Kite Runner: I have just finished reading Kite Runner and overall I thought it was great novel full of inspiration and redemption. I loved how the story portrays real life, universal struggles outside my usual mindset. The fact that this story is mainly set in Pakistan and Afghanistan really shows the cultural and social differences that weren't present in the U.S. during the 1970's. Anyway, the most scarring moment of this book was of course chapter 7 when Amir witnesses his best friend get raped. Not to mention the culprit is a neighborhood bully named Assef and the kids are all clustered around 12-13 years old at the time. It was so vivid and grotesque that it angered me that Amir or anyone would let this happen to their best friend, and in Amir's case his only true friend. From the reader's point of view most people think it'd be a stupid choice to let that awful thing happen to your friend in return for a kite and your dad's respect and praise for a month tops. The ironic thing is that this beloved kite didn't even win his father's love permanently so was it really worth it? From Amir's stand point you have to realize he made this bad decision is due to the fact that his dad has not taken any interest in him since birth and continually bad mouths him to his friends about how weak, defenseless, and cowardly he is. However, that one little moment of ecstasy Amir obtained seemed like the best choice, but later on he realized the years of guilt that followed were too much to handle. After growing up and fleeing to America during political unrest, Amir realizes he can't run from his guilt any longer and our theme of redemption starts to surface.
During his childhood Amir is spineless, and shallow in pursuit of his father's affection toward him. Once they move to America after political unrest sets in Amir changes. At first Amir and his father live the typical American life for all immigrants: the poor, rundown life where they need aid from welfare and Amir and his father struggle to find jobs that offer more than minimum wage with benefits. Shortly after the move Amir's father gets cancer and dies. It is this that pulls Amir back to his childhood home so that he "can be good again". Old friends of Amir's father contacts Amir and has him come back to the middle east to talk with him. Upon arriving over seas, Amir discovers Hassan was not his servant, but his half brother. He also discovers that Hassan had a little boy named Sohrab but that he was abandoned due to Hassan's murder by the Taliban. This news is shocking, even angering for Amir to hear but he puts aside all other things and starts hunting for Sohrab in order to cleanse his conscience and redeem himself. Finally he finds himself in the heart of a Taliban camp run by his childhood bully Assef, who sexually violated his brother Hassan, and tries to bargain for Sohrab's return to a safe orphanage. Assef gives Amir an ultimatum: leave now or get what he should've gotten the day Hassan was victimized. Despite his apprehension and anxiety, Amir bites the bullet and gets absolutely beaten down. While losing teeth, breaking ribs, and puncturing lungs Amir starts laughing because he physically feels destroyed and short of life. His spiritual, conscientious self , however, feels renewed and relieved through redemption. This is the huge climax of the story and it really shows you the true power of redemption in the face of fear and abuse. It really gives the sense that anyone is capable of striving for another chance no matter what the obstacles are, and to me that is very inspiring.
