Loyalty In The Kite Runner

Throughout the duration of The Kite Runner there were numerous themes which included loyalty, betrayal, and never being able to run away from your past. While reading, the theme that stuck out to me the most was how the characters in the book were so loyal to one another. While growing up Hassan was always there for Amir; during the beginning of the book they encountered Assef. Hassan referred to Amir as his servant, but when Assef put on his brass knuckles and had a look of evil in his eye, Amir bent down and pointed his slingshot at Assef. He held the slingshot directly at Assef’s face and placed a rock the size of a walnut in the cup. He didn’t put his slingshot down until Assef said, `“This isn’t the end for you either, Amir. Someday, I’ll make you face me one on one.” (Hosseini 41) Later on in Chapter 8, Amir and Hassan were sitting under the pomegranate tree.

Amir picked up a rotten pomegranate off of the ground and hurled it at Hassan’s chest.

“Hit be back!” I snapped. “Get up! Hit me back!” (Hosseini 92) Even though Amir continued to pelt Hassan with pomegranate after pomegranate he never got angry nor threw a single pomegranate at Amir. After countless times of being called a “Coward,” Hassan stood up and opened a pomegranate in half and crushed it over his own head and then turned around and walked down the hill. While the book was coming to an end the characters still remained as loyal as ever. In chapter 22, Amir was still on the hunt for Hassan’s little boy, Sohrab. He found Sohrab, but he was with Assef; Assef said he could have him if and only if he was still alive after their scuffle. After several blows with the brass knuckles they began to warm up from fresh blood. When Amir was pushed up against the wall the nail jabbed into his back, he was bleeding profusely. Shallowing tooth after tooth and listening to his own ribs break like tree

branches. Amir began to laugh. Laughing each time he was kicked, punched, or scratched. Assef growing angrier with each kick and punch. Assef grabbed Amir’s throat. Sohrab took out his slingshot and pointed it as Assef. He pulled it as far back as it could go. Seconds later Amir and Sohrab were free! They had defeated the enemy. (Hosseini 289) Each one of these incidents show how loyal the characters were to one another. Throughout the whole story each character was loyal in some shape or form to another character. I found it interesting how Hassan was so loyal to Amir his whole childhood while growing up together and then Sohrab was just as loyal even though he didn’t know Amir and had only heard of him from his father. Even though Amir didn’t stand up to those bullies in the alleyway and allowed them to rape Hassan he would of never failed Amir. Fortunately Amir is able to take care and love Sohrab just as his father would have.