How Does Amir Attempt to Be Good Again Examples

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"There is a way to exist adept again" (Hosseini two). Rahim Khan's starting time words to Amir in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner gear up in movement Amir'due south attempt to mend his scarred past. A mentally tormented man until Khan'south call, he has repressed memories from his childhood for decades. His journey to Afghanistan to seek redemption forms a mode for him to realize what is truly important in life. Although Amir's unintentional barbarity to Hassan is terrible, he is able to overcome his past sins and achieve personal salvation by against his actions and doing good.

Amir is an ordinary boy and though his behavior harms Hassan, he is not barbarous or sadistic. Rather, his evil deeds take a more benign form, disguised as a demand to please his father. For instance, when he prepares to take role in the annual Kabul kite flight contest, he declares to himself that he will "run that terminal kite… and show information technology to Baba. Show him once and for all that his son was worthy" (Hosseini 56). Amir's motivation for entering the contest is non to gain recognition or fame among his peers. Instead, his goal is to win over his male parent, who has constantly reminded Amir that he is non worthy of affection. Only a demonstration of physical skill, he reasons, will ever make Baba like him. Likewise, when he observes Assef brutally raping Hassan, Amir declines to arbitrate, instead rationalizing to himself that Hassan was just "the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba" (Hosseini 77). Amir refuses to cease Assef's violation of Hassan considering he realizes that Hassan'southward fate is irrelevant to whether or non Baba will bestow praise upon his son. Baba volition not find out about Amir'southward cowardly behavior, and he will still gain praise and recognition from Baba. In fact, Amir "resents sharing his father's affection with the loyal and talented Hassan," and actually views Hassan'south rape every bit an opportunity to become closer to his begetter ("Khaled"). If Hassan, humiliated and shamed by the vicious act, cannot carry to confront or speak with other people, Amir will eliminate a onetime competitor for his begetter's angel. Caught upwardly in an emotionally charged moment, Amir'south only thought is to gain praise from his dear Baba. In the procedure, he commits the largest crime of his immature life.

Yet, Amir is non intentionally malicious toward Hassan, so he later feels guilty. Later finally celebrating his kite contest victory in Jalalabad with his honey Baba, Amir realizes that he is a "monster" (Hosseini 86). Amir fully grasps the enormity of what he has done: he has committed almost unforgivable sin confronting Hassan stemming from a childish, selfish want to gain Baba'south graces. However, instead of cowering in shame and blaming others or cursing fate, he accepts sole responsibility for his actions. Amir reveals that he is an otherwise skilful person, as he possesses a conscience and a sense of guilt. In fact, every bit Amir notices, the real danger that has arisen from his deportment is "the nature of my new expletive: I was going to get away with information technology" (Hosseini 86). What pains him virtually is the realization that there is no going back. No one would find out what he did. Secretly, Amir wishes that someone would notice out and rat him out for his true nature. He cannot deport to live with the undercover of his shameful human action, yet cannot bring himself to face it. Although he knows that no one will expose him, he attempts to correct the incorrect that he has done.

Despite his skillful intentions, Amir'due south attempt to conceal his evil causes him to perpetrate even more than offenses. When first talking to Hassan after the rape, Amir throws a pomegranate at him and wishes that Hassan would strike back in return and "give me the penalisation I craved, so maybe I'd finally sleep at night" (Hosseini 92). Amir knows the magnitude of the offense he has committed, and foolishly thinks that if Hassan retaliates, the retaliation will somehow mitigate the severity of his action. Amir begins to harm others while trying to make up for what he has done. His twisted logic is taken to the extreme when he decides that the just way that he can fully solve the problem he has created is to remove Hassan from the household: "The better to hide his own secret sin, Amir betrays Hassan a second time, resulting in Hassan leaving the relative paradise and safe of Baba'due south home" (Morace).

Ironically, the very matter that Amir wanted so badly (winning the kite competition), the very thing that finally brought him the praise of his beloved Baba, is at present the thing that figuratively tears him apart. Hassan's mere presence is a abiding reminder of Amir's shame and guilt, a dark shadow that lingers to haunt him. Hassan's unwavering loyalty despite Amir's terrible treachery is even worse. Hassan's naivety and devotedness emphasize his purity and natural goodness, a sharp contrast to the emotionally tortured Amir. Consequently, when committing his second expose, Amir is but able to recall of himself. Never does he consider the result of his actions on Hassan or Ali. Regrettably, in parallel to the thickening web of lies and deception, Amir'due south beliefs grows worse. For instance, after Baba confronts Hassan about "stealing" Amir'due south watch, Amir almost blurts out the truth, "except that a office of me was glad. Glad that this would all exist over with soon" (Hosseini 105). Amir's selfishness and shortsightedness have now become his primary traits, causing more havoc than he could have imagined. He is actually is able to paint his dreadful treachery of Hassan as a hardship on himself, a burden that he would be relieved to go rid of. Amir begins to stop feeling emotions about others, replacing feelings for them with his ain distorted view of reality. He has changed from an ordinary boy to one that uses a misshapen view of others to inflict suffering upon them. When he finally fully recognizes the extent of his treachery and sins, Amir is shocked at the hurting that he has caused others.

