Amir's Quest for Redemption What is redemption? Redemption is the act of making something better or more acceptable. Redemption will never change the past but it can shape the future. Khaled Hosseini wrote The Kite Runner with six distinct main themes, but the most dominant theme is redemption for Amir's wrongdoings. In order for Amir to complete the path to forgiveness, he must go through guilt, remorse, and ultimately redemption to right his wrongs. At the age of twelve Amir committed a sin that will haunt him and prove Baba's opinion of his personality. Amir decided to let his cowardice control his actions during and after Hassan's rape. Amir said to justify his action: “I ran away because I was a coward… I was afraid that when Amir grew up he started to forget Hassan's aggression. While living in America, Amir had changed and the relationship between him and Baba had been repaired before he died. Amir, a published author who was all going well for him, received a phone call from an old friend of Baba's. Rahim Khan said that “there is a way to be good again” in those eight words Amir's guilt was back (Hosseini 2). These eight words began Amir's journey to redemption. Rahim Khan told Amir what had happened to the brother (Hassan) whom he envied had been killed and had as a son. His son was said to bring him peace and the ability to move forward. Sohrab (Hassan's son) was in the custody of Assef Hassan's mortal enemy. Amir saved Sohrab by accepting Assef's challenge for the last man standing. When Amir was being beaten by Assef he began to laugh because, "I saw that, somewhere hidden in the back of my mind, I was looking forward to this," Amir happier in a painful moment was the culmination of his redemption ( Hosseini 289). After this event, Amir had helped and defended Sohrab and had never given up when he was mute. Amir's redemption was significant to his twelve-year-old self because the younger version of him wouldn't have defended Hassan like he did Sohrab. When Assef called Hassan a Hazara, Amir called him a servant and not a friend and when Sohrab was called a Hazara by the general he defended him and said never call him a Hazara in my gifts; Amir is changed by defending Sohrab and be brave. The faint-hearted boy Amir was transformed into the brave man he is, the act of selfless deeds he had performed for Sohrab brought him to the end of his journey of recovering his life.