Sin in The Kite Runner - Essay Example

 Topic: Defining sin Introduction Sin is a significant word. It gets place along with divinity, though on the wrong side, indicates its importance. The pages of religious scriptures of all the religions deal with sin extensively and inform to the followers measures to cope up with and escape from sin. Sins of an individual and sin in societal terms have much to do with theology. A universal definition of sin applicable to all situations is impossibility. In the novel “The Kite Runner,” by Khaled Hosseini, Baba, the main character, gives his version of the sin to his son Amir, in a tone of warning and caution, “That there is only one sin. And that is theft….When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to tell truth.” (225) In substance, sin is an act or behaviour that causes pain to one ’s self or others. The author elaborates the concept of sin with detailed explanations. From the multi-dimensional scope of sin, he picks up three types of sins, murder, lust and greed and argues about their co-relation to the universal sin of theft. To steal one’s property is theft. When you kill someone, you steal the life of the affected individual. Therefore, murder is equivalent to theft. Baba goes on to explain to Amir this concept further, “Forgive? But theft was the one unforgivable sin, the common denominator of all sins. When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife’s right to a husband; rob his children of a father.”(106) Baba makes this issue clear by following the principles of logic. He describes murder as a derivative of theft. The after-effects of a murder are equivalent to theft. The author associates murder with the character of Aseef, a violent individual. Amir depicts his traits and mentions that his mission is, “Stoning adulterers? Raping children? Flogging women for wearing high heels? Massacring Hazaras? All in the name of Islam?”(284) Aseef has no qualms about his actions. The actions are just duty to be performed, from his point of view and he renders his sacred duty towards Islam. His conscience does not prick him while he commits those universal sin of theft, that of stealing a life. The series of ghastly killings are in the ordinary course nothing but insanity of the individual, but Aseef has proper justification for his actions and no regrets absolutely. He has the protective umbrella of his culture, his religion Islam, for all his evil deeds. The immediate action may be brutal, intentional killing but it has been committed to serve a greater cause of religion. But that is acceptable as per a particular culture and will not have universal acceptance from the point of view of humankind as a whole. The pages of human history are daubed, drenched and soaked in the blood of such evil deeds and attempts have been made for ethnic cleansing through mass killings. This is comparable to the mass demolition operations of residential and commercial properties by an authorized government agency in compliance with the laws of the land, howsoever bad may be the law in the ordinary parlance. So the concept of theft elaborated by Baba in the novel, needs to be understood along with the concept of property. Property is something owned and also the right of ownership. Baba propounds this view when he elucidates, "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. You steal his wife's right to a husband; rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness." (18) But Baba does not stand up to his professed conviction in his own case. Amir comes to know that Hassan is his half-brother which means Baba has stolen Amir’s right to truth throughout his youth and till this fact comes to his notice. The issue has further serious dimensions. Baba’s sexual relationship with another man’s wife is equivalent of committing the universal sin of theft, because Afghan society views Baba’s conduct unacceptable and the sinful act has to be hidden from it. The author takes to structure to elaborate the theme of sin. Amir recollects the story in retrospect. The first chapter of the novel is like the foundation for the entire novel, and Amir weighs each event in the scale of sin. The author also discusses whether atonement of sins is possible. One of the ways to atone the sins of the past is to challenge them. Amir tries to do the same. It is not possible for anyone, Amir included, to escape from sins committed in the past, as they have already happened. Amir has no way to escape his guilt. He must be suffering for it every day, in his every thought and in every type of societal disposition. Each and every molecule of his mind and body must have been surcharged with the negativities generated out of his sins. It must be haunting at all times, in all situations. The author explains about Amir’s social position thus: “Amir, the socially legitimate half, the half that represented the riches he had inherited and the sin-with-impunity privileges that came with them.”(302) But Amir is not to be blamed for what is inherited by him, for he is in no way responsible for that action. Two important observations about sin at the end of the novel set the reader thinking. The author writes, “I pray, I pray that my sins have not caught up with me the way I’d always feared they would. A STARLESS BLACK NIGHT falls over Islamabad” (346) and something more is in store about America. He writes, “America, you don’t reveal the ending of the movie, and if you do, you will be scorned and made to apologise profusely for having committed the sin of spoiling the End.”(357) By now the reader must be feeling bewildered to know the vast dimensions of sin. Conclusion Sin stands against the opposite side of divinity. They have independent existence and are considered as the pair of opposites. The former is harmful for the accepted social personality of an individual. The author depicts the theme of sin brilliantly in the novel, and the hair-splitting arguments that he does in favor or condemnation of sin, stand the test of reasoning. The concept of sin varies between two different cultures. Individual views about the sin may also vary according to the situational demands. Turn the pages of history; one will come across many sins committed in the cause of so-called defense of the sins. Quotes Cited in the Paper along with Page Numbers: 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. You steal his wife's right to a husband; rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness. (18) Forgive? But theft was the one unforgivable sin, the common denominator of all sins. When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife’s right to a husband; rob his children of a father. (106) That there is only one sin. And that is theft….When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to tell truth (225.) Stoning adulterers? Raping children? Flogging women for wearing high heels? Massacring Hazaras? All in the name of Islam? (284) I pray, I pray that my sins have not caught up with me the way I’d always feared they would. A STARLESS BLACK NIGHT falls over Islamabad. (346) America, you don’t reveal the ending of the movie, and if you do, you will be scorned and made to apologise profusely for having committed the sin of spoiling the End. (357) Works Cited Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. Riverhead Trade, April 27, 2004.Print Read More