For Amir, the past is always with him. From the book's first sentence, when Amir says he became what he is today at the age of twelve. That's because Amir defines himself by his past. His feelings of guilt for his past actions continue to motivate him. As he says on the book's first page, the past can never be buried....
The major events of the novel, while framed in the context of Amir's life, follow Afghanistan's transitions as well. In Amir's recollections of his childhood, it reveals the calm state of Kabul during the monarchy, the founding of the republic, and then the Soviet invasion and infighting between rival Afghan groups ruin the country. These events...
Amir has a very complex relationship with Baba, and as much as Amir loves Baba, he rarely feels Baba fully loves him back. Amir's desire to win Baba's love consequently motivates him not to stop Hassan's rape. Baba has his own difficulty connecting with Amir. He feels guilty treating Amir well when he can't acknowledge Hassan as his son. However,...
Amir's quest to redeem himself makes up the heart of the novel. Early on, Amir strives to redeem himself in Baba's eyes, primarily because his mother died giving birth to him, and he feels responsible. To redeem himself to Baba, Amir thinks he must win the kite-tournament and bring Baba the losing kite, both of which are inciting incidents that...