The Kite …show more content…
While getting Sohrab he encounters one of the Taliban officials who is keeping Sohrab. Ironically enough this Talib official is the one person that Amir fears the most, Assef. It is Amir’s brutal beating from Assef that makes Amir feel as if he has finally redeemed himself, which makes him feel happy. “... for the first time since the Winter of 1975, I felt at peace”(289). This shows that his fight with Assef had a symbolic meaning to him and that he feels as if he has done right and has paid back his dues to Hassan. Late in The Kite Runner shows Amir’s redemption for never having the guts to stand up for Hassan or his family. However, Amir’s redemption may have brought out a sense of happiness because he feels he has now given back to Hassan. Amir’s happiness for taking a beating from Assef to save Sohrab later shows from when Amir and Sohrab fly kites in the park. Amir flew his kite with Sohrab, cutting down someone else’s kite in the park. Sohrab taking after his father runs down the kite for Amir with a big smile on his face, bringing out his happiness and making Sohrab feel as if he is at