The persistence of the past in The Kite Runner

Kite Runner

In Khaled Hosseini's novel The Kite Runner, the protagonist Amir is haunted by his childhood memories of Hassan. The memory of Hassan's rape in the deserted alleyway resurfaces throughout the novel. This persistence of the past is one of the main themes of The Kite Runner. Recollections of his personal past, and also the history of his native Afghanistan cause Amir emotional anguish and guilt. The persistence of the past creates a crisis of identity for Amir, too. Memories of the past also motivate Amir to create positive change for the future. The persistence of the past is a central theme in Hosseini's The Kite Runner, affecting Amir's sense of self, Amir's sense of place, and Amir's sense of the future.

The persistence of the past affects Amir's sense of self and personal identity. Amir is rarely able to forgive himself, understanding that when Hassan was raped that the boys were children. Moreover, the bullies might have assaulted Amir too. His running away, however, is a defining moment in Amir's life. The past is so persistent for Amir, that the first pages of his narrative refer to how one fateful day changed his entire life. Amir opens his narrative by saying, "I became what I am today at the age of twelve," which sets the stage for the theme of how the past persists to shape Amir's present identity (1). Referring to Hassan's trauma, Amir states, "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," (p. 1). Therefore, Amir has learned that the past cannot be buried. The past persists to impact present and future.

In fact, Hosseini shows that the persistence of the past impacts not just personal identity but the collective identity of whole nations. One of the most powerful moments of the story is when Amir returns to Afghanistan after living in the United States for a long time. Amir feels like a tourist, even a stranger, in his own country. His sense of place and his sense of home are turned upside down. "I feel like a tourist in my own country," Amir notes as he views all the poverty and desolation in places he remembers far differently (231). Farid "snickered," saying, "You still think of this place as your country?" (231). Amir contrasts Afghanistan with America, stating, "America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past. I could wade into this river, let my sins drown to the bottom, let the waters carry me someplace far. Someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins," (136).

The past persists also to affect Amir's future. Throughout The Kite Runner, Amir is burdened by the past. The past hinders his personal development. He refers to his "unatoned sins," (1). Amir also found that "America was a place to bury my memories," (129). He "embraces America" because he could hide from the past there or at least put off the reckoning (136). It is by two distinct events that Amir is able to transform the trauma of the past into hope fore the future. First, Amir meets Soraya. Second, Amir meets Hassan's son Sohrab and is thereby given a second chance. Bringing Sohrab to America is Amir's way of allowing the past to persist in a positive way.