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Samuel Zeng Mrs. McKinley Honors English II February 28, 2014 Maturation in The Kite Runner I guess real maturity, which most of us never achieve, is when you realize that youre not the center of the universe (Katherine Paterson). This quote is strangely relevant to Khaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner. Throughout the story the main character, Amir has to stop being egocentric and start making sacrifices for the good of others. In Khaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner, the theme revealed is that maturation is caused by experiences and is an essential part of life. In The Kite Runner Amir experiences a lot of regret from his past. He bases his guilt on one experience in the winter of 1975. In Chapter 1 Amir states, I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975 (1). This quote at the beginning of the story tells the reader what the story is going to be about; Amir making things good again. Amir states this one event in his childhood shaped his entire life. Amir never came to terms with what he had done to Hassan and Ali. Amir grew up with the burden of regret always on his shoulders. Whenever Hassan and Ali were mentioned the wind would be taken from Amirs lungs. That one event influenced Amirs maturation throughout most of his life. On that frigid day in the winter of 1975 Amir witnessed a horrific event. In Chapter 7 Amir states, I had one last chance to make a decision. One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be (77). What happened that day in 1975 questioned Amirs morals and his friendship with Hassan. In his mind he only had two options save his friend or save himself. In

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the end he saved himself. Afterwards he realized he should have done more to help Hassan. What happened that day is the main source of Amirs guilt. Amirs decision influenced many aspects of his life. After many years of living in regret and guilt of his actions, Amir decides to make things good again. In Chapter 14 Amir states, I have to go to Pakistan (191). Amirs decision to go to Pakistan is bold. He has lived his whole life in regret of his childhood. Now he is going to his home country of Afghanistan, where all of his troubles started. Amir is desperate to solve his problem and has to make a difficult decision. It the end Amirs journey to Afghanistan proves to be worth it. Amir comes to peace with himself and what he had done all those years ago. Finally Amir can live a life of happiness without a secret bearing its burden on his shoulders. Life experiences have a major influence on a persons maturation and who they become as a person. This is the theme in Khaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner. Amirs main source of regret was an event that happened in his childhood. The event was horrific, but Amirs actions towards what happened is what really caused the regret and guilt. Amir questioned his morals and character. He lived a majority of his life with the burden of the secret of what happened in the winter of 1975. Amirs regret stopped him from living a normal and happy life; instead, his life was full of lies and cowardice. Amir finally rights all of the wrongs that he had done and comes to terms with his past. His decision to go to Pakistan proved to be worthwhile. Will Sohrab come to terms with his past? Or will he cower every time he thinks about his past? If he chooses the latter, his decision would be similar to that of Amirs.

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Work Cited: Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York City: Riverhead Books, 2003. Print.