Because the past claws its way out. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, Your father, like you, was a tortured soul. In the book the Kite Runner there are many examples of betrayal and here are two of them. But Baba never told Amir or Hassan about it. Why does Amir ask Baba if he has seen Amirs new watch? Amir is constantly trying to please his father and live up to his expectations, which leads to Amir betraying Hassan several times. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. The answer floated to my conscious mind before I could thwart it: He was just a Hazara, wasnt he? 500 Words; 2 Pages; Kite Runner Betrayal Quotes. He is this because he has done evil stuff in his life. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years. Discover how betrayal drives Khaled Hosseini's narrative, with quotes detailing Amir's not-so-secret first betrayal of his childhood friend and the road to betrayal becoming second nature. I ran because, In literary writing, a protagonist is often the one who captures the hearts of readers through their heroic traits and acts. After all these years, Amir has said nary a word about the alleyway and the mattress and now he lets loose 371 pages worth of words. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. How tall were you? In The Kite Runner Amir blatantly betrays his dear friend Hassan , Hassan is scarred by being betrayed . I turned around, lifted the tarpaulin, and threw up over the side of the moving truck. He is now constantly miserable, carrying the weight of this betrayal. Betrayal is not being loyal to someone. But on another level, Amir has just committed a hefty betrayal on the same level as Baba's infidelity with Sanaubar. In the end, I ran. The answer floated to my conscious mind before I could thwart it: He was just a Hazara, wasn't he? Throughout the novel, Hosseini hints at betrayal, especially when Amir orders Hassan to eat dirt and uses the analogy that he was the ant and I was holding the magnifying glass (Hosseini 54). Create your account. Sometimes betrayal can be considered a form of sin and this ends up occurring in The Kite Runner. This is his chance to now become a man. . | 2 Betrayal is a selfish action where one puts themselves before others which can result in painful difficulties amongst individuals. A city of harelipped ghosts. Amir is a young selfish boy who constantly manipulates and exploits Hassan for personal gains. Hassan had come to a hard time in his life, and nobody should ever have to go through it. $24.99 Amir & Baba in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Relationship & Analysis, Assef in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Quotes & Analysis. Sometimes Amir is a jerk. Kite strings are strung with broken glass, which cut competing kites loose, thus cutting them from the competition. In the morning, Jalaluddin would probably think wed gone out for a stroll or a drive. -Graham S. Below you will find the important quotes in, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Meaning, if Baba knew Amir planted the watch and cash, and that Amir abandoned Hassan when Hassan really needed him, Baba's rage would know no bounds. Hassan would prop Sohrab on his shoulders and they would go trotting through the streets, running kites, climbing trees where kites had dropped. Why does Hassan lie about stealing Amirs watch? Baba and Ali grew up together, paralleling the relationship of Amir and Hassan, but despite their closeness they never seemed equal. And if Baba believed him, then I'd be the accused; I would have to explain and I would be revealed for what I really was. America was different. Why doesnt Amir help Hassan in the alley? Made it in passing, almost as an afterthought. SparkNotes PLUS He understands that the only way to convince Amir to go back to Afghanistan is through painful reminders of the past, demonstrated through telling Amir that there is a way to be good again, and by questioning Amirs courage, accusing Amir of being a man who cant stand up to anything (Hosseini 2, 233). Neither is religion. (7.137-139). His Adam's apple rose and fell as he swallowed I thought I saw him nod. Its true. But I can take you with me. Baba works in a gas station. Another important quote is on page 77. What can you possibly say to me? When we discover how the winter of 1975 in Kabul makes Amir Jan struggle throughout life. The last quote is on page 23. Except hed been wrong about that. (8.63). The little one was wearing the watch it dangled around his twiggy wrist. But I appealed unto thy heart in vain, and now is the time gone for meeting "Read it again please, Amir agha," Hassan would say. The book is told from the perspective of Amir and this is something he deals with for the entirety of the book after the incident with Hassan. Theme of Betrayal in the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Pages: 2 (468 words) The Kite Runner Loyalty Pages: 2 (596 words) The Kite Runner Movie and Book Comparison Pages: 2 (478 words) The Theme of Rivalry in Romeo and Juliet Pages: 2 (640 words) Rhetoric in Animal Farm by George Orwell Pages: 2 (534 words) Hosseini exemplifies this in the treatment of Hassan by Pashtuns: They chased him mocked him called him flat-nosed (9). The first time that Amir betrays Hassan is when he chooses not to help Hassan because he wanted to show his father that he had captured the kite in the competition. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a story of betrayal that is set in Afghanistan. (9.29), Amir is right about one thing: if Baba knew the extent of Amir's deception, he would disown Amir. This website helped me pass! He knew about Assef, the kite, the money, the watch with the lightning bolt hands. What is the purpose of this, and what do we learn about the narrator. Amir twice betrays his loyal servant, Hassan, while they are still boys in Kabul: First, Amir fails to come to Hassan's aid when he is sodomized by Assef. Summer has taught creative writing and sciences at the college level. All I smelled was victory. This knowledge comes as another kind of betrayal for Amir, who had always hero-worshipped Baba and is shocked to learn of his fathers flaws. 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Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! He uses Hassan as a scapegoat to win Baba, but upon accomplishing this task, he is riddled with guilt. Amir and Hassans relationship throughout the book, The Kite Runner, is based off of love, betrayal, and forgiveness. For instance, in his childhood, Amir is constantly competing with Hassan for Babas attention and love. The two are now bound by guilt and sin and that's not healthy.