Symbolism in The Kite Runner

Throughout the novel The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, symbolism is present.  There are two major symbols seen in the novel, Hassan’s cleft lip, and kites.  The cleft lip is frequently used to describe Hassan, “the cleft lip, just left of midline, where the Chinese doll maker’s instrument may have slipped, or perhaps he had simply grown tired and careless.” (pg 3).  Hassan’s cleft lip is what represents how he is seen by not only Amir, but all of society.  To society it symbolizes his poverty, which is the major separation between him and Amir.  The separation is caused by the fact that Hassan cannot afford to hire a doctor that will fix his deformation.  It is significant when Baba pays to have Hassan’s lip fixed because it shows his true fatherly love for his biological son, though Amir is under the impression that Ali is Hassan’s father.  The surgeon fixes Hassan’s lip, leaving only a small scar.  The cleft lip is also significant to Amir when he is an adult.  Amir returns to Kabul, Afganhistan to bring back Hassan’s son, Sohrab, and runs into Assef, the once young boy who bullied Hassan.  When Assef punches Amir, he splits Amir’s lip, which when healed, leaves a small scar just left of midline.  This is significant because now Amir is constantly reminded of Hassan, and what he let happen in the alley.  It becomes a major factor in Amir’s redemption because he learns to be more like Hassan in the sense that he should stand up for the people he loves.  Kites are another major symbol used throughout the novel.  By flying kites, Amir becomes closer to Baba.  Baba was once a champion kite fighter, and Amir longs to become a champion himself so that he and Baba will finally have something in common.  The kite becomes more significant when Amir allows Hassan to be raped by Assef so that he can bring the last kite home to Baba.  At this point, the kite becomes a symbol of Amir’s guilt for betraying Hassan, who stood up for him against Assef many times.  Years later, Amir flies a kite for the first time since the incident with Sohrab.  After returning to save Hassan’s son, Amir feels that he has redeemed himself, “...there is a way to be good again...(pg 1).  As a result, the kite becomes a symbol of his sense of redemption.  Both the kite and the cleft lip are vital symbols to the story.