chapter notes kite runner 1-9

Amir's internal conscience attacks him after he fails to stand up for Hassan and forces him to leave.

While Amir is lying in the dark, with nothing but his own thoughts, he feels that his guilt is taking over his life. He realizes that he is going to get away with his betrayal and yet he feels terrible. He decides that the only way he is going to live with his remorse is to ignore Hassan, blot him out, so he does not have to think about his sin. Amir’s guilt is so great that he cannot bear to have Hassan under the same roof, so he commits another sin. He lies to his father and accuses Hassan of stealing. “…I took a couple of the envelopes of cash from the pile of gifts and my watch, and tiptoed out…I lifted Hassan’s mattress and planted my new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it…I knocked on Baba’s door and told what I hoped would be the last in a long

“ For you, a thousand times over”. This one sentence sums up the immense love, loyalty and friendship Hassan had for Amir.

Amir betrays Hassan by planting his birthday gifts under Hassan’s mattress in attempt to get him kicked out.

First and foremost, from the very beginning of the novel it is clear to see that Hassan has an undying and unfortunately, unrequited love for Amir. There are a variety of times that Hassan’s love for Amir is portrayed throughout the novel, but the one time that stands out the most is right before the turning point of the story. After Amir wins the kite flying tournament, he asks Hassan to run the blue kite for him and Hassan replies by saying, “‘For you a thousand times over’”(Hosseini 67). This one statement from Hassan sums up everything about him, meaning that no matter what Amir would ask of him, he would do

-Hassan goes and chases after the losing kite. Amir goes looking for Hassan and finds him in an Alley being pinned down and raped by Assef and his friends. Amir fails to speak up. He instead runs away.

Once back in Kabul, Amir takes steps he would never have imagined, which truly define his character. On his venture back to Afghanistan he learns the truth about Hassan’s connection with Baba. After hearing this Amir feels robbed of the truth and is angry at how his own father could hold this back from him. Despite his feelings, Amir realizes he must not only pay for his betrayal of Hassan but for Baba’s betrayal of Ali too. Amir knows he must face his fears and he understands this when he reveals, “I remembered Baba saying that my problem was that someone had always done my fighting for me" (Hosseini 239). Following this he undertakes a personal mission to find Sohrab and finds the courage to stand up to the Taliban, nearly dying in the process. During his quest Amir comes face to face with the disturbing Assef and fights him for Sorab, the ultimate sacrifice for his dead half-brother. While he is beaten he begins to laugh, which angers Assef even more. Amir explains that, “What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace" (Hosseini 303). After successfully bringing Sohrab back to California, Amir defends his Hazara nephew when General Taheri insults him. Over the dinner

Amir and Hassan, inseparable, fiercely loyal friends, have just won the annual kite-flying tournament in Kabul, Afghanistan in the winter of 1975 by cutting down all other kites in the air. Amir has just dispatched Hassan to retrieve as a trophy the last kite cut

It changed him and leaves him scarred. Still, more dominos fall and he is hurt yet again by his undying loyalty to Amir. Lastly after Amir cant handle the guild of letting his best friend get raped he hides a bunch of his money under Hassan bed along with a watch Baba gave him. Later he goes to Baba and says Hassan stole his money and watch and when Baba sees it he bring Hassan into his office and asks him if he took the watch and money. Hassan says yes and incriminates

After Amir puts his watch under Hassan’s bed, Baba calls Hassan and Ali to question them and although it is a lie, Hassan admits to stealing the watch. Amir realizes this is “Hassan’s final sacrifice for me…[even though] knows I’d seen everything in that alley...He knew I had betrayed him and yet he was rescuing me once again” (111). Hassan has every right to reveal the truth about what Amir is doing, but he has always been loyal to him by taking the blame; this time it is not any different. However, his loyalty, or his “final sacrifice” causes him to move out of the only home he has ever known. Additionally, children should not keep secrets as it puts an immense amount of pressure on their shoulders. Hassan’s loyalty is also shown after the kite tournament when Assef wants the blue kite: “Amir agha won the tournament and I [Hassan] ran this kite for him. I ran it fairly and this is his kite” (77). Hassan’s self-expectation to be loyal to Amir; by not handing over the kite; prompts Assef to sexually assault him. After this incident, Hassan does not smile for a long time as it resonates with him for his whole life. Ultimately, the expectation Hassan has for himself to be loyal to Amir results in the loss of essential parts of his

