The Kite Runner depicts a story of tragedy and hardships through a lesson of redemption in the main character, Amir. Khaled Hosseini. The young boy teaches a rich meaning of redemption through this story in many ways

 The story starts out by explaining the relationship between Amir and his life long best friend, Hassan. Readers can tell that Amir had always been somewhat less mature than Hassan, therefore he could never understand Hassan’s loyalty, dedication, and love for him. Amir would test Hassan’s love for him by doing things like pelting Hassan with pomegranates, hoping that he would defend himself and pelt one back at Amir. Amir desperately wanted Hassan to fight back so that he wouldn’t be “better” or more loyal than Amir was.  When Hassan never gave Amir the satisfaction of knowing that Hassan wasn’t a better friend than he was, it lit Amir’s jealousy on fire. For example, Amir started feeling bad about himself because he was seeing his father, Baba, appreciate and approve of Haasan’s actions a little more than he did of his own sons. Amir already felt unaccepted by Baba because he has always thought Baba blamed him for the death of Amir’s mother, as she died after giving birth to him. By seeing Hassan get attention from Baba, it pushed Amir to act out in his jealousy. Amir hid money and a watch under Hassan’s pillow so that Baba would find it and strain his trust and respect for Hassan. After the way that Amir had betrayed his life long friend Hassan by not standing up for him and watching as he got raped by Assef, Amir couldn’t stand to see Hassan everyday. It reminded him of his cowardly actions that he would never be able to take back. 

The story goes on to tell that Amir was so dedicated to push Hassan out of his life for good, that he finally did. But to his dismay, it never helped him to forget what he had done to his best friend in the winter of 1958. Amir carried this intense guilt and shame on his back from that winter day until one day, many years later when everything fell into place and he was able to become good again. 

Rahim Khan, a dear friend of Baba’s had called Amir, who now lived in America since fleeing Afghanistan with Baba to escape the taliban when he was younger. Amir was now married, living in San Francisco, and his father Baba had died. Rahim had good news for Amir; there was a way to be good again. When Amir and Rahim finally were reunited if Afghanistan, Amir was given a letter written to him from Hassan. He was then informed that Hassan and his wife had been murdered by taliban in a Hazara massacre and that they a son, Sohrab. Not to mention he had also been informed that Hassan was his half brother and that his whole life had been a lie. Rahim called Amir to Afghanistan on a mission to retrieve Sohrab and bring him to a couple who would take care of him, the Caldwells. 

Amir got a little taste of redemption for the first time when Assef, a taliban official was beating Amir in a fight over Sohrab. Amir was getting pummeled while smiling ad laughing. He was feeling joy because he was getting what he deserved, being beat by the man he watched rape his best friend when they were little. After Rahim khan passes away, Amir finds out that the Caldwells were nonexistent. Rahim had faked them in order for Amir to be able to become good again. Amir and Sohrab develop a connection as they spend time together. He wants for Sohrab to come and live with him and Soraya so that they could raise him because he had been robbed of his right to having parents. Sohrab didn’t want to open up to these new people in his life because he had been used and passed around in his past. Amir realizes his opportunity to become good again and finally pay it forward to Hassan. Amir couldn’t go and apologize to Hassan, it was too late. His opportunity was to adopt Sohrab and give him the life he deserved to have. The author finally shows Amir’s change of heart from the beginning of the book to the end when he teaches Sohrab to fly kites like he and Hassan loved to do. The difference now was that Amir would run the kite for Sohrab and said “for you, a thousand times over.” From that moment on, Amir would have the same loyalty and dedication to Sohrab that he owed to Hassan. He had become good again.