Searching for the unforgettable words that define Khaled Hosseini’s powerful novel, The Kite Runner?
This sweeping story of friendship, betrayal, guilt, and redemption across tumultuous decades in Afghanistan and America is packed with lines that resonate long after reading. Finding the specific quote you need for analysis or reflection can be challenging amidst the rich narrative.
This collection gathers 88 essential quotes directly from the novel, organized chapter-by-chapter using the Riverhead Books 2013 paperback edition, allowing you to trace the journey of Amir and Hassan.
Chapter 1 Quotes
The novel opens with Amir as an adult in San Francisco, haunted by a call from his past in Pakistan, setting the stage for a journey back into buried memories and unresolved guilt.
“It’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Past, Guilt), Chapter 1, Page 1
“For you, a thousand times over”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Hassan; Theme: Loyalty, Friendship, Sacrifice), Chapter 1, Page 2 (and recurring)
“There is a way to be good again…”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan quoted by Amir; Theme: Redemption, Hope), Chapter 1, Page 2 (and recurring)
Amir’s narration shifts back to his childhood in Kabul, introducing his complex relationship with his loyal friend Hassan and his formidable father, Baba.
Chapter 2 Quotes
This chapter establishes the childhood dynamic between Amir and Hassan, highlighting their shared upbringing yet distinct social positions as Pashtun and Hazara, and introducing Amir’s longing for Baba’s approval.
“People say that eyes are windows to the soul.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Perception, Character), Chapter 2, Page 8
“On a high mountain I stood, And cried the name of Ali, Lion of God. O Ali, Lion of God, King of Men, Bring joy to our sorrowful hearts.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Ali, prayer/song; Theme: Faith, Culture), Chapter 2, Page 11
“There was a brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that even time could not break.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Brotherhood, Connection), Chapter 2, Page 11
“Hassan and I fed from the same breasts… spoke our first words. Mine was Baba. His was Amir. My name. Looking back on it now, I think the foundation for what happened… was already laid in those first words.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Friendship, Destiny, Foreshadowing), Chapter 2, Page 11
Baba’s imposing figure and strong moral code shape Amir’s world, creating both admiration and a desperate need for validation.
Chapter 3 Quotes
Amir reflects on his father, Baba, a larger-than-life figure whose principles about theft and standing up for oneself contrast sharply with Amir’s perceived weaknesses, fueling Amir’s insecurities.
“The problem, of course, was that [Baba] saw the world in black and white. And he got to decide what was black and what was white. You can’t love a person who lives that way without fearing him too. Maybe even hating him a little.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Baba; Theme: Judgment, Fear, Father-Son Relationship), Chapter 3, Page 15
“I see you’ve confused what you’re learning in school with actual education.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Baba to Amir; Theme: Education, Practicality), Chapter 3, Page 16
“there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft… When you kill a man, you steal a life… When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth… there is no act more wretched than stealing.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Baba; Theme: Morality, Sin, Principles), Chapter 3, Pages 17, 18
“Rahim Khan laughed. “Children aren’t coloring books. You don’t get to fill them with your favorite colors.””
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan to Baba; Theme: Parenting, Individuality), Chapter 3, Page 21
“Rahim, a boy who won’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Baba quoted by Rahim Khan; Theme: Courage, Masculinity), Chapter 3, Page 22
Amir’s love for stories contrasts with Baba’s expectations, while the stark social divide between Pashtuns and Hazaras underscores the complexities of his friendship with Hassan.
Chapter 4 Quotes
This chapter highlights the power of stories and literacy, which Amir possesses but Hassan lacks, creating both connection and distance. The deep ethnic prejudice against Hazaras is starkly presented.
