The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseneni



The Kite Runner as the name stands tells us the story about two men, half brothers in their relationship, Amir a legal heir, legitimate to his father and Hassan born to his father’s friend’s wife. Amir unaware of this relationship with Hassan begins to feel jealous as he finds his father’s love for Hassan greater than his. Amir’s and Hassan are two sides of a coin in their characteristics. Amir never mentions Hassan as his friend although it wasn’t the same with Hassan.

Amir finds favor in his dad’s eyes after winning a kite flying competition. After the competition, Amir doesn’t dare to fight for Hassan and only manages to witness him being sexually abused around the corner by Aseef and his friends. Amir although guilty, unable to face Hassan for his cowardice, plots a theft and forces Hassan to be thrown out of the servant quarters.

The story takes a turn as the turmoil hits Afghanistan and forces Amir and his father to move to Pakistan and then into US. Time passes, Amir Graduates, chooses to be a Writer, falls in love and marries but doesn’t have children. The demise of his father and a call from his home land from one of his father’s lost friend Raheem Khan draws him to his homeland to repent for his sins.

He learns about Hassan being his half brother and Hassan being unaware of it. Raheem Khan realizing that he’d being old search’s for Hassan and convinces him to look after Amir’s assets, but due to the invasion by Taliban, Hassan and his wife lose their lives and their son is spared and sent to an orphanage. Hassan leaves Amir a letter that touches Amir. Raheem Khan discovers the truth behind sending Hassan away and helps Amir realize that it was time for his atonement for his sins and that the only way he could repent is by adopting his only living bloodline Sorab.

Amir faces his childhood enemy Aseef and saves Sorab from his clutches. Amir finds it difficult to handle Sorab. He too like his father being a victim of Sexual abuse, fears to go back to orphanage. Sorab discovers he might have to stay at the orphanage till the legal proceedings of adoption fall in place. The very thought of staying at orphanage instills fear of again being sexually abused.

Amir becomes an insomniac, worried about Sorab. He finally gets good news from his wife that they would be able to adopt Sorab on humanitarian grounds and they wouldn’t have to fight a legal battle for it. They take Sorab along with them to California. All the hopes of reviving the spirits in Sorab doesn’t help opening him up and he remains tranquil. He doesn’t live the dreams of Amir and his wife.

Things change for Sorab as Amir brings a smile on Sorab’s face by displaying his skill of Kite flying and reciting memories of the good times he and Hassan shared as a kite runner’s.