Betrayal

"I'm thirty-eight years old and I've just fund out my whole life is one big f*cking lie! What can you possibly say to make things better? Nothing. Not a goddamn thing! And with that, I stormed out of the apartment" (pg 223).


Although I could never imagine myself in Amir's shoes during this point in the novel, I understand his anger towards Rahim Khan. Amir has been harboring this guilt for not being able to please Baba, and for hurting Hassan the way he had, for twenty years. Then, to find out that his servant was his brother, and Baba had lied to him throughout the entirety of his life, would push that anger over the edge. Now, not only did Amir have to make amends with a servant in order to be at peace with himself, but he had to makes amends with his half-brother, too. If I were Amir, I would go back and reconsider all of the decisions I would have made differently had I been aware of my relationship with Hassan. Yes, Amir was aware that he had betrayed but a friend, but now he had to come to terms with betraying his blood...his family. In my opinion, this is what drives Amir to make things right with Hassan: for Baba and himself to forgive themselves and make peace with one another. Although Baba had died years prior to Amir's discovery, Baba's name would still be honorable if Amir made up for his mistreatment by raising Sohrab, Hassan's son.