Hello, how are you? First, let’s listen to this sentence: “For you, a thousand times over.” This is the most widely quoted line from “The Kite Runner,” and today we’re going to talk about this book.
This story is both cruel and beautiful. It is about two boys, Amir and Hassan, who grew up together and experienced the turmoil of Afghanistan.
Hassan was absolutely loyal to Amir. To outsiders, he was just Amir’s little follower, but in Hassan’s heart, he considered Amir his best friend for life.
However, what makes this story so moving is that it’s not just a tale of friendship. That would be underestimating it. Both the novel and the film adaptation bring tears to the audience and have r eceived many praises and awards.
We can see how people destroy and love each other, witnessing friendship, betrayal, redemption, and love. Can a person who has made mistakes still become a good person?
Such stories don’t only happen in Afghanistan. They occur in every corner of the world, in all our lives, every day. But “The Kite Runner” has written it down, deeply touching our hearts.
During the same period, Afghanistan experienced nearly twenty years of war, leaving the country devastated. Its capital, Kabul, with a population of six million, saw many people’s fates altered by the chaos, forcing them into displacement.
The author tells this epic story of humanity from the perspective of the Afghan people. This is “The Kite Runner.”
The author is named Khaled Hosseini. He was born in the 1960s, in 1965, in Kabul. His father was a diplomat, and his mother was a teacher at the Kabul Women’s School. They were well-educated and had a relatively high social status.
But during Hosseini’s childhood, Afghanistan experienced coups and invasions. His family was forced to leave Afghanistan and later emigrated to the United States, where they experienced a period of poverty.
As he grew up, Hosseini became an internist. In 1999, Hosseini saw a news report about a ban in his homeland of Afghanistan, where the Taliban prohibited kite flying.
Hosseini was shocked. He thought this ban was extremely cruel because he grew up flying kites. This deeply affected him, prompting him to start writing a novel about two boys flying kites in Kabul. This is “The Kite Runner.”
Initially, it was a short story of only 25 pages. It was later expanded, touching millions of readers. I am one of them. The film adaptation won many awards, including the Academy Award and the Golden Globe.
So, what kind of story is this?
Opening the novel, the first chapter contains this passage:
“I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out.”
“Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.”
This passage is narrated by Amir, the protagonist. “The past claws its way out,” Amir has been avoiding these things since he was twelve, but he eventually realizes that whatever you avoid will reappear in another form, forcing you to face it.
So, what happened on that frigid overcast day in 1975, behind that mud wall? Let’s gradually delve into “The Kite Runner.”
As a child, Amir lived in the most splendid house in the wealthy area, possibly the most beautiful building in all of Kabul. The house was located in the bustling northern part of Kabul, with a wide entrance lined with roses. The house had many rooms, marble floors, and large windows.
His father personally selected exquisite mosaic tiles in Isfahan to pave the floors of the four bathrooms, and he bought gold-threaded tapestries from Calcutta to decorate the walls. The arched ceilings had crystal chandeliers. This was where Amir grew up.
His family was very affluent, and he was called Master Amir. He had a childhood companion named Hassan, who was the son of their servant, Ali.
Amir’s mother died in childbirth. Hassan was a year younger than Amir, and his mother eloped with another man after giving birth. So, Amir and Hassan grew up together, both without mothers, living in a world full of men.
Who held authority in this world? It was Amir’s respected father. The book describes:
“There are legends that my father wrestled a black bear with his bare hands. He was the typical Pashtun, tall, strong, with a thick mustache, curly brown hair that was quite handsome, and unruly just like him. My father’s black eyes could make the devil beg for mercy. He was nearly two meters tall, and whenever he attended a banquet, he always attracted all the attention like the sun drawing sunflowers.”
So, Amir’s father was a successful person, a hero. Amir idolized and feared him, much like many father-son relationships.
As a child, Amir desperately wanted to be close to his father and gain his approval, but this often made him feel uneasy because young Amir was very timid and cowardly. His father would often look at him with sorrow and helplessness, thinking, “Why isn’t this child like me?”
