When many people hear the word ‘secret’ they may have a grin or a worried expression on their face. A secret is the hiding of truths or false information. Sometimes in life, we face problems and accomplishments. Secrets are the mysteries of life they make or break us. There are several reasons for this; it does not matter whether you are keeping or have told it. In The Kite Runner and The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Khaled Hosseni and Kim Edwards together share the perception of secrets and the redemptive power of love. Using the element of character both novels is able to expose the burden of keeping secrets. Secrets affect us by how we share them and how we keep them from others, affecting our character, honesty and relationships.
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Firstly, trust and communication are essential in many relationships. Without these two aspects, the relationship would not be one you want to continue. In Khaled Hosseni’s The Kite Runner showed how these aspects were destroyed in a relationship. Amir, the son of a well-off and recognized man, developed a friendship with one of his servants; Hassan. As the years moved on, Amir is faced with a life altering choice, he was able to save Hassan but the way he acted effected their lives which led them to pursue two separate lives. “I opened my mouth, almost said something. Almost. The rest of my life might have turned out differently if I had. But I did not. I just watched paralyzed” (Hosseni73) Amir now matured looking into his past, was saddened with the choices that he made as a young boy that in the end changed his friendship with Hassan. This was also a major changing point in Kim Edwards, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. David Henry was faced with a life changing decision that would alter his relationship with his wife forever. “He had done the wrong thing all those years ago; he had made a mistake when he handed this daughter to Caroline Gill.”(Edwards198) His decision was based utterly out of protecting the heart of the woman he loved most in his life, but in doing so he was in reality tarnishing it even more. By keeping this secret stuck between them, their relationship was slowly falling apart. Therefore, both of these works illustrated how trust and communication is vital in many relationships.
Secondly, when people keep secrets they are constantly making sure they don’t get caught in their lie, thus they must make lies that can cover up their lies. In The Kite Runner, Amir’s secret is taking an effect on his character. As a result, making Amir run away from his secret. “America was different. America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past. I could wade into this river, let my sins drown to the bottom, let the waters carry me someplace.” (Hosseni144) Once the war began, Amir and Baba moved to America. In America, Amir stared a new life and began a family stop thinking about his secret. This argument was also evident in The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. David Henry was forced to make a decision that changed his life endlessly. David and his wife Norah celebrate their anniversary, Norah giving David a camera called the ‘Memory Keeper’. “Photography is all about secrets… The secrets we all have and will never tell.” (Edwards201) David uses the camera to still time in hopes that he can find a instant that will make sense of his secrets he is keeping from his wife Norah. He desires for the choice he made years ago to be taken away, therefore he hides behind his camera looking for a greater importance in life. In conclusion, both characters of these novels present the view of running away from mistakes in life.
Thirdly, redemption is a main subject in both of these novels. Redemption is essentially getting back at a wrong. In The Kite Runner, Amir betrayed his best friend and ultimately their relationship was broken. “There is a way to be good again” (Hosseni226) Rahim Khan was one of the few men that knew everything that happened in Amir’s life. Rahim told Amir that Hassan started his own life as well when he left to America. He had a child named Sohrab; nevertheless, this child was wanted to be found because Hassan and his wife were killed during the war. In the end, Amir decided to stand up for himself and knew that he had to find Hassan’s son. He was not going to be the same coward that he was back as a child, those days were over. He finally felt like he had done something right. This was also unmistakable in The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. When David unfortunately dies of a heart attack Caroline takes it upon herself to tell Norah the secret they have been keeping from her. ” ‘Phoebe did not die,’ Caroline said evenly, looking straight at her, and Norah felt caught in the moment as she had been all those years ago, holding on to that gaze as the known world shifter around her.”(Edwards368) The secret that David keeps affects the entire course of their lives. David has kept Phoebe a secret from Norah, which is the reason for the break of his family. He had wanted to tell Norah but he did not know how to approach it. Caroline had decided that Norah deserved to know about their secret. Norah and Caroline’s life was completely changed in one flash and finally felt relieved. Therefore, redemption was a major subject in both of these novels.
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In conclusion, secrets may end up in pain and regret. Truthfully honesty is the best strategy. In Khaled Hosseni’s The Kite Runner, Amir; the main character of the novel made a decision that changed his life. He was given the chance to save his best friend but did not, which made him keep that secret. Eventually, ending his relationship with his best friend. Also, In Kim Edwards The Memory Keepers Daughter, David also the main character of the novel was faced with a decision that ultimately changed his life and his wife Norah’s as well. When Norah gave birth to her daughter Phoebe who had down syndrome, David told Norah that she died when she was born. David went on keeping that secret from Norah always wondering what if, what if he didn’t give his daughter away and she was living with them. A secret can be more damaging than anything. Therefore, secrets are the mysteries of life they make or break us
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