Because of the emotion provoked by Khaled Hosseini in his novel, The Kite Runner, it has been very difficult for me to justify the intense suffering that faces Amir, Hassan, their fathers, wives, mothers, and Hassan's son. But is it my role to justify their suffering? Perhaps Hosseini is insisting that there is a balance to suffering that may not seem to balance out, while in fact a single smile can, in an instant, take and individual back to the place and time before suffering. Suffering may never be justified, but an individual (in this case, Amir) can be refined. He may gain honor and true life. Can there be life without suffering? Hassan seemed to live much more than Amir in their childhood. Could that be because Hassan suffered? Amir had to travel back to his past to complete his suffering. Perhaps God allows suffering in order to develop thought within our minds. It's what makes us human.

To be edited... thoughts need to develop!

Suffering develops the individual. Without suffering, we are all just people with happy lives. This concept is portrayed in William Shakespeare's The Tempest. Prospero was brutally robbed of his dukedom and raises his daughter, Miranda, on an island void of suffering (in essence). The difference between these two characters develops Shakespeare's opinion of suffering. Suffering drives Prospero to all of his actions. He is constantly seeking for justification of his suffering, and he is much less content. Miranda is content to live simply. Her only drive to action is in search of more happiness.

Suffering is the only thing that leaves us room to be redeemed. This may be why God allows suffering.

In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, much of his commentary refers to the suffering of his characters: suffering of the poor, suffering of the rich. Does our suffering serve a redeeming purpose? Dostoevsky believes that this is a just world, and suffering is either the punishment of sin, or a test of will, goodness, and faith. Therefore, in response to my "big question", God allows suffering to refine our souls and yet we do simultaneously cause our own suffering. We (humanity, as a whole) create our own suffering and God allows it to continue.