As a rich boy, Amir was always hesitant and unable to fight back when facing bullying or challenges from his peers. He couldn’t defend his rights. Instead, it was the servant’s son, Hassan, who often stood up to protect Master Amir.
So, his father believed that a child who didn’t fight for himself would grow up to be a coward. In contrast, he admired Hassan for his honesty, bravery, and sense of justice.
In the novel, Hassan was born with a cleft lip and had an unremarkable background. He was a Hazara, while Amir was a Pashtun. These two ethnic groups had different beliefs, and Hazaras were discriminated against in Kabul, seen as lower-class people often bullied.
But obviously, Amir’s father didn’t mind these things. He liked Hassan and even paid for Hassan’s cleft lip surgery, celebrated his birthday, and allowed him to play with Amir. He often publicly praised Hassan’s enthusiasm and courage.
This made young Amir feel very unbalanced. Hassan was just a playmate, a loyal servant who Amir looked down upon and often teased. Deep down, Amir was jealous of Hassan because this boy had taken some of his father’s love.
But Hassan didn’t see it that way. He always considered Amir his eternal friend, supporting him unconditionally and loyally, even willing to sacrifice his life for Amir.
The novel has many details. When Amir excitedly read his novel to Hassan, Hassan would clap happily and say, “Master Amir, you’re amazing! Allah bless you, you will become a great writer, and the whole world will read your stories.”
When Amir hesitated to join the kite competition, Hassan encouraged him, saying, “Remember, Master Amir, there are no ghosts today is a good day.”
Amir clearly remembered Hassan saying, “I would rather eat mud than lie to you, master.”
Then Amir would tease Hassan, “Really? Would you do that?”
Hassan would look at Amir in confusion, “Do what?”
“If I told you to eat mud, would you?”
Hassan thought for a long time and finally said, “If you asked, I would.”
His eyes stared directly at Amir, who lowered his head.
Many years later, Amir would find it difficult to look directly at people like Hassan. What kind of person was Hassan?
He was simple and loyal, taking every word he said seriously. So, this friendship was unequal from the start, but it was still a touching friendship.
To gain more attention and love from his father, young Amir didn’t stop his childish behavior, sometimes hurting Hassan.
In the winter of 1975, something very serious happened. Every winter, there was a kite-flying competition in Afghanistan that everyone loved. All the kids were thrilled, and Amir and Hassan were eager to participate.
Kite fighting was an ancient winter custom in Afghanistan. The competition usually started early in the morning, with kites flying high and far in the bitter wind.
Kite fighters had to be very precise and adept at controlling the strings, pulling and releasing them quickly, making the kites soar high and dive swiftly, trying to cut the opponent’s kite string until only one kite was left, the winner.
Watching the last kite flying in the sky made everyone very happy. Every kite fighter had an assistant who helped manage the string and retrieve the fallen kite. Amir’s assistant was Hassan.
Hassan was an excellent assistant. He always knew where the kites would fall without even looking at the sky. It was almost an instinct. You couldn’t guess how Hassan knew, but he did, always arriving at the kite’s drop point ahead of time.
Hassan was a talented child. Aside from being illiterate, he seemed better than Amir in most things.
The time moved to 1975, when the largest kite competition in Afghanistan in 25 years took place. Amir was determined to win. Why? He said he had to win, no other choice; he had to win the kite competition, hold on until the end, and bring the kite home to show his father, to prove that he was exceptional. Then, maybe his days as a ghost in the house would end.
Using “days as a ghost” to describe his situation at home and the pressure from his father was both heartbreaking and alarming.
Many stern and influential fathers cast huge shadows over their children like giant birds. How should a child grow and exist under such a shadow? This is a significant challenge.
And Amir’s father always seemed a bit disappointed in him. Just before the competition,
.
Just before the competition, Amir’s father gave him a hug and said, “Remember, you’re going to win this.” For Amir, this was more than just encouragement—it was a mandate.
