Over the last few days I've had many matters vying for my attention. Moving apartments, parents visiting among many other things. But the issues that have taken the maximum toll are the ones pertaining Amir, Hassan, Ali & Baba. 'The Kite Runner' is an engaging tale. An engrossing one really. Amir's guilt, Baba's pride and Hassan's goodness & unflinching loyalty. The story thralls you and makes you feel all these in your gut.
'There is a way to be good again', this phrase from Rahim Khan is the perfect embodiment of the book's theme. That of sin and redemption. Amir gets a chance to atone not just himself but do penance for his father's sin too.
The story's about a lot of other things too. Love, friendship, betrayal, loyalty, shame, remorse & courage.
Baba says 'A boy who can't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up for anything'. Amir doesn't stand up for his friend once and rues it for many many years. He stands by the side while Hassan is scarred for life. His cowardice prevents him from helping his friend and his guilt forces him to drive Hassan & Ali away. He tries to move on but he cannot. Like a bad penny his past keeps turning up.
Baba's character is also an interesting one. On one hand he tells Amir that 'the biggest sin of all is theft. When you lie you steal someone's right to the truth...' and on the other hand never divulges to Hassan & Amir the biggest truth of their lives. As Oscar Wilde said, 'Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he'd tell you the truth'. Still Baba's character comes out as a strong one. Most of all when he risks his life to defend the honor of a woman when fleeing Kabul. His guilt engenders good.
The thing that struck me the most about the story was Amir's guilt and remorse. At one point he says 'I understood the nature of my new curse. I was going to get away with it' And that's perhaps a curse of the worst kind. Your guilt gnawing at you and nobody knowing about it. I guess that's the reason he wanted Hassan to hit him when they were at the hill. He had wronged Hassan but didn't get the comeuppance. No one reproached him ever. No one confronted him but his own self. When he's in a hospital bed in Pakistan and Farid tells him 'For you a thousand times over', he breaks down and cries uncontrollably. He remembers what he did to the last person who uttered those words to him.
The story ends with hope. Hope that Amir is able to build a bond with Hassan's son. Hope that one day he'd be able to forgive himself. Hope that one day he'd be able to sleep again!! I have the same hope for myself !!!
'There is a way to be good again', this phrase from Rahim Khan is the perfect embodiment of the book's theme. That of sin and redemption. Amir gets a chance to atone not just himself but do penance for his father's sin too.The story's about a lot of other things too. Love, friendship, betrayal, loyalty, shame, remorse & courage.
Baba says 'A boy who can't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up for anything'. Amir doesn't stand up for his friend once and rues it for many many years. He stands by the side while Hassan is scarred for life. His cowardice prevents him from helping his friend and his guilt forces him to drive Hassan & Ali away. He tries to move on but he cannot. Like a bad penny his past keeps turning up.
Baba's character is also an interesting one. On one hand he tells Amir that 'the biggest sin of all is theft. When you lie you steal someone's right to the truth...' and on the other hand never divulges to Hassan & Amir the biggest truth of their lives. As Oscar Wilde said, 'Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he'd tell you the truth'. Still Baba's character comes out as a strong one. Most of all when he risks his life to defend the honor of a woman when fleeing Kabul. His guilt engenders good.
The thing that struck me the most about the story was Amir's guilt and remorse. At one point he says 'I understood the nature of my new curse. I was going to get away with it' And that's perhaps a curse of the worst kind. Your guilt gnawing at you and nobody knowing about it. I guess that's the reason he wanted Hassan to hit him when they were at the hill. He had wronged Hassan but didn't get the comeuppance. No one reproached him ever. No one confronted him but his own self. When he's in a hospital bed in Pakistan and Farid tells him 'For you a thousand times over', he breaks down and cries uncontrollably. He remembers what he did to the last person who uttered those words to him.
The story ends with hope. Hope that Amir is able to build a bond with Hassan's son. Hope that one day he'd be able to forgive himself. Hope that one day he'd be able to sleep again!! I have the same hope for myself !!!