Throughout the novel, the protagonist and narrator Amir receives many acts of loyalty from his brother and friend Hassan; these acts start off simple and almost meaningless to Amir, but as times get harder, Hassan’s loyalty proves strong. Hassan was very loyal and humble to those close to him and showed his devotion when he listened to everything Amir had to say and did whatever he wanted when he asked. Amir was reminding himself of the past and constantly bring him memories of Hassan and felt guilt at every moment. Amir reminded himself of the days in Afghanistan when Ali scolded Hassan for the things he had asked him to do, “But he never told on me. Never told that the mirror, like shooting walnuts at the neighbor’s dog, was my idea” (4). These actions were created by Hassan’s surroundings as he grew up, he was taught to be a Hazara servant, but once that friendship sparked between the two boys, Hassan didn’t want to lose that, Amir was his only friend. These small acts of loyalty sparked and grew more important to Amir. A major turning point in the novel was during the kite tournament, but upon finishing the race, Hassan tells Amir, “For you a thousand times over!” (67). This statement is a constant reminder throughout the novel that Hassan will forever be with him and that he will constantly put himself in danger for him and the people he loves. The proof of his loyalty increased that very same day when Hassan found the kite in an alley, but being cornered and harassed by Assef and his friends, he chose to stay and run that kite for Amir instead of handing it over. “‘Amir agha won the tournament and I ran this kite for him. I ran it fairly. This is his

Hassan was pinned down by the two other boys, while Assef rapes him. Amir chose to run away and left his friend to be harassed by the three boys and pretend that nothing happened when he meets Hassan again with the losing kite. From this scene, we could see that Hassan is not only his servant but his companion as well whom he can trust and rely on and Hassan’s loyalty towards him would never change. Although Hassan is Amir’s life long companion, but he always feel that Hassan is beneath him. To him, Hassan is a servant and he would do anything to takes what’s best for him even if it means to leave his friend behind which I felt sympathy for Hassan of his over-caring for others. From the scene when Hassan confronted with the three boys and tried to take the losing kite away, Hassan refused to give it to them as he believes that Amir is his friend and he wouldn’t betray him. Moreover, the kite that he’s holding belong to Amir, his best friend, not them, he would do anything to protect and give it back to

As he leaps after the kite, he yells, “For you a thousand times over!” over his shoulder (Hosseini 67). While chasing down the kite, Hassan runs into Assef. Assef demands the kite as payment for previous embarrassments, but after Hassan refuses, Assef decides he will take something even more precious from him. At this point, Amir comes looking for his best friend and his trophy. He witnesses Hassan getting raped and quietly slinks away, not brave enough to protect his protector. Worse, Amir never acknowledges the incident, wounding Hassan deeper than any physical abuse. Ashamed of himself and his cowardice, Amir decides that the best way to be rid of his guilt is to make Hassan leave. He plants money and his watch under Hassan’s mattress with the hope that Baba will throw the thief out. Baba forgives Hassan, but Hassan and his father decide to leave anyway.

Assef bullies Hassan to show him his place as a Hazara. Assef shows many forming of bullying. At first Assef is very verbally aggressive towards Hassan. Assef tells Hassan that he is loyal to Amir who would show him no loyalty. Assef makes a bold statement describing Hassan as “A loyal Hazara, loyal as a dog.” (Hosseini 77) Assef explains to Hassan that as a Hazara he is loyal to someone that would not show the same loyalty to him in return. While Hassan is cornered by the three bullies, Amir is just watching without any plan of stepping in. Amir wants to retrieve the kite to bring it back Baba to impress Baba. He

Amir stumbles upon an alley. In the alley, he sees the Hassan trap by three boys named Assef, Kamal, and Wali. All they asked of Hassan is to give up the blue kite. However, Hassan’s loyalty and friendship toward Amir prevented Hassan to give up the kite. As the tension built, Assef lets Hassan have the kite, but in-return he does unthinkable. Assef rapes Hassan as Amir watched unnoticeably from the alley (Hosseini 62-66). This was Amir’s chance to prove his true friendship by stepping in to save Hassan. Instead, Amir ran “because I was a coward. I was afraid of Assef and what he could do to me. I was afraid of getting hurt. That’s what I told myself as I turned my back to the alley, to Hassan” (Hosseini 68). According to Amir, “Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba” (Hosseini 68). “He was just a Hazara, wasn’t he?” (Hosseini 68).