Guilt In Khaled Hosseini's 'The Kite Runner'

Guilt. It can dictate one’s entire life. It can turn a life around. In Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, Amir is consumed by guilt. From experiencing it first hand, to living with it and its consequences, and then finally redeeming himself, his entire life is shaped by one experience. One experience that fills him with remorse. The one bright day of kite running that turns to darkness. As Amir progresses through life trying to redeem himself, Hosseini displays that no matter how grand one’s misconduct is, if he or she truly is looking for redemption it will be achieved.
As children, people often act in ways that will please their parents. Amir lives a childhood full of wanting to please his father. He believes it is his fault for killing his mother and taking Baba’s precious love. Numerous times Amir tries to be the strong and athletic son Baba has always wanted, though each try turns out to be futile. Amir is a poet. He is not a soccer star or a boy who can watch a Buzkashi tournament without crying. Each time he disappoints, he notices “Baba’s valiant efforts to conceal the disgusted look on his face” (page 23). Hence, his want to redeem himself to his father causes Amir to betray his one true friend, Hassan. A betrayal of unspoken words and

It is in times of hardship and despair that one realizes what he or she has done and what must be done to bring back light. Amir faces the guilt for years and it is this guilt that drives him to do good and help others. It is his guilt that builds his character. Like him, his father became a well-respected man because of his hidden deeds and desire to redeem himself. Mistakes and wars occur whether intentional or not, though they do not define a person. What defines a person is his or her want to redeem him or herself and make the wrongs right. Hosseini shows that guilt can either swallow people whole or allow them to grow and redeem themselves in the