Admitting that you have done something wrong is nails on a chalkboard, it can be painful. Within the novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, childhood friends, Amir and Hassan grow up in Afghanistan during a time of civil unrest. When Amir and Hassan’s loyalties are tested by traumatic events, Amir must learn how to atone for his actions. The concept of atonement can be examined throughout the novel. Lack of atonement is present within The Kite Runner when Amir frames Hassan for stealing his birthday gifts. As an example, Amir hears that Baba, his father, forgives Ali, Hassan’s father, and Hassan, although Hassan didn’t atone for what he was being accused of. “Except Baba stunned me by saying, I forgive you.” (Hosseini 105) When Baba forgives …show more content…
For example, after Rahim Khan and Amir talk about Amir’s true family history, Amir leaves and gets tea, where he sees a table falling apart and decides to fix it. “I wished I could fix my own life as easily.” (Hosseini 225) Wishing that he could fix his life shows that their conversation made Amir feel like he couldn’t make up for his, and his father’s actions. Instead of seeking atonement, he only wishes he could make up for things, lacking any atonement. He did something wrong but believes he has no way to make up for it. But, after fixing the table, Amir starts to realize that Rahim Khan was directing Amir to make up for his and Baba’s actions. “And with that came this realization: that Rahim Khan had summoned me here to atone not just for my sins but for Baba’s too.” (Hosseini 226) This realization is significant because Amir realizes that he can make up for everything. After many years of living with what he has done and finding out what his father has done also, he knows that he can achieve atonement. He isn’t wishing that he could fix things anymore, he realizes that he can. At first, he lacked atonement, only wishing he could change things, but then, he realizes how to achieve