The Kite Runner is an epic story centered around Amir, a 12 year old boy living in 1970's Kabult, Afganistan with his father, Baba. Amir is a one of a kind character in the sense that you have completely different views and opinions of him following every couple of chapters; this is due to the constant changing of his sense of belonging, his perception of his father, and the way he sees Afghanistan. When these changes occure, he becomes mature and learns that the world is going to change one way or another, he also sees the beauty of his youth that he has come to know - a place of freedom, life, and solidarity - turn into nothing but violence and fear amoung the living citizens of Afghanistan after Russia invaded during the 1970's.


Amirs sense of belonging in the world plays a huge part in everything that occures in the book. In early 1970's Afghanistan, Amir doesn't see himself in Baba's life once so ever; he feels incredibly jealous due to his father showing more attention to Hasson on different occasions and feels he's being bought out by his father in order to replace 1 on 1 time with him considering they never have that time throughout the entire length of the book. His desperation for Babas attention causes him to act irrationally and turns on Hasson by planting his watch under Hassons pillow which causes him to some what get in trouble with Baba. Then time skips to the year 2,000 now taking place in San Francisco, at this time Amir has just graduated college and is enjoying a celebratory beer with Baba. By this time Amir couldn't care less about getting attention from his dad, it will always be in the back of his mind but he gave up and moved on with his life. Their relationship at this time is more of a buddy buddy friendship rather then a father son one. Even with the dad not really giving that much attention to Amir, he's made it clear that he is very much so proud of his son's achievements, its debatable that he cares about Afghanistan rising from the ashes, cause by Russia, more than anything else in the world. Through out the entire book he teaches amir about Afganistan pride and how to never forget where he came from rather than teaching him what's right and wrong.


Amirs views of Afghanistan is dramatically changed as the tie period shifts from 20th century Afghan, to 21st century Afghan. As a young boy he seen Afghanistant as a beautiful place with no worries, no problems, and the ability to be care free; - excluding his relationship issues between him and Baba and the racist bullies - this is shown through how much he talks about and cares for Afghanistan. His feelings come out through his actions: the amount of compassion he shows for the sport of kite flying, the carving into the branch saying "The Sultans of Kabult", and how badly his heart is broken when he sees what Afghanistan has become when he comes back for his nephew in the 21st century. Upon Amirs arival into Kabult, he is in utter shock and in disbelief when he sees how his place of youth and purity has turned into a place rittered with violence and chaos. To make it worse the god like character of the movie, his brother Hasson, died a week before his arrival by a gunshot when defending the things that meant the world to him: his son Sohrab, wife Farzana, and his homeland (Kabult, Afghanistan).


Amirs sense of belonging stimulates from which point of time he's in: during 1970's Afghanistan, his only sense of belonging is getting the full undivided attention of his father instead of the attention going to Hasson. He wants to reach this goal so desperately that he chucks pomagranits at Hasson, tries to get get him fired by his own dad, and allows him to get raped by a bunch of bullies that Hasson protects Amir from. Amir in the 21st century is a confident college graduate who gives unconventional love to Baba and Farzana. Rather than seeking attention, he is now simply enjoying life itself and is living without regrets - even though his life in Afghanistan will always be in the back of his mind - his sense of belonging is giving his full attention to Farzana by caring for her, writing more stories for them both to enjoy, and in a way preserving the pride that lies amoung the citizens of Kabult; he does this by making sure his relationship status stays within his heritage (Amir is not a racist, he just prefers a partner who has the same cultural background as he does, someone who speaks his language/ in no way is he like the indivisuals who raped Hasson), going back to his homeland to rescue his nephew, and doing so without any fear - thou he has yet to see what has become of Kabult over the years since he moved to America - nor worries and is optimistic about what the future lies for him, his blood family, and the country of Afghanistan. Later on in the year 2,000, Amir has return from Kabult to San Francisco with his nephew, Sohrab. Amir dedicates this part of his life treating Sohrab the same way Hasson treated him as a kid: with care, the need to protect, and the love that only a father/best friend can give, or even love that can only be given by a godly source (assuming that a "God" exists).


Amir is a character that can only be explained through his emotions and the state of mind he is in during all three points of time: 1970's Kabult, 21st century San Francisco, and late 2,000 when he goes and comes back to and from Kabult, Afghanistan. His sense of belonging, his perception Baba, and the way he views Afghanistan changes dramatically through out the entire book. As a complicated character, Amir deserves admiration for learning from every single mistake he has made in the past and putting it into his current life in order to hae a bright future with a conforting and warming family in peace and harmony (Hassons life is being lived through Amir, another "God" reference, more over a "Jesus" reference).