On the day of the competition, Amir and Hassan stood side by side, facing the sky full of colorful kites. The air was filled with excitement and the sounds of children cheering. Amir concentrated on his kite, feeling the string in his hands, knowing that this was his chance to prove himself.
As the competition progressed, more and more kites were cut down, until only a few remained. Amir’s hands were raw from holding the string, but he pushed through the pain. Finally, it was just his kite and one other. Amir skillfully maneuvered his kite and, with a final tug, cut the last opponent’s string. His kite soared as the crowd erupted in cheers.
Amir felt a rush of triumph. He had won. But the true test was yet to come: retrieving the last fallen kite, the prize for the winner. He turned to Hassan and said, “Go, fetch it for me.” Hassan, ever loyal, responded with the line that would haunt Amir for years: “For you, a thousand times over.”
Hassan ran off to find the kite, but he encountered Assef, a local bully, and his gang. Assef had always harbored a deep resentment towards Hassan, partly due to ethnic prejudices and personal animosity. Assef demanded the kite from Hassan, but Hassan refused to give it up, determined to fulfill his promise to Amir.
Amir, who had followed at a distance, witnessed the confrontation from his hiding place. He saw Assef and his friends attack Hassan, brutally assaulting him. Amir was paralyzed by fear and cowardice. He didn’t intervene; he didn’t call for help. He just watched in silence, unable to move or make a sound.
After the attack, Hassan, wounded and humiliated, brought the kite back to Amir. He handed it over without a word, his loyalty intact despite the betrayal. Amir took the kite, but instead of feeling joy, he was consumed by guilt and shame. He couldn’t bear to look Hassan in the eye.
In the following days and weeks, Amir’s guilt grew. He couldn’t bring himself to confess his cowardice to anyone, not even his father. The weight of his secret poisoned his relationship with Hassan. He began to distance himself, treating Hassan cruelly in an attempt to push him away.
Eventually, Amir did something unforgivable. He framed Hassan for theft, planting his new watch and some money under Hassan’s mattress. When the items were discovered, Amir’s father confronted Hassan and his father, Ali. Despite being falsely accused, Hassan admitted to the theft to protect Amir. Amir’s father forgave him, but Ali, heartbroken and ashamed, decided to leave. He took Hassan and left the house, breaking the bond that had tied their families together.
Years passed. Amir and his father moved to the United States, seeking a new life. Amir tried to bury his past, but the memory of Hassan and the betrayal haunted him. He became a writer, finding some solace in his work, but the guilt remained.
Decades later, Amir received a call from Rahim Khan, a close family friend, asking him to return to Afghanistan. Rahim Khan revealed that Hassan had been living in Amir’s old home, taking care of it after Amir’s family left. He also disclosed a shocking truth: Hassan was Amir’s half-brother, the result of an affair between Amir’s father and Hassan’s mother.
This revelation shattered Amir. He realized that his betrayal had not only hurt his friend but also his own brother. Rahim Khan told Amir that Hassan and his wife had been killed by the Taliban, leaving behind a young son, Sohrab.
Rahim Khan urged Amir to find Sohrab and bring him to safety. Seeing this as a chance for redemption, Amir returned to Afghanistan. He found Sohrab in a Taliban-run orphanage, suffering from abuse and neglect.
Amir rescued Sohrab, facing great danger in the process. He promised to take Sohrab to the United States, but the boy, traumatized and distrustful, struggled to adapt. In a moment of despair, Sohrab attempted suicide, but Amir saved him just in time.
Slowly, Amir and Sohrab began to heal. Amir’s guilt and shame lessened as he devoted himself to caring for his nephew. He found a way to honor Hassan’s memory by loving and protecting his son.
The story of “The Kite Runner” is one of pain and betrayal, but also of redemption and forgiveness. It shows how the past shapes us and how we can find hope and healing even in the darkest times. Amir’s journey from cowardice to courage, from guilt to redemption, is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to make amends and seek forgiveness.