Since he was a child, Amir has been struggling with the guilt he has because of his betrayal to Hassan. Khaled Hosseini uses the theme of redemption to show the reader the difficulty of Amir trying to make up for his actions. Amir goes through many difficult trials through his life but the most prominent is the road to redemption he goes on to forgive himself for his betrayal to Hassan. At the beginning of the novel we see Amir in America answering a call from Rahim Khan. After the call Amir says “That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.” Hosseini uses this quote to foreshadow or act as a teaser for the reader. A clincher sentence to entice the reader to read on. As the story unfolds we realize that the deserted alley that Amir references is where his childhood friend or servant gets raped. The reference where Amir says “the past continues to claw its way out” means that Amir is unable to forget his past and remembers the scene in the alley. He figuratively continues to …show more content…
“My body was broken- just how badly I wouldn’t find out until later- but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed”(Hosseini p. 289). The reader sees that Amir is faced with the worse possible situation. He has to fight his neighborhood bully. Although Amir losses the fight he fells healed because he finally forgives himself for hurting Hassan and not sticking up for him. Then beating from Assef should have come a long time ago according to Amir. It should have been him not Hassan. The reader has a new found respect for Amir as he comes to terms with himself. Sohrab saves Amir from being killed and they escape so Amir has completed his