The Kite Runner

     Amir falls in love with Soraya in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  Soraya has had a past that has been talked about among many people.  Amir does not care about her past though because "I had one of my own.  I knew all about regret" (180).  This relatable aspect of Soraya allows Amir to not feel as guilty or as bad because he knows that Soraya has made mistakes as well.  He wishes he had the courage to speak about it but just knowing she has had a bad past makes Amir feel more comfortable.  The past never leaves Amir.  It holds him back in his relationship with Soraya but also allows him to feel better about it as well.  I think that the past will continue to affect different aspects of Amir's life and keep harming him or restraining him in some way. Amir always trying to push away the past will only hurt him more in the future.  It will keep coming into different relationships and be that much harder every time.