“Never mind that to me, the face of Afghanistan is that of a boy with a… harelipped smile… Because history isn’t easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Ethnicity, Prejudice, Social Division), Chapter 4, Page 25
“If thou art indeed my father, then hast thou stained thy sword in the life-blood of thy son… But I appealed unto thy heart in vain, and now is the time gone for meeting…”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (From the Shahnamah, read by Amir; Theme: Tragedy, Betrayal), Chapter 4, Page 29
“Words were secret doorways and I held all the keys.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about reading to Hassan; Theme: Literacy, Power, Connection), Chapter 4, Page 30
“It was a dark little tale about a man who found a magic cup… learned that if he wept into the cup, his tears turned into pearls… As the pearls piled up, so did his greed grow. The story ended with the man sitting on a mountain of pearls, knife in hand, weeping helplessly into the cup with his beloved wife’s slain body in his arms.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir narrating his first written story; Theme: Greed, Loss, Irony), Chapter 4, Page 31
Political upheaval marks the end of an era in Afghanistan, foreshadowing greater turmoil, while the arrival of the bully Assef introduces a direct threat.
Chapter 5 Quotes
The 1973 coup d’état brings sudden violence to Kabul, shattering the boys’ sense of security. Amir and Hassan face the menacing Assef and his gang, where Hassan’s loyalty and courage contrast sharply with Amir’s fear.
“The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: War, Loss of Innocence, Foreshadowing), Chapter 5, Page 36
“Years later, I learned an English word for the creature that Assef was, a word for which a good Farsi equivalent does not exist: sociopath.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Assef; Theme: Evil, Bullying), Chapter 5, Page 38
The kite fighting tournament approaches, representing Amir’s chance to finally win Baba’s approval, with Hassan as his essential kite runner.
Chapter 6 Quotes
Winter brings the kite fighting season, a beloved Kabul tradition. Amir explains the rules—or lack thereof—and the crucial role of kite runners like Hassan, whose skill and loyalty are unparalleled.
“Afghans are an independent people. Afghans cherish customs but abhor rules. And so it was with kite fighting. The rules were simple: No rules. Fly your kite. Cut the opponents. Good luck.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Culture, Tradition, Competition), Chapter 6, Pages 51, 52
“The chase got pretty fierce… But he fell with the kite still in his hands. And when a kite runner has his hands on a kite, no one could take it from him. That wasn’t a rule. That was a custom.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about kite running; Theme: Tradition, Determination, Loyalty), Chapter 6, Page 52
“And that’s the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Hassan; Theme: Innocence, Honesty), Chapter 6, Page 55
“But coming close wasn’t the same as winning, was it? … He had won because winners won and everyone else just went home”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Baba; Theme: Winning, Father-Son Relationship), Chapter 6, Page 56
“Better to get hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Baba to Amir?), Chapter 6, Page 58
The day of the tournament arrives, filled with hope and tension, leading to a moment of triumph followed by devastating betrayal.
Chapter 7 Quotes
Amir achieves victory in the kite tournament, finally earning Baba’s praise. But his triumph is short-lived. He witnesses Hassan’s brutal assault by Assef in an alleyway and, paralyzed by fear, fails to intervene—a betrayal that will haunt him forever.
“There’s no monster…just a beautiful day.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Hassan to Amir; Theme: Innocence, Optimism), Chapter 7, Page 61
“Hassan couldn’t read a first-grade textbook but he’d read me plenty. That was a little unsettling but also sort of comfortable to have someone who always knew what you needed.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Hassan; Theme: Friendship, Intuition, Class), Chapter 7, Page 62
“And suddenly, just like that, hope became knowledge. I was going to win. It was just a matter of when.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator during tournament; Theme: Hope, Determination), Chapter 7, Page 65
“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.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator witnessing assault; Theme: Cowardice, Betrayal, Turning Point), Chapter 7, Page 73
Consumed by guilt, Amir distances himself from Hassan, unable to bear the reminder of his failure.
Chapter 8 Quotes
Wracked with guilt over his betrayal, Amir avoids Hassan. He overhears a conversation revealing Baba’s complex character, and later, orchestrates a cruel act to drive Hassan away.
“A part of me was hoping someone would wake up and hear, so I wouldn’t have to live with this lie anymore. But no one woke up and in the silence that followed, I understood the nature of my new curse: I was going to get away with it.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Guilt, Secrecy), Chapter 8, Page 86
“In the end, the world always wins. That’s just the way of things.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan to Amir; Theme: Resignation, Reality), Chapter 8, Page 99
Amir’s attempt to frame Hassan backfires when Hassan confesses falsely, leading to his and Ali’s departure, cementing Amir’s guilt.
