The Kite Runner

 

Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner is probably the most heart wrenching story I have read. I associate it with multiple punches to the gut, that made me wanna throw the book away in disgust with what human's could do to each other, and then be drawn back to it. I didn't want to see redemption, as the book is often hailed as, I wanted to see how people carry on with their pain and their memories. Amir, the protagonist and the narrator shifts from a tone of being reminiscent to a tone that is equal parts shocked, scared, and motivated. 

I feel like I can barely say anything new about this book, other than the generic words that are all over the marketing. 'Powerful... Haunting... Guilt... Redemption...'. So let's take a different route with this. My review is that I think it's a good book. It's has a weak movie and a worse on stage performance. But let's focus on what this book can mean for me. Or for anyone who has childhood trauma. Because the central theme for me. It tackles a lot more for sure, including infertility, violence, radical Islam, extremist tendencies etc. But I would like to focus on how one can come back from damage done during their childhood.

There are spoilers going forward by the way. At the end of the book, Amir adopts Sohrab, who till the end of the story is described as reticence incarnate. He barely smiles which is a result of years of inflicted violence and cruelty. If you know of a memory for yourself, one where you know you are burdened by guilt, and you know your personality changed because of it, how did you cope? What would be your advice be to young Sohrab as he takes on his new life in America? What would your advice be to Amir after he frames Ali and Hassan, causing them to leave Kabul?

I would say, hesistantly, that what's happened has happened despite knowing that that is not how the past sticks with you. I would encourage them to try to do better while knowing that every effort is tainted with truth. I would console them that they were kids and nothing was in their power, while knowing that guilt isn't riddled in disgrace, but fear, fear that we are no different than how we were in the past. Sohrab is guilt ridden for hurting a man, because he was taught that hurting anyone, even bad men, was wrong. And that he would be punished for it. Amir feared something else, he feared that his father was right. Amir was weak. And maybe what both kids think is true. And haven't we established that the truth is terrible?

I would say sorry. I would apologize for how cruel the world has become as a result of overzealous self righteous individuals. I would apologize that the adults who are responsible for protecting these children weren't there for them. I would apologize that our societal roles, of made up honor, and pride dictate what is right from wrong, rather than the real way that is whether what you harms or benefits other people. I would apologize for the lies, the lies that betray love for those who don't deserve it, and the lies that distance us from those who do. I would apologize for every decision made by us that leads these children to where they are today. 

These kids are smart, they will find their way. After all, you did.