Themes

In the novel, ‘The Kite Runner’, there are many themes featured throughout each character.  One of the main themes, in Amir’s case is Betrayal, the betrayal towards his best friend Hassan. Throughout Hassan’s and Amir’s friendship, Hassan always put Amir first in everything. He said, “a thousand times over” to Amir, expressing his endless amount of loyalty he has for Amir. But in return Amir hides away, watching his friend’s assault, and then acts ignorant when Hassan limps to him with the kite. This act of cowardice so haunts Amir that just when we think that it cannot get worse and that Amir will confess or at least make up with Hassan, he further betrays his friend by forcing Hassan and his father out of their home. The time in which Amir betrayed Hassan in their friendship was never redeemed until later on in the novel, Amir had to live with the guilt and sadness he felt towards Hassan. In a way, betrayal drives the rest of the book and perhaps everything that precedes it. Although, the main betrayal of the book happens in Chapter 7 when Amir doesn’t protect Hassan from Assef, there are plenty more throughout the novel. Another part of betrayal is between Baba and Amir; Baba stole Amir’s right to know that Hassan was his true brother. Baba lied to Amir his whole life about Hassan just being a family friend and betrayed him of this truth, which lead Amir to treat Hassan differently then he would have if he had known he was in fact his own brother. Another strong theme throughout the novel is Redemption. Amir lives his life after Hassan has left in hope that he can redeem himself one day. The guilt he feels is to strong for Amir to keep what happened in the past. Towards the end of the novel Amir finds Hassan’s son, long after Hassan’s death. Amir takes Sohrab in as his own and in this case can love and care for Sohrab and keep him safe, it would be what Hassan would want. Although Amir can never thank or speak to Hassan personally, he can spend the rest of his life making sure Sohrab never goes through what Hassan experienced.