Chapter 9 Quotes
Amir frames Hassan for theft. Hassan, in a final act of loyalty, falsely confesses, leading Ali and Hassan to leave Baba’s household, deepening Amir’s shame.
“He knew I’d seen everything in that alley, that I’d stood there and done nothing. He knew that I’d betrayed him and yet he was rescuing me once again, maybe for the last time.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Hassan’s false confession; Theme: Guilt, Loyalty, Sacrifice), Chapter 9, Page 105
“I loved him in that moment… and I wanted to to tell them all that I was the snake in the grass… I wasn’t worthy of this sacrifice… But a part of me was glad. Glad that this would all be over with soon… I wanted to be able to breathe again.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Guilt, Relief, Selfishness), Chapter 9, Page 105
Years pass, political turmoil forces Amir and Baba to flee Afghanistan, marking a painful departure from their homeland.
Chapter 10 Quotes
Amidst the Soviet invasion, Amir and Baba escape Kabul, experiencing the fear and uncertainty of becoming refugees, including a harrowing fuel truck ride.
“Go slowly, my lovely moon, go slowly.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator quoting a song; Theme: Nostalgia, Loss), Chapter 10, Pages 114, 170
“War doesn’t negate decency. It demands it, even more than in times of peace.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Baba defending a woman; Theme: Decency, Courage, Morality), Chapter 10, Page 115
“Panic… You order your lungs to draw air… But your airways ignore you… Somewhere a dam has cracked open and a flood of cold sweat spills… You want to scream… Cut you have to breathe to scream. Panic.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator describing panic attack; Theme: Fear, Trauma), Chapter 10, Page 121
“I lay on the side of the dirt road… thankful for air, thankful for light, thankful to be alive.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Gratitude, Survival), Chapter 10, Page 123
“I only knew the memory lived in me, a perfectly encapsulated morsel of a good past, a brushstroke of color on the gray, barren canvas that our lives had become.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Memory, Nostalgia, Loss), Chapter 10, Page 123
“After everything he’d built… this was the summation of his life; one disappointing son and two suitcases.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Baba; Theme: Disappointment, Loss, Father-Son Relationship), Chapter 10, Page 124
Amir and Baba begin a new, humbler life as immigrants in Fremont, California, navigating cultural differences and striving to rebuild.
Chapter 11 Quotes
Life in America presents new challenges. Baba struggles with loss of status but maintains his pride, while Amir adjusts, pursues writing, and meets Soraya.
“I wanted to tell them that, in Kabul, we snapped a tree branch and used it as a credit card…”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Culture Clash, Nostalgia), Chapter 11, Page 128
“Baba dropped the stack of food stamps… “Thank you but I don’t want,” Baba said. “I work always… Thank you very much… but I don’t like it free money.”…Baba walked out… like a man cured of a tumor.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Dialogue: Baba; Narration: Amir; Theme: Pride, Work Ethic, Dignity), Chapter 11, Pages 130, 131
“America was different. America was a river, roarng along, unmindful of the past. I could wade into this river, let my sins drown… Someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Escape, Redemption, American Dream), Chapter 11, Page 136
“Her eyes, walnut brown and shaded by fanned lashes, met mine. Held for a moment. Flew away.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Soraya; Theme: Attraction, Connection), Chapter 11, Page 140
“It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime…”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator quoting Baba; Theme: Fate, Turning Points), Chapter 11, Page 142
Amir’s courtship of Soraya progresses alongside Baba’s declining health, leading to marriage and loss.
Chapter 12 Quotes
Amir navigates Afghan courtship traditions with Soraya. Baba receives a terminal cancer diagnosis but finds joy seeing Amir married before his death.
“Sad stories make good books”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Soraya to Amir; Theme: Storytelling, Literature), Chapter 12, Page 147
“It turned out that, like Satan, cancer had many names.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Baba’s illness; Theme: Illness, Metaphor), Chapter 12, Page 155
Married life brings happiness but also the sorrow of infertility, while Amir achieves success as a novelist.
