The Kite runner plays with the idea of guilt right from the start as the character Amir cowards out of a situation; causing him guilt, the societal idea of this is whether you run away from this guilt (which doesn’t work) or to address the guilt.
Hassan’s assault and rape by Aseef is where Amir has a place of power where he can step in but chooses not to, this is the initial creation of his guilt and trauma. The author reflects on this saying”I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.”