There is certainly a great deal of abuse and corruption on the part of the powerful in The Kite Runner. This misconduct occurs on many levels, from the violence and sexual sadism of Aseef to the shadowy influence of the Soviet Union and the United States on Afghanistan. Even Amir, whose wealth and status give him power, is complicit in the abuse of his closest friend, Hassan.

However, despite the hopelessness of change on a political level, The Kite Runner is a story of personal redemption for Amir. As Rahim Khan tells him after the death of Hassan, "There is a way to be good again." Amir atones for his cowardice in failing to help Hassan by adopting Sohrab, standing up to Aseef, and later to General Taheri, in a way that he never had the courage to before.

Amir's transformation may be seen as a minor victory. In the first place, though he has some power, Amir is never "in power" in the same sense as a political or military leader, who can influence the destinies of others. It is also true that Amir's bad conduct early in the novel is based on fear, not on malice, so the change in him is not altogether surprising. However, it is a change that makes a difference on an individual level, rescuing Sohrab from the horrors of the orphanage, and his abuse by Aseef.