‘The Kite Runner’ essay – Term 1 prepared essay
Yellow = terminology and good use of language
Green = quotation
Blue = awareness of the author’s manipulations and constructs
The pink notes on the side explain how to quote weave and how to punctuate
quotes.
“For you, a thousand times over” is a quote readers can find in both the exposition
and denouement of this novel, which shows how the idea of guilt develops. Amir,
the central protagonist from ‘The Kite Runner’, portrays the idea of guilt through the
careful use of characterisation, narrative point of view and other manipulations by
Khaled Hosseini, the author. This idea develops through Amir by showing the
changes Amir undergoes throughout the novel because of the guilt he harbours. This
guilt guides Amir’s actions, which finally result in a redeemed hero of the epic.
The rape of Hassan, seen through the characterisation of Amir, is the cause of this
unbearable guilt that is about to torture Amir for the next 26 years. Khaled Hosseini
shows us through Amir’s actions how this guilt is so unbearable that Amir first tries
to run away from it, “I was sorry, but I didn’t cry and I didn’t chase the car.” This
quote, found not far after the rape, shows the extent of Amir’s guilt to the point
where he would push away “the person whose first spoken word had been my
name”. This attempt of running away from his terrible sin depicts Amir as a terrible
person; too cowardly to face his mistakes, which makes this protagonist even more
interesting as the readers are allowed to dislike him, yet understand his actions. This
picture of Amir is something we can link to the real world, with examples such as
Tiger Woods going to such extreme lengths to cover up his sin of adultery. This
example works very well to allow readers into thinking about their own lives,
searching for that ‘unforgivable sin’. Hosseini did this to maintain the connection
readers have with Amir by linking them through these experiences that most people
would identify with, through Amir’s actions.
Twenty-six years after the rape, Amir’s guilt is now something that the character of
Amir has gotten used to. After all this time, Amir finally realises how this guilt will
never leave him unless he can “be good again”, as offered by Rahim Khan. The guilt
that has now developed into something that is synonymous with Amir, whether he
likes it or not, has finally reached a climax where Amir finally choses to confront it by
searching for redemption. This shows Amir as a protagonist now searching to be
absolved and perhaps being a whole person again. By trying to be a good person
again, Amir redeems himself in our minds, drawing more attention from the readers
just before the final climax of the novel. In this final climax Amir faces Assef in a
fight, and this is the point where Amir finally redeems himself. In this fight Amir
thinks to himself, “I felt at peace”, showing how the guilt he had held with him for
most of his life is finally gone. Now, Amir can be said to be a character finally
redeemed and whole, thus proving himself to be a true protagonist of this novel,
and allowing us to like him even more. By redeeming himself, Amir shows us that
there is a chance for all of us to redeem ourselves in this world of the guilt we hold.
Amir even shows us how; by confronting the source of his guilt head-on,
exemplifying himself for us. I believe this works really well to give the readers a
sense of hope and mostly admiration for Amir, thus making the epic even more
interesting to read.
Another way in which the idea is developed is through the first person narrative
point of view of Amir. Amir’s guilt can be seen to be fully absolved in the end when
Sohrab finally smiles again in the end of the novel. When Amir hears himself say
“For you, a thousand times over”, we know that Amir truly understands what loyalty
means and that his guilt is completely gone, as Amir now gives himself completely to
Sohrab. The repetition of this line with what Hassan said just before his rape
signifies a full circle, where now Amir is the one who is good. This quote makes it
easy for readers to link Amir to Hassan and how he is now redeemed, and allows us
to finally fully adore Amir for the good person he has become. This makes me think
of Amir as a sort of hero, as he has confronted his guilt head on and won, by
proving himself to Assef. This quote effectively tells us that there is a way to be
good again. This gives readers hope and inspiration that we ourselves can be better
people just by confronting our problems, rather than running away. In this way,
Khaled Hosseini has effectively helped the reader, thus making us like the novel
even more – fulfilling the purpose of the novel.
In conclusion, the idea of guilt has been developed in ‘The Kite Runner’ mainly
through the use of characterisation, narrative point of view and other features used
by Khaled Hosseini. I believe that the quote “For you, a thousand times over”
effectively sums up what Hosseini is trying to teach his readers. This message is that
by being a person that is loyal and honest to everyone and yourself, you can
overcome the obstacles of life, such as the guilt shown by Amir. Overall, this epic is
a truly effective novel and one that holds an important message for all its readers.