Analyse how the experiences of a character were used to comment on society.

In the novel The Kite Runner by Hosseini Khaled Amir’s experiences are used to comment on society. Hosseini used the scene in the alleyway, and the pomegranate tree and Amirs confrontation with Assef to show how guilt can effect you life. That it isn’t something you can run from and it is something which you need to face to move on.

Amirs experience in the alley way was used to show how influential guilt is, and how we cannot run from it. Amir has struggled with guilt ever since he was little with his mother passing in childbirth. His father blamed him for her death. Making him want to make it right to Baba. “I opened my mouth I almost said something. Almost. The rest of my life might have turned out differently if I had.” This Shows that Amir understands right from wrong. He knew that standing up for Hassan was the right thing to do, but the guilt his father put on him has shaped him. “Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slaughter to win Baba.” Amir saw Hassan as a means to an end, a way to rid him of his guilt. He thinks obtaining the kite will get rid of he guilt he feels and fix his relationship with Baba. The use of ‘lamb’ shows that Amir sees Hassan as something lower than him, an animal. One he is willing to giver up for the dream of a good relationship. To redeem himself in Babas eyes. Ironically this is what Baba would disapprove of, and it is what makes his guilt get worse. This shows that it only takes a few seconds for your life to change, and that guilt can influence your decisions. Guilt is a powerful emotion that can hold influence over you if you let it. It is personal and you can only redeem yourself. Another person cant give you redemption and it wont be fixed with materlitic objects. Guilt is your own and it is your deal with.

Amirs experience at the pomegranate tree shows how the assault effect him. How is guilt has become unbearable causing him mental health problems. He has tried to bottle it up but seeing Hassan makes him feel worse. ” Lines etched into his tanned face… I might as well have taken a knife and carved those lines my self.” This is where Amir see the extent of what he did, and it has impacted Hasan. The use of ‘etched’ shows that the damage is permanent. What he did aged Hasan, and he helped take away his childhood. Amir can not fix what he has done, this guilt sends him over the edge and he lashes out at Hassan. “…crushed it against his own forehead, ‘there’ he croaked, red dripping down his face like blood, ‘Are you satisfied? Do you feel better?'” Amir craves punishment. he wants Hassan to hurt him, and to punish him for what he did. Instead Hassan just hurts himself, which is what he does repeditily for Amir, and yet Amir can’t do it for him. This causes Amir to feel even worse. We are brought up with the notion of right and wrong. How if we do something bad we deserved to be punished. when that doesn’t happen we feel that it isn’t right and that we got off easy. This causes his guilt to consume him. He thinks that if he cant experience pain, and suffering then he cant move on. Until it balances it out he will continue to let guilt take over. This experience just shows how guilt, can make us wish harm upon ourself, negativly impacting our mental health. Can lead to loosing your self worth, and it can consume you.

Amirs confrontation with Assef, helps him understand that owing up to your wrong doings helps you get through your guilt.”It hurt to laugh but I did.” Amir is so relived to be free of his guilt because he believes that he is redeemed. He come to the realisation that you can’t run from guilt, and that you must face up to it. He stood up for Sourab, which is what he could not do for Hassan. He feels the best he has in a long time because of the pain he endured for Sourab. He got the punishment he craved for. This puts him at peace. “In the corner of my mind I have been looking forward to this.. ” His guilt has taken him to the point were he wishes harm upon himself. For years he has wanted the punishment for what he had done so he could move on. He never got this so his guilt festered. It built up, but once he stopped running and faced it the pain that came with it is bearable. So getting beaten up by Assef like he should of all those years ago helps him heal, and move on from the past. This shows us that we can’t move on until we resolve the guilt, and own up to our mistakes. Running from things isn’t a way to deal with problems. It can negatively impact your mental health, and cause issues for you. Even though it might seem easier than facing up to what you have done, it is not healthier. Hosseini showed us that running from guilt will actually make your life harder and wont help you get through trauma.

Hosseini cleverly used Amirs experiences to show hoe guilt can effect you life. That you cant run from it and it something that you have to face to be able to move on. These experiences weave the message of guilt into the novel giving you a better understanding of society.