1. “The kite runner” presentation
By Liv-Lav and E-Money

2. THE QUESTION
“Examine the relationship between the opening and closing of the novel ‘The Kite Runner’.”

3. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BEGINNING
“There is a way to be good again” in the opening chapter of the novel indicates that Amir needs to redeem himself in order to prove to himself that he can be good again, not just Rahim Khan.
The fact that in the opening chapter it is implied that Amir needs to return to Afghanistan from San Francisco in order to resolve the issues of his past. In the opening chapter, therefore, the importance of the past as a theme is clearly established and we learn that much of the novel will be Amir’s reflection on his childhood. In this chapter also it is shown how Amir’s past has returned to haunt him.
It is in the first chapter that the kite is first introduced as a motif that will be highly significant throughout the novel. The kite brings back pleasant but sometimes saddening memories, and gives Amir the motivation to return to Afghanistan.

4. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ENDING
The ending of The Kite Runner is something of a non-event.
The novel ends with kite running, something that previously throughout the novel was a traumatic event, as it was the kite running that lead to Amir’s betrayal of Hassan, and all the guilt that followed. So, at the end of the novel when Amir runs the kite with Sohrab, we expect him to be laden with guilt, but he appears fully happy. This shows a sign of progress in that Amir has let go of the negative connotations previously associated with kite running and can finally be happy, a notable sign of bildungsroman.
In the ending, we see how memories can become a source of joy for Amir, as opposed to one of guilt and self-hatred.
Sohrab’s smile at the very end of the novel hints that some resolution has been made, however we are unsure as to whether Amir has fully redeemed himself.
There is an interesting role reversal displayed in this part of the novel, as Amir here is running

5. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO?
One of the main similarities between the beginning and ending of the novel is the continuation of the kite motif. This reference to the kite once again at the conclusion of the book highlights its significance throughout the text. On a more symbolic level, Amir cutting the kite loose at the very end of the chapter illustrates how he is finally ‘free’ of the guilt that has trapped him for twenty-six years. This renewed sense of freedom displayed in the last chapter illustrates how Amir has achieved his desired redemption, and adds a triumphant undertone to the final chapter.
The setting is also similar; the freedom that Amir felt pre-story due to the liberation that America brought him is re-iterated at the end as throughout the main bulk of the story he is very resigned. This is in contrast to how he feels able to run free after the kite.
The tone of both chapters is immediately different; at the outset of the novel, Amir is reflective, regretful even, and there is an underlying theme of guilt that adds an unpleasant weight to his words. In the last chapter, we can still read elements of regret in Amir’s words, but there is more use of positive imagery, and we as readers get the impression that Amir will not again let his guilt hold him back, that he has finally redeemed himself.
Kite Runner Final Scene

6. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO?
At the start of the story, Amir’s memory of Hassan’s ‘for you, a thousand times over’ brings him a feeling of regret and ultimate guilt and this feeling occupies the rest of the novel. At the ending however Amir’s first vocalisation of Hassan’s words shows that he no longer regrets his lack of actions and feels like he has reached his redemption. In this sense, the beginning and ending show a contrast in Amir’s opinions on himself. So it appears that throughout the novel, the meaning of Hassan’s words changes: at the beginning, they symbolise remorse and repentance, but by the end they have become a beacon, a symbol of hope, optimism and the power of amending your mistakes.
The beginning and the ending also help to signify the difference between the past and the present. The novel begins with a demand by Amir’s past, if you were to examine it metaphorically (literally, it would be Rahim Khan), for him to return to his childhood and confront his demons, and he is effectively dragged back into the last place he wants to be. However, by the end of the novel, when he has redeemed himself and put things right, there remains no character alive from Amir’s past. This, as well as communicating that now he has confronted his past, he is free to move on, also shows Amir’s emerging strength of character and his ability to build relationships devoid of betrayal (he admits everything to his wife, Soraya, for instance).