Accordingly, Amir relentlessly tries to escape his betrayal of his former friend, but cannot do and so. Yet, in his desperate quest escape, he learns of the healing power of confronting the past. Shortly, the Soviets invade Afghanistan and force Amir and his father to flee to America, a place Amir "embraced" because it contained "no ghosts, no memories, and no sins" (Hosseini 136). Amir supposes that by physically moving away from his past he can finally exist at peace with it. He welcomes America because it is a identify where he volition not accept to muster courage to face what he did to Hassan. He is, as Stella Algoo-Baksh notes, "convinced that his soul can be at peace now that he has left his past behind. Yet . . . Amir soon discovers that such a release is not easily accomplished" (143). Although he does not recollect almost information technology, his past still lurks in the deep recesses of his mind, haunting him, mocking him for his cowardliness. Ironically though, it is America where Amir learns his starting time lesson about remembering the past. His wife, Soraya, had a shameful history of her own, but she came out immediately and told him about it, and for that, he "envied her. Her secret was out. Spoken. Dealt with" (Hosseini 165). Amir admires how Soraya sets herself gratuitous past revealing her past. She relishes knowing that people accepts her as she is, fifty-fifty with her flaws and mistakes of long ago. Notwithstanding, Amir refuses to admit his past and constantly lives in fear that those he loves would reject him upon learning of what he has done. Despite his important realization, Amir is reluctant to face up his by as he is still agape that others will criticize him for it.

Only when prodded by a shut friend, Rahim Khan, does Amir finally find the strength to face up his past. At first, when Khan calls to ask Amir to return Afghanistan, Amir wishes that "Rahim Khan hadn't called me. I wished he had let me live on in my oblivion" (Hosseini 226). This statement is the final remaining scrap of Amir'due south crumbling resistance to facing his past. Although Amir verbally expresses dismay at Khan'due south call, he has secretly hoped that this moment would come. He realizes that information technology is impossible to forget nearly one's by, and actually wanted someone to spur him to action and give him the courage to face his by misdeeds. The deciding factor is secrecy. Now that somebody already knows what he has washed, Amir tin can tackle his history without fearing that his by actions will so be discovered. In essence, he is freed from the threat of new shame because his secret is already known. Later on, when he does wing back to Pakistan to come across Khan, Amir learns that Baba was the father of Hassan and is he shocked at his male parent's behavior. However, as Khan notes, the skillful that Baba did in his life "was all his mode of redeeming himself. And that, I believe, is what true redemption is, Amir january, when guilt leads to good" (Hosseini 302). Amir recognizes that Baba did non hide in disgrace from his past; on the reverse, he tried to make apology by building orphanages and helping lodge. Amir observes that he himself has done but the opposite: he has simply taken his shame out upon the same people he had already hurt. Only by righting his past can he atone for his sins; oblivion volition achieve nada. And so Amir sets off to Afghanistan, a journey that Geraldine Pearson describes as "a way for Amir to deal with his own guilt nigh Hassan and ultimately forms a story of redemption and resolution" (66). He returns not simply to end his own denial and guilt and atone for his sins, merely as well for the sins of his father. His male parent committed the criminal offence that brought Hassan into the world. Rescuing Hassan'southward son, Sohrab, will bring a resolution to this problem that his father started and that Amir has exacerbated. Amir is determined to at last deal with his past and sets off for Afghanistan, resolving to make good out of bad.

Afterwards, his new knowledge and determination to right his wrongs requite him newfound strength, both physically and mentally. Later on, equally Amir'southward teeth break, ribs snap, and skin tears from Assef's cruel thrashing, Amir oddly feels serenely at-home: "I felt at peace. . . . My trunk was cleaved . . . but I felt healed. Healed at last" (Hosseini 289). Amir does non mind Assef'due south blows because to him they are weak compared to the personal fulfillment he constitute when redeeming himself by saving Sohrab. He knows that at present he, but similar his male parent, has done an act of service to help right his by wrongs. The blows of Assef pale in comparison to the weight of decades of shame, guilt, and lies lifted from Amir's shoulders. Also, after Amir brings Sohrab to America, and Sohrab gives a small, barely perceptible smile, Amir runs "with the air current bravado in my face, and a smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips" (Hosseini 371). Although seemingly insignificant, Sohrab's smile to Amir represents a new beginning. For the outset fourth dimension in a long time, Sohrab smiles—something that he would never have done voluntarily in Assef'due south sexual slavery in Afghanistan. His showtime smiling also symbolizes Amir'south spiritual renewal through ridding his soul of his long-past sins. For the first time since Hassan's rape on that common cold winter 24-hour interval in 1975, Amir's conscience is make clean and he is truly happy.

Notwithstanding, Amir'due south newfound happiness comes simply subsequently much determination and bravery. Only after mustering courage to deal with his childhood by and committing himself toward redressing his wrongs is he able to reach information technology. However, his successful transformation in character as well brings Hosseini'southward work into a larger context and forces a look at society itself. The novel calls upon the reader to honestly face his ain past and overcome whatever of his own wrongs by striving towards goodness and grace. As Amir'southward story demonstrates, these personal challenges can be conquered through witting thought and determination. And though he is only ane person in the novel who found a way to fulfillment and conservancy, Amir tin count himself among those who successfully free themselves from shame and finally observe a path to true happiness.

Works Cited

1. Algoo-Baksh, Stella. "Ghosts of the By." Canadian Literature 184 (Jump 2005): 143. Academic Search Consummate. Ebsco. Kingwood HS Lib., Kingwood. 9 April 2008 <http://web.ebscohost.com>.
2. Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead Books, 2003.
3. "Khaled Hosseini." Gimmicky Authors Online. Thomson Gale. Kingwood HS Lib., Kingwood. 9 April 2008 <http://galenet.galegroup.com>.
4. Morace, Robert. "The Kite Runner." Magill's Literary Almanac 2004. Salem Press, 2004. Literary Reference Center. Ebsco. Kingwood HS Lib., Kingwood. nine April 2008 <http://spider web.ebscohost.com>.
5. Pearson, Geraldine. "Book Review." Journal of Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing 20.1 (Feb 2007): 66. Bookish Search Consummate. Ebsco. Kingwood HS Lib., Kingwood. ix April 2008 <http://web.ebscohost.com>.

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