Last Summary for The Kite Runner!!

Hello, all! I can't believe it, I'm finally done with the book! It took a lot longer than I wanted it to because I've been so busy, but it was definitely a good read. Last time we left off Sohrab and Amir had just arrived in America and met Soraya. Here is the last few pages!

The Kite Runner By: Khaled Hosseini pages: 358-371

When Soraya finally sees Sohrab and Amir she runs up to Amir and they hug, then she turns her attention to Sohrab. She bends downs with tears in her eyes and says hello. His response? She keeps his head down and shifts his feet uncomfortably.  The next few pages summarize their first year with Sohrab. It can actually be summarized in one word: silence. Sohrab doesn't talk at all. He sits in his room, depressed. Amir never gives up on him and continually tries to reach out to him. On the other hand, it becomes too hard for Soraya to keep trying and she eventually stops trying. She longs to have a child of her own and it breaks her heart to not have a connection with Sohrab. But then, March of 2002, things start to brighten up a bit. The whole neighborhood is at a party at a nearby park. It's raining, but everyone is still enjoying themselves. Enventually, the sun comes out and they begin to fly kites. Amir buys one from the kite seller and begins to talk about how great Hassan was at kite running. Of course, Sohrab remains silent. Amir asks him if he wants to help him fly the kite, but he doesn't say anything so Amir begins to fly it by himself. After a while, Amir offered to let Sohrab try flying it, he accepted the offer and flew it for a while. Then, handing it back to Amir, another kite flew in closer, a battle was about to take place. Just as Hassan had always done, Amir waited for the other kite to make its move and then swoosh, he made his move, cutting the other kite down. At this, the crowd cheered! And even better, a small smile from Sohrab. In the end, Amir actually runs the kite for Sohrab.

The way this book ended was really great. The role switch is neat to see. Hassan had always been the runner for Amir, now Amir is doing something for Sohrab. Here's the last paragraph of the book, I think it's really touching:

"Do you want me to run that kite for you?"
His adam's apple rose and fell as he swallowed. The wind lifted his hair. I thought I saw him nod.
"For you, a thousand times over," I heard myself say.
Then I turned and ran.
It was only a little smile, nothing more. It didn't make everything all right. It didn't make anything alright. Only a smile. A tiny thing. A leaf in the woods, shaking in the wake of a startled bird's flight.
But I'll take it. With open arms. Because when spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I just witnessed the first flake melting.
I ran. A grown man running witha swarm of screaming children. But I didn't care. I ran with the wind blowing in my face, and a smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips.
I ran.

Well, do you agree? I think the way he wrote this, in simple and short sentences, really makes it moving. To me it shows how he changed. Now he is focused on other people instead of himself, and he loves Sohrab very much. I feel like he finally made up for all his sins of his younger days.