P2+Janine+and+Randi

//Janene & Randi//

__Theme__ __Betrayal__ In the book, __//The Kite Runner//__, it is a story about betrayal. Amir betrays Hassan by doing nothing to help Hassan when he needed him the most. When Hassan was getting raped by Assef in the alley, Amir was crouched behind the wall watching not doing anything to help Hassan. Amir could have helped Hassan like Hassan has done for him in the past, but instead chose to runaway. According to Hosseini, "I had one last ]chance to make a decision. one final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into the alley, stand up for Hassan-the way he'd stood up for me all those times in the past-and accept whatever happen to me. Or i could run. In the end, I ran" (77). Ever since that day in the ally Amir and Hassan's relationship started to go down hill from then on. Hosseini does not tell the reader this is betrayal, he portrays it to be so. By having Amir runaway from his true and loyal friend who he later realizes is his half brother. He runs away never to tell Hassan that he knows what had happened in the alley.

Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner (Riverhead Essential Editions). New York: Riverhead Trade, 2005. Print.
__Event Hassan's rape__ In the book, //__The Kite Runner__//, Hassan proves to Amir that he is loyal towards Amir. He proves that he is dedicated and true. Hassan states, "//Inshallah//, we'll celebrate later. Right now, I'm going to run that blue kite for you" (Hosseini 66). After Amir's victory in the kite running competition, Hassan runs to find the last kite Amir cut. This kite is a symbol of victory, and by giving the kite to Baba, Amir wins Baba's "love". Hassan was so quick to find that kite so Baba would be proud of Amir; he knows how much Amir wishes to be accepted by Baba. When Amir sees the three boys holding down Hassan, he does nothing. He completely betrays Hassan. Hassan was only put in that situation because he was being loyal and trying to help Amir.

Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner (Riverhead Essential Editions). New York: Riverhead Trade, 2005. Print.
__Symbol__ __The Kite__ The kite is a key symbol in //__The Kite Runner__//, it represents the friendship Amir and Hassan have together as they were kids. The kite is the key symbol because when Hassan was getting raped by Assef in the alley, he was on his way to retrieve the kite for Amir, so he could give it to Baba. The kite represents the time in Amirs life when he chose to turn his back on Hassan to get what he wanted the most Baba, forever changing everything between Amir and Hassan. "Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba" (Hoseini 77). At this point Amir had chosen to run from his friend to get what he wanted. And he did, he got praise from his father for winning the tournament. Leaving Hassan limping away with memories that will forever stay. The kite was a symbol of Hassans loyalty he had for Amir, the love he had for him. That loyalty was broken at this point never to have again. Because Amir wanted what was best for himself, not for others.