LRB #6

7. an analysis of the work’s symbolism

In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, the controversial storyline of Amir's guilt of not saving his friend Hassan from rape has key symbols throughout the story. In the beginning, Amir describes being in San Francisco and seeing kites flying, reminding him of his friend Hassan. Which is the pivotal moment for the rest of the story as Amir flashes back to his childhood and explains his guilt. He explains how when he and Hassan were children, they competed in a kite contest. the way it goes is that the last kite standing wins. The goal is to knock all other people's kites out of the air, and by cutting the last kite down, you send a kite runner to catch the "prize" as one could say. Well, in the competition, Amir is the last kite standing, and sends Hassan after the kite he had knocked out of the sky. As Hassan finds the kite, he is corned by older and more wealthier kids that are bullying him because he is a Hazara. They want the kite and Hassan refuses to give it to them; therefore, the boys get angry and rape Hassan, and Amir is hiding and seeing it all happen. Amir is a coward, and does not help Hassan as he gets raped, and that is the guilt he has carried with him since that day.
The symbol of the kite shows Amir's guilt and his incompletion to save something that is important to him.
At the end of the book, Amir has saved Hassan's son, though the boy does not feel worthy enough to be saved, so he attempts to kill himself. Amir takes him to the hospital and begins to pray and say, "I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.” (p. 359)
Therefore, referring to revenge, Amir questions if he deserves the death of Sohrab, for not saving his father, but the boy lives, and comes to stay with Amir in America.
Later, they go to the park, and Amir sees kites flying. He buys Sohrab one, and starts flying one for him. They begin to get into a kite contest with other kites, and Sohrab's wins. Amir asks if he wants him to chase it down for him, and he says yes.
That moment shows how the kites represent not only Amir's guilt, but how it is finally lifted off of him. He feels relieved, and can finally make up for what he did by chasing down a kite for Hassan's son in respect.
It is like the roles had switched in some way to balance everything out.