Chapter 13 Quotes
Amir and Soraya build life in California. Amir becomes published. They face infertility, while reflections on Afghan gender roles and past choices linger.
“All my life, I’d been around men. That night, I discovered the tenderness of a woman.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Soraya; Theme: Love, Relationship), Chapter 13, Page 171
“Every woman needed a husband. Even if he did silence the song in her.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator reflecting on cultural views; Theme: Gender Roles, Culture), Chapter 13, Page 178
“There was so much goodness in my life. So much happiness. I wondered whether I deserved any of it.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Guilt, Happiness), Chapter 13, Page 183
“Life is a train, get on board.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator quoting Baba; Theme: Life Philosophy), Chapter 13, Page 185
“Blood is a powerful thing”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator quoting Soraya’s father; Theme: Family, Connection), Chapter 13, Pages 187, 188
“Sometimes, Soraya Sleeping next to me… I could almost feel the emptiness in Soraya’s womb… Sleeping between us. Like a newborn child.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Infertility, Loss, Marriage), Chapter 13, Page 189
A phone call from Rahim Khan brings news from Pakistan and the past, setting Amir on a path back toward Afghanistan and potential redemption.
Chapter 14 Quotes
Rahim Khan calls Amir from Pakistan, revealing illness and urging a visit, uttering the pivotal phrase, “There is a way to be good again.”
“We’d each roll to our side of the bed and let our own savior take us away. Soraya’s was sleep. Mine, as always, was a book.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Coping Mechanisms, Escapism), Chapter 14, Page 193
Amir travels to Peshawar, Pakistan, where Rahim Khan shares devastating truths about the past and present dangers in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Chapter 15 Quotes
In Peshawar, Amir meets with a frail Rahim Khan, who reflects on life and prepares Amir for difficult revelations about Hassan and Afghanistan under the Taliban.
“A creative writing teacher… used to say about clichés: ‘Avoid them like the plague.’… But the aptness of the clichéd saying is overshadowed by the nature of the saying as a cliché.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Writing, Language), Chapter 15, Page 197
“Yes, hope is a strange thing. Peace at last. But at what price?”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan; Theme: Hope, Peace, Cost), Chapter 15, Page 201
“I see America has infused you with the optimism that has made her so great”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan to Amir; Theme: Culture, Optimism), Chapter 15, Page 201
Rahim Khan reveals the tragic fate of Hassan and his wife Farzana, murdered by the Taliban, leaving their son Sohrab orphaned.
Chapter 16 Quotes
Rahim Khan recounts the Taliban’s rise and the brutal execution of Hassan and Farzana after they refused to give up Amir and Baba’s house in Kabul.
“it is a heartBreaking sound, Amir Jan, the Wailing of a mother. I pray to Allah you Never hear it.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan quoting Hassan’s mother-in-law; Theme: Grief, Loss), Chapter 16, Page 209
“I guess some stories do not need telling.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan), Chapter 16, Page 211
“it always hurts more to have and lose than to not have in the first place.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan quoting Baba?; Theme: Loss, Pain), Chapter 16, Page 211
The final, shattering revelation comes: Hassan was Amir’s half-brother, and Rahim Khan tasks Amir with rescuing Sohrab.
Chapter 17 Quotes
Rahim Khan delivers the story’s biggest secret: Baba was Hassan’s biological father. He asks Amir to rescue Hassan’s son, Sohrab, from Kabul.
“Time can be a greedy thing-sometimes it steals the details for itself.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan to Amir; Theme: Time, Memory), Chapter 17, Page 214
“And I dream that someday you will return to Kabul to revisit the land of our childhood. If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Hassan in a letter quoted by Rahim Khan; Theme: Loyalty, Hope, Friendship), Chapter 17, Page 218
Amir agrees to return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, hiring Farid as his driver and guide into a changed homeland.
Chapter 19 Quotes
Amir journeys into Afghanistan with Farid, confronting the harsh realities of his homeland under Taliban rule and his own past privilege.
