Introduction

The purpose of this web page is to explore the different levels of loyalty and betrayal in the New York Times  bestseller, "The Kite Runner". The Kite Runner is about two boys, Amir and Hassan, who grow up together in Afghanistan. Amir and Hassan were best friends, almost like brothers. However, Hassan was a Hazara, an ethnic minority in Afghanistan. Hassan and his father Ali are Amir's and Baba's servants in Kabul, but this does not change their relationship.

   One day, Amir and Hassan run into three bullies name Assef, Wali, and Kamal. Assef, having prejudice the Hazara, threatens to beat up Amir for being his friend. Hassan then pulls out a slingshot and uses it on Assef to stop him. This does not take well with Assef, and he vows to get them back one day.

   Not long afterwards, Assef and the other boys corner Hassan in a back alley after Hassan has run a kite for Amir. Amir does not know where Hassan is and is frantically looking for him. Finally, Amir arrives to witness Assef raping Hassan to "teach him a lesson". Amir, being afraid, does nothing and runs away. This is one of the first examples of betrayal that occurs in this book.

   As I stated earlier, in these next few posts I will present some of the themes of loyalty and the themes of betrayal. We will also look into the topic of Kite Running, to further explore what it meant to Amir and how it relates to his life.

Loyalty

Throughout the story we see countless examples of loyalty. But before we explore these examples, what is loyalty? What define's it? It is literally the state or quality of being loyal or having faithfulness to commitments or obligations. What does this mean? This means that when you are loyal, you have an unwavering devotion to the things you deem most important. Hassan's loyalty to Amir is one that never ceases. Even when Hassan has been raped by Assef, he is still loyal to Amir. 

    One day, Amir asks Hassan to go up to the hill with him. He tells him that he wants to read him a new story that he had written, however his real intention is to pick a fight with Hassan so that he could "recieve the punishment" that he craved. He threw pomegranates at him over and over again, wanting Hassan to hit him back. But Hassan, being loyal to Amir, picks up a pomegranate and crushes it agains his own forehead to show that he will not betray Amir by hitting him.

   Another example of loyalty, is when Rahim Khan agrees to take care of the house for Baba when they move to America. Rahim Khan was a good friend of Baba's and the only adult that Amir considered a friend. and all of the years they lived in America, Rahim Khan cared for their home. However, when Baba died, he felt like the house was empty and he felt lonely. So he decides to find Hassan and ask him if he would come live with him. Hassan accepts, and once again proves his loyalty to Amir's family by not only living in the house with Rahim Khan, but helping to take care of it as he once did so many years ago. 

Betrayal

Just as there are many moments that define loyalty in "The Kite Runner", there must be moments in exact opposition to loyalty. These moments are one's of betrayal. Betrayal is something that defines many of the characters in this book and is a recurring theme. Just as we defined the word loyalty, we will now define the word betrayal. The definition of betrayal means to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling. It can also mean to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty. Now, one of the most important events in this book is during the rape of Hassan. While it is brutal, violent, and utterly wrong, it is important to think about what it means. To Amir, it was a sacrifice. Amir describes it as Hassan resembling the lamb that was slaughtered during the Muslim Celebration of Eid Al-Adha, which honors Abraham's near sacrifice of his son for God. Through this sacrifice, he was able to obtain the blue kite, which would supposedly redeem his relationship with Baba. But it also was a monstrous betrayal to his best friend and brother, and it changed his life forever.

Kite Running

Kite fighting was and still is a very popular competition in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Iran. Kite running is when you run after a drifting kite that has been cut lose through kite fighting. These competitions are held throughout the year but most prominent at kite festivals. 

The kite represented the happiness of Amir, but it was also a representation of his guilt. It represents his happiness because as a child this was one of his favorite things to do. But it took on a whole different meaning when Amir does nothing about Hassan's rape. He wants to bring the kite back to Baba, to prove that he is worthy of being his son. But through this, the kite now represents his betrayal to Hassan. 

  At the end of the novel, when Amir redeems himself, he is able to fly kites again. It is no longer a representation of his guilt, but instead acts as a way of connecting with Sohrab.