The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini, is one of the most globally renowned novels of the 21st century. It tells the story of Amir, a privileged twelve-year-old boy living in the idyllic city of Kabul in the mid-1970s. The novel follows Amir on his coming of age journey and his struggles to reconcile the differences between his privileged identity and his status as an immigrant. Along his journey, he encounters Hassan, Amir’s closely bonded servant and confidant who is also an ethnic Hazara in a predominantly Pashtun society, and struggles not only with the cultural divide between his two very different worlds, but with his own past and the guilt which follows these events.
The novel follows Amir as he travels, from his childhood in Kabul to his adult life in Fremont, California. His journey is intertwined with the political and social turmoil in Afghanistan, from the Soviet invasion in the 1970s to the present. At the beginning of the novel, the reader is shown the vibrant city of Kabul and its colors, smells, and sounds. However, a conflict begins to brew as the war unfolds, eventually tearing the city apart and its inhabitants away from each other. It is this displacement which starts Amir on his odyssey towards his own discovery and to the discovery of himself and of his Afghan culture.
Throughout the novel, Hosseini touches upon different elements of Afghan culture, such as the importance of storytelling and of the kite fighting tournaments. He also introduces the important surrounding ideas of loyalty, honor, and of redemption. The title “The Kite Runner” is symbolic of the main character striving to discover more of his world and his own abilities and coming to terms with the secrets of his past. He finds that while kite flying is seen as competitive, it also serves as a metaphor for his task of finding courage and strength within himself as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Amir is a character whose identity is constantly tested and reshaped. He has to face his past by not only coming to terms with it, but also finding a way to forgive himself for his wrongdoings. He must overcome obstacles in order to discover his true identity, which will ultimately help him redeem himself.
The Kite Runner is a story of redemption, and in the end, the novel solves its central mystery while also demonstrating the power of love and friendship to help Amir come to terms with his own mistakes and to make the right choices. Throughout the novel, Hosseini uses themes of identity, justice and the command to "live in the present" to explore the difficult questions of what it means to be an immigrant, by touching upon the great divide between the Eastern and Western cultures. The journey of Amir not only serves to entertain the reader, but also to educate and touch hearts and minds.
This award-winning novel, which was eventually turned into a film, makes The Kite Runner an enhanced experience that readers will long remember and savor. With its beautiful writing, captivating plot and pop-culture relevance, The Kite Runner is a critically acclaimed read that proves to be an educational and emotional flight for the reader.