“‘You probably lived in a big… house… Your father drove an American car. You had servants, probably Hazaras… And I would bet… this is the first time you’ve ever worn a pakol.’ … ‘That’s the real Afghanistan, Agha sahib… You? You’ve always been a tourist here, you just didn’t know it.’”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Dialogue: Farid and Amir; Theme: Class, Perspective, Reality), Chapter 19, Page 232
“I sat against one of the house’s clay walls… I thought I had forgotten about this land. But I hadn’t… Maybe Afghanistan hadn’t forgotten me either… Somewhere over those mountains, Kabul still existed… Once, over those mountains, I had made a choice. And now… that choice had landed me right back on this soil.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Homecoming, Identity, Consequence), Chapter 19, Pages 240, 241
“I understood now why the boys hadn’t shown any interest in the watch… They’d been staring at my food.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Poverty, Misunderstanding, Reality), Chapter 19, Page 241
Seeking information about Sohrab, Amir encounters remnants of his past and witnesses the Taliban’s brutality firsthand.
Chapter 20 Quotes
Amir arrives in war-torn Kabul. He meets an old beggar who reveals insight about Amir’s mother and learns the orphanage director may know Sohrab’s whereabouts.
“The desert weed lives on, but the flower of spring blooms and wilts.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: The Old Beggar; Theme: Survival, Loss, Metaphor), Chapter 20, Page 249
“She said, ‘I’m so afraid.’ … ‘Because I’m so profoundly happy… Happiness like this is frightening.’… ‘They only let you be this happy if they’re preparing to take something from you.’”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: The Old Beggar quoting Amir’s Mother; Theme: Happiness, Fear, Foreboding), Chapter 20, Page 250
“Take two Afghans who’ve never met, put them in a room for ten minutes, and they’ll figure out how they’re related.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir quoting Baba; Theme: Culture, Connection), Chapter 20, Page 251
Amir learns Sohrab has been taken by a Taliban official, setting up a dangerous confrontation with Assef.
Chapter 22 Quotes
Amir confronts the Taliban official holding Sohrab—revealed to be Assef. A brutal fight ensues, mirroring the past, but Sohrab intervenes, saving Amir.
“You’re gutless. It’s how you were made… Nothing wrong with cowardice as long as it comes with prudence. But when a coward stops remembering who he is… God help him.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Assef to Amir; Theme: Cowardice, Identity), Chapter 22, Page 275
“My body was broken… but I felt healed. Healed at last.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator after the fight; Theme: Redemption, Atonement), Chapter 22, Page 289
“Your job today is to pass gas… No fart, no food.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Nurse Aisha to Amir; Theme: Humor, Recovery), Chapter 22, Page 297
“A man who has no conscience, no goodness, does not suffer.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan in a letter; Theme: Suffering, Conscience), Chapter 22, Page 301
“And this is what I want you to understand, that good, real good, was born out of your father’s remorse… it was all his way of redeeming himself. And that… is what true redemption is… when guilt leads to good.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan in a letter; Theme: Redemption, Guilt, Goodness), Chapter 22, Page 302
“I know that in the end, God will forgive me… Forgive your father if you can. Forgive me if you wish. But most important, forgive yourself.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Rahim Khan in a letter; Theme: Forgiveness, Self-Forgiveness), Chapter 22, Page 302
Escaping Kabul with Sohrab proves difficult, leading to further trauma and challenges in securing Sohrab’s future.
Chapter 24 Quotes
Amir struggles to connect with the traumatized Sohrab in Islamabad. Bureaucratic hurdles and the threat of sending Sohrab back to an orphanage lead to a devastating setback.
“It’s wrong to hurt even bad people. Because they don’t know any better, and because bad people sometimes become good.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Sohrab quoting Hassan; Theme: Morality, Forgiveness), Chapter 24, Page 319
“In Kabul, hot running water had been like fathers, a rare commodity.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Loss, Metaphor), Chapter 24, Page 333
“One time, when I was very little… Mother said that if I’d just waited for the apples to ripen, I wouldn’t have become sick. So now, whenever I really want something, I try to remember what she said about the apples.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Sohrab; Theme: Patience, Wisdom), Chapter 24, Page 340
“That’s how children deal with terror, they fall asleep.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Trauma, Coping Mechanisms), Chapter 24, Page 342
A desperate act by Sohrab leads to a hospital vigil where Amir prays, culminating in a fragile return to America and a final, hopeful moment.
