One of the recurring quotes of The Kite
Runner is mentioned in the first chapter. It is something that Rahim Khan has
told Amir during his telephone call urging him to come back to visit him in Pakistan. It
is repeated later by Rahim at his home in Peshawar, and the reason, he tells Amir, that
his young friend must return to Kabul.
"There is a way to be good
again."
It refers,
of course, to the course of action Amir must take to atone for his sin against Hassan:
He must find Sohrab and bring him to safety.
In the final
chapter, Amir repeats a phrase that he has heard Hassan tell him many times before. This
time, it is Amir who says it--to Sohrab. He offers to run the kite for Sohrab, in
remembrance of Hassan.
"For you, a thousand times
over."
Another
quote that sums up Amir's need for redemption comes during his beating at the hands of
Assef. At every stroke of Assef's brass-knuckled punches, the harder Amir laughs. The
pain that he is receiving is atonement for his past, and Amir seems to enjoy
it.
I hadn't been happy, and I hadn't felt better,
not at all. But I did now. My body was broken--just how badly I wouldn't find out until
later--but I felt healed. Healed at last. I
laughed.
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