Hassan’s son, Sohrab, is a symbol of redemption for Amir because by saving him, he would redeem himself for what he did to Hassan in the past and as a result, let go of his shame. After Amir finds out the tragedy of Hassan’s death and that he is his half brother, he feels a great deal of guilt inside and therefore urges to find Sorab for the reparation of his past sins.
The author uses the book of Sohrab as an analogy of the relationship between the boys, and the way they depict it differently showed how Amir view it in a one sided perspective. "Read it again please, Amir agha," Hassan would say. Sometimes tears pooled in Hassan's eyes as I read him this passage, and I always wondered whom he wept for, the grief-stricken Rostam who tears his clothes and covers his head with ashes, or the dying Sohrab who only longed for his father's love? Personally, I couldn't see the tragedy in Rostam's fate.
Another key event in the chapter is the unveiling of Hassan’s true father, Baba. Amir reacts badly to the news and Hosseini portrays this using Westernised language to contrast with Rahim Khan’s traditional language. His anger is emphasised through the repetition of ‘you goddamn bastards’. This contrasts with the earlier chapters in the novel where Amir always speaks to Rahim Khan politely and with respect and could represent the influence America has had on him. Finding out that Hassan and he were half-brothers also makes his decision to save Sohrab even more crucial and makes the reader more anxious to see whether or not he will betray Hassan again or redeem himself. His decision to save Sohrab is foreshadowed in chapter 14 when General Tahiri says ‘blood is a powerful thing, bachem, never forget that’ suggesting that the bond of blood and brotherhood is so strong, Amir must save Sohrab, his own blood relative in order to fully
As the roles reverse, under Assef’s beating hands, Amir suffers the punishment that he believed he should have received when he was younger for not defending Hassan. Amongst the pain of the blows he is dealt, he feels a sense of redemption. He feels he has finally been given atonement for the sins of his childhood. Even though Amir was to save Sohrab, ironically Hassan’s own son is the one to save him just like Hassan always did before, to give him that true redemption he so
Amir watches his best friend Hassan get assaulted by Assef and some of his friends in an alley on the way home from the kite tournament. However, Amir does not go and defend Hassan and struggles to forgive himself. Fast forward in the story Amir has been living in America for some time and decides to go back to Kabul to save Hassan’s son Sohrab who he had never met. “From the past that had come calling. And from this one last chance at redemption” (Hosseini 231). In other words, Amir is saying that if he doesn’t do this there is nothing he can do to redeem himself for what he did in the past. This will lead to how Amir will be willing to do anything to save Sohrab even if it means risking his life and leaving his family behind.
Sohab plays a good part in this text even though his poped up at the end of the text. A way of redemption and relief for amir.But sohrab story in this text is sad. He is Just like his father hassan in many ways. You might expect Sohrab to lash out more often at Amir.
Though the roads Hassan and Sohrab traveled on their way to resilience appeared to be parallel, they separated in an instant. Hassan’s difficult past was never able to discourage him for long. After each of his troubles, he was able to go home to Ali and sometimes Amir. He also had the love and support of
She had suffered more than any one thousand people deserve to in a lifetime and all this suffering and all this pain all this suffering was reversed by Hassan and more importantly by forgiveness. “It was Sanaubar who delivered Hassan’s son that winter of 1990.”(Hosseini, 222) Forgiveness allowed the return of the mother to a son and it allowed the return of a mother to a daughter in law and it allowed the return of a grandmother to a grandson and an opportunity to foster a new young mind. Hassan has used his powers of forgiveness to give everyone around him a better life and continues to do so throughout the novel including the life of Amir while at the same time giving Sohrab a better
To leave behind, once and for all, the guilt Amir feels for not having helped Hassan, he must adopt his son Sohrab. He not only must adopt him, but save him from being raped by the same person who raped Hassan; Assef. This is where the theme of redemption is relevant because he finally has the chance to rescue someone who he cares
On page 279, Amir sees Sohrab in real life for the first time. Details about Hassan from the beginning of the book are mentioned again, this time about his son. Hosseini uses the descriptions of Hassan’s ears, chin, round face, and his frame to compare Sohrab to his father. The mention of these details yet another time makes the audience reminisce about Hassan and then feel slightly grateful that his child seems to be like him, so he can live on. Sohrab is generally a character without a lot of details, and the purpose for this could be to make him seem more mysterious. Amir isn’t supposed to understand Sohrab and neither is the audience, because it’s hard to know why someone acts a certain way when you don’t know exactly what they’ve been through. Although the audience knows that both Sohrab’s parents were killed and Assef has abused him, it’s still hard to wrap your mind around what he might be thinking. Since the lack of details implies mysteriousness, bring the reader back to when Baba couldn’t understand Amir. This is a completely different situation but in a way, it’s similar, and it may be put in the book to show
