The Kite Runner

Andrea Marx
Great Themes in Literature
March 15, 2010
The Transition through Adolescence
The arduous journey through adolescence can be marred by scarred memories but can be compensated with satisfaction by achieving redemption for the wrong done. In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, the main character, Amir experiences a drastic incident when witnessing the rape of his loyal friend Hassan. Not only will this event leave a scar of his youth embedded in Amir’s heart and soul but will be an eternal devil nestled upon his shoulder. As he transitions from adolescence to adulthood, Amir will learn to gradually let go of his emotional guilt and the sense of betrayal he feels internally. When forced into challenging situations the characteristics of maturity arise and influence Amir to let go of his past and forgive. Even people who consider themselves to be weak can redeem themselves when challenging opportunities arise. His attempt to deal with his guilt by avoiding it does nothing toward redeeming himself, and thus his guilt endures which is why he cringes every time Hassan’s name is mentioned. The development of Amir to become good again in the transition from adolescence to adulthood accounts for the forgiveness and redemption by making right his past wrongs against Hassan by saving Hassan’s son Sohrab, indicating that even people who consider themselves weak can create good out of remorse.
Growing up in a socially diverse environment divided into a hierarchy can stimulate betrayal in how we treat humans due to the instability and mental insecurity individuals struggle to overcome. Amir initially, demonstrates his betrayal to Hassan and forces himself to believe that the reason he ran was due to every human’s innate cowardice. Amir explains how he actually aspired to cowardice, “I ran because I was a coward” and “that what I made myself believe” (77). Amir also betrayed Hassan because he knew that he would not be able to help Hassan “because the...