A voice is heard in the wilderness telling people to “repent:” “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turn to God” (3:8 Matthew). In this passage, Prophet John the Baptist is preparing people for redemption. If anyone returns from their evil ways, there will be a redemption and peace for the rest of their lives. These concept of redemption is seen in the movie, The Kite Runner, which takes place in the late 70s in Kabul, Afghanistan. Director Marc Forster tells the story of a friendship between Amir and Hassan, two young boys growing up in Kabul.
Although, they are raised in the same household and shared the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan grew up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan is the son of Amir’s father’s Hazara servant. As a protagonist, Amir has many complexes and struggles with the consequences of the social and political corruption around him. He is found guilty of betraying his friend in need. In the meantime, Amir must leave the country with his father because of the Russian invasion, but he carries his guilt with him.
Amir later gains redemption by repenting for his childhood sins that had given him complexes, fighting for human rights, and sacrificing his life for an adopted child. (1) Amir later gains redemption by repenting for his presumed childhood sins, complexes such as guilty of killing his mother, betraying his friend and often lying to his father. When speaking with Rahim about his story, he says, “I killed my mother. ” Rahim replies, “Don’t ever say such a thing”. Later in the movie, Amir rescues Soharb, which shows he has saved a life, thus redeeming his guilty conscience for having killed his mother.
When his friend was raped by the bullies, he remained quiet and he betrayed his friend. He redeems himself by protecting Soharb from sexual abuse, as well as by marrying General Sahib’ daughter; even though she previously had a partner. Another example of his redemption is when his father asks about Hassan; He starts to lie, and later he feels guilt and becomes a victim of insomnia. Furthermore, when his father-in-law asked about the Hazara boy, Amir did not hesitate to tell the truth that his father had an affair with the servant’s wife and Hassan was his half-brother and now Soharb his Nephew.
These brave actions help him recover from his complexes and redeem his sins from his early age. (2) Secondly, Amir starts to react against human right violations around him to gain redemption. Assef and his friends call Hassan, “Mother less boy, loyal dog” (Script) but Amir remains silence. On the way to Pakistan with his father, a Russian soldier tries to rape a woman who is also in the same truck as Amir. His father stands up and tries to protect the woman, but Amir tries to convince his father to stop by saying, “Baba, please he’ll shoot you”. Baba replies, “Have I taught you nothing? (Script).
Amir believes these human right violations are not his problem and is unable to do any anything. Later, when he visits the orphan center in Afghanistan, while talking to the director Zaman, he heard that children are sold as sex slaves. Amir gets extremely angry and says “you are selling children easy. You are here to protect them”. (script) Amir decides not to leave Kabul without Sohrab. In addition, General Sahib called the newcomer a Hazara boy, but Amir replies to his father-inlaw, “one more thing, General Sahib. You will never again refer to him as a Hazara boy in my presence.
He has a name, and it is Sohrab. ” (Script). These bold phrases clearly show that Amir will defend human rights violations no matter who is abusing the right. His wife says “it felt so real”. Amir expresses a great effort in defending on human rights, which gives him redemption from his early betrayal, ignorance and cowardice. (3) Lastly, Amir earns redemption by sacrificing his life for the adopted child. When Amir was listening to the phone conversation, Rahim Khan says “There is a way to be good again” (script) This phrase morally affects Amir.
He decides to go to Pakistan; even though, Rahim said “very bad time now” (script) When he is heading to meet Rahim, the taxi driver says “it is terrible what’s happening in your country”. Amir put himself in danger to go Afghanistan to rescue his friend’s son. Amir watches the stone to death punishment carried out by the Taliban in the stadium in Kabul. He urged to meet the Taliban authority consider as life threatening situation. When Amir rescue Soharb from Taliban, he is beaten, wounded but he focuses on his mission to Afghanistan.
When he returns to California, he plays with Sohrab as he played with his friend Hassan. Amir said to Sohrab “do you want me to run that kite for you? For you, a thousand times over”. (script)The same phrase Hassan said to Amir earlier. This indicates sacrificing his life for his friend’s son Soharb gives him complete redemption. (4) Therefore, this brave teenager struggles in the early childhood by the guilty consciences and self-centered behavior in human rights situation and is ready to suffer to be good again.
Amir is capable to recognize his wrong doing when he is in Kabul and overcome with them. This story teller clearly identifies human rights violations in a various situation. He lost his friend and his country and force to leave the country. But his faith in God, transition of age and environment, moral integrity changes his mind and soul towards justice and rights. This intelligent story teller wants his voice to be heard and willing to take the pain and suffering for others. Amirjan earns a moral victory, true wealth and absolute redemption. (5)