The novel, The Kite Runner, is about a young boy named Amir who forever lives a life full of shame, quilt and regret. These feelings are brought out by things that Amir has done in his past such as refusing to stick up for Hassan and lying to his father. By the end of the novel, Amir fully atones for his sins by returning to Kabul, adopting Sohrab and being beaten by Assef.
During the annual kite tournament, Amir witnessed his brother, Hassan being brutally beaten and raped by Assef: he did not say a word. Instead of standing up for his brother, Amir kept quiet while he stood and watched in horror. “I opened my mouth, almost said something. Almost. The rest of my life might have turned out differently if I had. But I didn’t.