The Kite Runner (Blog 1)

By: Khaled Hosseini

Escaping the war-torn country of Afghanistan and the Russians, Baba and Amir move to Fremont, California.  Baba has not easily transitioned to life in America, and he struggles to adjust to living away from the only country he has ever known.  Life in America was a very different experience for Amir.  He no longer viewed Kabul as his home after it was invaded.  However, he did not like to see his father so worn out and miserable.  Amir suggests that they move back to Pakistan.  Baba is completely against this and says that they came to America for Amir to finish high school and hopefully college.  In the summer of 1983, Amir graduated high school, and he was trying to decide whether he wanted to attend a junior college or not.  Baba strongly encouraged his son to go to college because he didn't want him to have to work a tiring job at a gas station like him.  For Amir's graduation, Baba buys his son a used Ford Grand Torino.  After realizing the bright future he can achieve in America, Amir decides that he will attend junior college and get a degree in creative writing.  In this part of the novel, Amir presents an extended metaphor.  "America was different.  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.  Somewhere with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins" (Hosseini, 136).  This metaphor compares Amir's past in Kabul to his future in America.  His life is like a flowing river, which allows him to move on from past memories.  A river is always flowing, just as Amir's life will continue to move along, regardless of his painful past.  This obviously refers to his friendship with Hassan.  Amir feels that his life in America is a fresh start.  He can move on from these dark memories and try to begin anew.