A Way to Be Good Again by Hope Chavez

Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner is an emotionally charged, historical fiction novel that delves into harsh, real issues of human struggle and inner turmoil. Hosseini focuses on emotional realism rather than on insignificant plot points and rabbit holes to force the reader to be encapsulated in the lives of the characters. Immediately following the publication, the novel was met with several challenges on the grounds of sexual violence, terrorism, and explicit content. It is, however, still largely recognized for its emotional delivery and presentation of hope. By exploring the evolution of raw emotions associated with guilt and redemption, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini effectively relates the tragic life of Amir to the broad human condition through the Bildungsroman narrative and effective use of symbolism. However, its cultural accuracy and character depth are somewhat lacking.

Portrayed through the lens of Amir, a Pashtun boy in Afghanistan, The Kite Runner depicts the life of a young boy trying to escape the instability of both his country and mental state. The book takes place amidst the fall of the Afghanistan monarchy, where young Amir battles feelings of insecurity and disconnection, despite his privilege in society. The story is narrated retroactively, focusing the plot around a childhood trauma in which Amir is overtaken by cowardice and egoism and, in turn, betrays his loyal and innocent best friend, Hassan. Following the tragedy, Amir spends his life chasing the satisfaction of redemption, trying desperately to fill the void he created within himself. Is there a way to be good again after causing so much pain?

Hosseini maintains the emotional intensity of the novel primarily through its structure. The novel is a Bildungsroman genre, meaning the story progresses as Amir grows into adulthood. The novel begins with, “I became what I am today at the age of twelve…” (Hosseini 1). Immediately, the first line elicits curiosity about the past and foreshadows a devastating tragedy. The novel chronologically reveals themes and small plot points, while still following aspects of a nonlinear storyline to convey the development of Amir’s consuming guilt.

Symbolism is the novel’s most powerful device, as it provides the underlying message behind the story. For example, Hassan’s cleft lip symbolizes his lower status in comparison with Amir’s. When Baba mends it for him out of fatherly love that Amir so desperately craved, he only grows more resentful and jealous of Hassan, feeding his eventual betrayal. After Amir’s beating, the doctor says, “The impact had cut your upper lip in two… Like a harelip” (Hosseini 301). Amir’s scar is strikingly similar to Hassan’s, which helps Amir feel accomplished in his redemption. Hassan is consistently compared to an innocent lamb, which symbolizes a pure and innocent being. The most gut-wrenching line was Amir’s perception of Hassan in the alley, “ I caught a glimpse of his face. Saw the resignation in it. It was a look I had seen before. It was the look of the lamb” (Hosseini 77). Hassan was the innocent sheep slain for Amir’s cowardice. The deep emotional association with the novel’s symbolism depicts the true meaning of sacrifice, guilt, and eventually redemption.

Since its release, the novel was challenged district-wide in Gilbert, Arizona, as well as in areas in Indiana, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and many libraries across the globe. Its challengers claimed the depiction of rape and the vulgar language of the text were widely inappropriate for high-schoolers and simply unnecessary in the curriculum, in addition to concerns that the book would promote Islamophobia and terrorism.

While this text is absolutely the most emotionally intense novel I’ve read, it challenges preconceived ideas surrounding Afghanistan culture and the effects of war, which Western novels fail to cover. Some characters prove to be too one-dimensional for the sake of the plot; Assef, for example, is only seen as an abusive monster with no depth, and the women are portrayed as simply wives. Some Afghanistan readers also claim the cultural accuracy of the book is poorly portrayed.

Hosseini relates the book to the human condition, far more than any ordinary novel. He boldly uncovers the struggles of war, immigration, suicidal thoughts, betrayal, and tragedy. There should absolutely be a certain maturity level, considering rape is an incredibly sensitive topic, especially to readers who may have a past of sexual abuse. However, no read has ever made me as emotionally involved as this novel.

There is a way to be good again. The Kite Runner brings stigmas about past trauma and abuse to the forefront of literature, analyzing how detrimental silence can be. The story is more than a simplified idea of redemption. It is a classic novel that reveals the raw emotions people tend to silence; sometimes being uncomfortable is needed to reveal a great truth concerning the human condition.

Works Cited

Dutta, Puja. “Khaled Hosseini, ‘The Kite Runner.’” The Banned Books Project, 12 Sept. 2019, j              bannedbooks.library.cmu.edu/the-kite-runner-by-khaled-hosseini/.

Hui, T. Keung. “Wake Rejects Book Challenge.” MSN, www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/wake- rejects-book-challenge-why-the-kite-runner-will-continue-to-be-read/ar-AA1G8or5. Accessed 19 Sept. 2025.

Gomez, Betsy. Banned Books Week, 12 Sept. 2018, bannedbooksweek.org/banned-spotlight-the- kite-runner/.