P3+Jordan+and+Josh


 * __Theme:__** ** In Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, one of the most prominent themes is that "through death comes redemption". This is a very important theme that because after the death of each central character, Amir experiences some sort of change. The most significant change is the one which Amir endures when Rahim Khan tells him that he is dying, and reveals that Baba was Hassan's father, not Ali. This truth upsets Amir deeply, not because he is related someone he once viewed as inferior, but because he and Hassan were lied to. When Amir was a child, Baba believed that his most fatal flaw was that he could not stand up for himself. The first instance in which this statement is proven false is when Amir chooses to stand up for himself and ignore Rahim Khan's request by saying "I opened the door and turned to him. 'Why? What can you possibly say to me? I'm thirty-eight years old and I've just found out my whole life is one big fucking lie! What can you possibly say to make things better? Nothing. Not a goddamn thing!' And with that, I stormed out of the aparment" (Hosseini 223). This action on Amir's part proves that he has learned to stand up for what he believes in, and he does not believe that Rahim Khan can help him in any way, and makes it quite clear that he is upset. With that, he leaves, putting himself before the needs of Rahim Khan. This change will become a key element of Amir's character throughout the novel. Another instance in which Amir is able to care for others instead of himself is when he leaves to look for Hassan's son. He says "I thought of her back home, worrying about me. I was glad she wasn't alone" (Hosseini 198).

**__**Event:**__ ** The death of Amir's father, Baba, is a very significant change. The one person Amir strived to please is gone, leaving him on his own in terms of his choices. He has nobody left to disappoint, nobody left to criticize him. After Baba's death, Amir grows into a stronger character. He is able to stand up for himself, and pursue his dreams. He gets married to the woman he loves, and even becomes a published novelist, which Baba greatly disapproved of. Amir has everything he has ever wanted, and yet feels he does not deserve it. Amir states "I stood on the balcony and breathed in the cool summer air. I thought of Rahim Khan and the little note of support he had written me after he'd read my first story. And I thought of Hassan. Some day, Inshallah, you will be a great writer, he had said once, and people all over the world will read your stories. There was so much goodness in my life. So much happiness. I wondered whether I deserved any of it" (Hosseini 183). Here, Amir is demonstrating deep remorse for his past, in spite of his success. This could be a result of his relationship with Baba. Baba's constant disapproval of Amir has caused him to be very hard on himself, as shown by Rahim Khan's view of Amir. As such, Amir is unable to put his demons to rest, because of self-image issues. Even in death, Baba has a lasting influence on Amir. Amir says "Maybe Baba was right", when speaking to Rahim Khan, showing that even after becoming less selfish and more caring, he is still very hard on himself. The only difference is that now, Amir is learning to be "good again" (Hosseini 221).


 * __Symbol:__** __The Kite Runner__ is filled with many symbols, all of which add to the depth of the story. Of these symbols, arguably one of the most significant is the letter's to Amir from Hassan. At this point in the story, Amir has already learned that Hassan is his half brother, and he is about to learn that Hassan and his family were murdered. In the first of the letters, Hassan reminisces of his childhood, and his time spent with Amir. He tells Amir that he tells stories of their time together to his family, which reminds Amir of his relationship with Hassan, and how great of a friend he truly was. The second letter is not as promising. Hassan describes the downfall of the Afghanistan of their youth, and the destruction of everything it stood for. This could be seen as foreshadowing, as the pomegranate tree, a symbol of their friendship, has dried up, signifying that their friendship will fall apart. In the final letter, Hassan informs Amir that Rahim Khan is ill. He them informs Amir of his dreams, which include dreams of his loved ones healing and growing. The most significant statement in Hassan's letters is "And I dream that someday you will return to Kabul to revisit the land of our childhood. If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you" (Hosseini 218). This is significant because it adds to the foreshadowing of Hassan's death. Hassan dreams that Rahim Khan will overcome his sickness, which is later revealed to be false. In the same manner, Amir will never see Hassan again. Shortly after reading this final statement from Hassan, Amir is informed that he and his wife were murdered. The final words Amir received from Hassan were words of hope, and unconditional love. While Amir has never been able to overcome his actions, Hassan has never forgotten what friendship truly meant, and always had faith in Amir. Hosseini begins to portray the actions brought forth to grant Amir redemption when Amir states "Now everyone in that room was either dead or dying. Except for me" (Hosseini 219). This shows that Amir is their last hope for salvation. Hassan's letters are the element that set Amir's change into motion, allowing him to do what is necessary, not what is in his own personal interest. **