It Is The Experiences Of Childhood That Determine Who We Will Become- The Kite Runner Essay

It is the experiences of childhood that determine who we will become- The Kite Runner

I agree that childhood experiences can determine who we will become later on in life. In the book ‘The Kite Runner’ the experiences that Amir and Hassan have, do indeed have an impact on who they become later on in life. Amir says, ‘I became what I am today at the age of twelve’ this is backing up the statement, this quote is Amir blatantly telling us that his childhood experiences have made him who he is as an adult, which is twenty six years later.
Amir and Hassan both have reasonably safe and happy childhoods at first, a lot changes through the book and therefore the two boys change but in different ways. Amir and Hassan had shared a lot of their childhood experiences together good and bad the experiences that they have had, produced different effects on both boys e.g. the day that they worked together and won the kite flying tournament and when Hassan was raped, winning the tournament was a very positive thing for both boys and Amir was viewed as a hero through his dads eyes for winning, Hassan is really happy for Amir and he also captures/runs the final kite which is really important to the boys.
The day of the kite flying tournament Hassan gets raped and that destroys the two boys they are both badly effected as Amir later becomes riddled with guilt as well as shame and develops insomnia, Hassan doesn’t really change he is still ‘as loyal as a dog’ and defends Amir to the end.   We don’t actually hear much about Hassan when he is older other that that he has a great wife and child, this is very ironic as Amir and his wife cannot conceive. This is almost like payback for what Amir did as a child, for not looking out for his friend, when Hassan was outnumbered and about to be hurt Amir sat back, watched and did nothing to help.  
"I had been the entitled half, the society-approved, legitimate half, the unwitting embodiment of Baba's guilt. I looked at Hassan, showing...