The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner

1. Amir

   • privileged upbringing
   • son of Baba
     • Amir feels deprived of Babas love, but he blames himself
       • he thinks Baba wants Amir to be more like him and that Baba holds him responsible for this wife death. Who died during birth
     • Amir reacts jealously to anyone with a relationship with Baba
       • this is seen in the way Amir behaves towards Hasan
         • passive aggressive towards Hassan and plays tricks and mocks him
           • In the future Amir feels a lot of guilt towards how he treated Hassan
         • Amirs cowardice in sacrificing Hassan, his only competition for Baba’s love, in order to get the blue kite, which he thinks will bring him Baba’s approval.
   • never learns to assert himself as against anyone else as Hassan always defends him
   • Amirs behaviour as a child (allowing Hassan to get raped) makes him change from a selfish child to a selfless adult
   • wife Soraya
     • Amir unable to have a child with Soraya
       • creates guilt
   • Amir tries to gain redemption through Sohrab
     • Sohrab acts as a substitute for Hassan
       • Shorab becomes the solution to both of Amirs problems
         • Amir describes Sohrab as looking like a sacrificial lamb during his confrontation with Assef, but Amir courageously sacrifices himself, as Hassan once did for him, Amir redeems himself, which is why he feels relief even as Assef beats him.
         • Amir also sees Sohrab as a substitute for the child he can't have with Soraya