When Sohrab is in the hospital he is under suicide watch. Amir doesn't know how bad Sohrab actually is. Sohrab explains to Amir about how he wants his old life back. How he wish he would have died. When Amir says he wants Sorab to go to America with him, he doesn’t respond so Amir makes the travel arrangements. Soraya treats Sohrab with great affection when he arrives but Sohrab was yet to change. When Sohrab arrived, Soraya and Amir wanted to sign him up for swimming and soccer. As time goes on in this everyone is starting to lose interest in Sohrab, “The poor mute boy”. When Amir and Sohrab are in the kite flying, Amir tells Sohrab about the good tactics that Hassan used to do to win. When Amir performed those tactics and won he
Shortly after the event, they live together as a family, Amir and his wife as Sohrab’s new parents. At first, Sohrab didn’t open up to both of them and remain unspoken towards them, but later he starts to open up when he and the others went to the park where many people are flying kite. Amir brought one for him and fly together. They battle with another kite using Hassan’s favorite trick. They win, with a joy on Sohrab’s face, and Amir ran after to get the losing kite. I assumed that Amir’s intention to adopt Sohrab could means that being a father figure to Sohrab and making him his own son could help him redeem himself for what he have did in the past. His guilt will always haunted him no matter what. As a child, he thought that what he did is the right way to take responsible but it turns out making things worse for him leaving Hassan and letting him face his death. Now as an adult, his feeling of guilt for his actions in the past motivates him. Adopting Sohrab and getting beat by Assef could emotionally healed him from his guit. By doing this, he could finally fulfiled his will to redeem himself, free himself from imprison, and let go of the past that always haunted
Amir made a “decision based on pure faith” to save Sohrab, which he believed was a right choice in order for him to obtain redemption. Another way wrong can be made good, is by satisfying oneself through doing whatever it takes to remove guilt and frustration caused by the mistake. As stated by Dr. Harra, she proclaimed that it is very important to “[detach] from the pain, frustration, and bitterness buried within”. Similarly in The Kite Runner, the author displays Amir’s emotional feeling which hints him to adopt Sohrab, in order to once and for all, remove the “pain, frustration, and bitterness” he feels internally. The tone of the following passage shows ambition and satisfaction from Amir for that he now has “brought Hassan's son from Afghanistan to America, lifting him from the certainty of turmoil and dropping him in a turmoil of uncertainty” (356, Hosseini). The satisfactory tone informs the reader that Amir knew that the only way he could conceal the issue he has been thinking of since childhood, is by taking in Sohrab in order to be more mentally fulfilled. However, such betrayal of Hassan, is not easily if not ever made good again, in the views of
The author merely adds to the meaning of the work as a whole because now Amir must redeem how he treated Hassan by letting his son posses power in the world, satisfying the primal instinct. Since the death of Sohrab’s father, Hassan, Sohrab’s life is
Khaled Hosseini creates a vivid relationship between Amir and Sohrab that actively changes throughout his novel. When Amir first meets Sohrab, the two are on completely different levels. For Amir, it is easy to form a relationship with Sohrab because Amir knows Sohrab is Hassan's son, and Amir loved Hassan. However, Sohrab has a difficult time being taken in by a complete stranger; it is a lot for him to mentally process. This concept is very well shown when Amir and Sohrab are staying in a hotel and Sohrab runs away to a mosque and says "Do you think father is disappointed in me?
In addition, symbolism is shown to portray redemption at the climax of the book. Amir has rescued Hassan's son, Sohrab, from captivity in Kabul. However, a recent life of sexual abuse has rendered his emotions inert. Attending an Afghan summer celebration, Amir notices a kite-fighting tournament taking place. Purchasing a kite for him and Sohrab, they accomplish in cutting another. Looking down at Sohrab, Amir sees the vacant look in his eyes is gone. “Whistles and applause broke out. I was panting. The last time I had felt a rush like this was that day in the Winter of 1975, just after I had cut the last kite, when I spotted Baba on our rooftop, clapping, beaming. I looked down at Sohrab. One corner of his mouth had curled up just so. A smile. Lopsided. Hardly there. But there” (Hosseini, 391). Thus Amir redeems himself, and thus it is shown that symbolism portrays redemption throughout the story.