Chapter 25 Quotes
Sohrab attempts suicide. Amir prays fervently. They return to America, where Sohrab remains silent until a moment of connection while flying a kite offers hope and redemption.
“I want to tear myself from this place… rise up like a cloud and float away… dissolve somewhere far, over the hills.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Despair, Escape), Chapter 25, Page 345
“I throw my makeshift jai-namaz… I get on my knees… I bow to the west… I haven’t prayed for over fifteen years… I will pray that He forgive that I have neglected Him… forgive that I have betrayed, lied, and sinned… I pray.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Prayer, Redemption, Faith Renewed), Chapter 25, Pages 345-346
“I will do namaz, I will do zakat… He is alive.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator praying; Theme: Bargaining, Faith), Chapter 25, Page 348
“Perspective was a luxury when your head was constantly buzzing with a swarm of demons.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Trauma, Mental State), Chapter 25, Page 356
“lifting him from the certainty of turmoil and dropping him in a turmoil of uncertainty.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator about Sohrab; Theme: Uncertainty, Transition), Chapter 25, Page 356
“That was when I learned that, in America, you don’t reveal the ending of the movie…”
~Kh Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Culture Clash, Observation), Chapter 25, Page 357
“Does anybody’s [story end with happiness]? After all, life is not a Hindi movie. Zendagi migzara, Afghans like to say: Life goes on…”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Life, Realism, Acceptance), Chapter 25, Page 357
“…and when she locked her arms around my neck… I realized how much I had missed her. ‘You’re still the morning sun to me…’ I whispered.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir to Soraya; Theme: Love, Reunion), Chapter 25, Page 357
“I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded; not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator; Theme: Forgiveness, Healing), Chapter 25, Page 359
“And one more thing…You will never again refer to him as ‘Hazara boy’ in my presence. He has a name and it’s Sohrab.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: General Taheri quoting Amir; Theme: Respect, Identity, Standing Up), Chapter 25, Page 361
“Quiet is peace. Tranquility. Quiet is turning down the volume knob on life. Silence is pushing the off button. Shutting it down. All of it.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir reflecting on Sohrab’s silence; Theme: Silence, Trauma), Chapter 25, Page 361
“For you, a thousand times over.” Then I turned and ran. It was only a smile, nothing more… A tiny thing. But I’ll take it. With open arms.”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator quoting Hassan and running the kite for Sohrab; Theme: Redemption, Hope, Full Circle), Chapter 25, Page 371
“Because when spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time”
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (Character: Amir as the Narrator quoting Soraya’s father; Theme: Healing, Hope, Patience), Chapter 25, Page 371
Conclusion: A Way to Be Good Again
The Kite Runner leaves readers with profound questions about the weight of the past and the difficult path toward redemption. These 88 quotes trace Amir’s painful but ultimately hopeful journey as he confronts his betrayals and strives, finally, to be good again.
Which quote from this novel resonates most deeply with your understanding of friendship, guilt, or forgiveness?
Important Note on Page Numbers:
Page numbers cited (e.g., Page 1) reference the **Riverhead Books, March 5, 2013 paperback edition** (ISBN-13: 978-1594631931). They WILL vary across different editions. Please verify against your specific edition for academic citations.
Cite This Page (MLA):
Mortis, Jeremy. “88 The Kite Runner Quotes With Page Numbers.” Ageless Investing, 20 Jun. 2022, agelessinvesting.com/the-kite-runner-quotes/.
Cite This Page (APA):
Mortis, J. (2022, June 20). *88 The Kite Runner quotes with page numbers*. Ageless Investing. Retrieved [Date You Accessed], from https://agelessinvesting.com/the-kite-runner-quotes/
Jeremy Mortis, founder of Ageless Investing, applies a rigorous analytical approach (the AAM framework) to distill timeless wisdom and contextualized quotes from classic literature, saving you time while deepening understanding. Learn more about Jeremy’s unique background and methodology on his author bio page.