Chapter 6-10: Getting to Know Amir's True Colors

When I wrote my first blog post, I predicted that Hassan would leave due to the war. I was right about Hassan leaving, but I was wrong about why. These chapters developed Amir and revealed his true colors. I am beginning to develop a feeling of dislike for Amir, which is unusual since he is the main character. The way he treated Ali and Hassan is horrible. In the first parts of the book, he respected the two servants. Now, he doesn't defend Hassan. He could have stopped Assef and his gang from raping Hassan. Instead, he cowardly ran and pretended he saw nothing. Even after this, he completely ignores the two servants to the best of his abilities. Lastly, he frames them for stealing money and his new watch, forcing the two to quit and leave the household. Amir's selfish acts inflicted pain upon Hassan, Ali, and Baba. Baba didn't want the servants to leave, he had a deep connection with them; he had grown up with Ali. Before Hassan is raped, Amir wins the Kite Fighting tournament and was the last kite standing. Meanwhile, Hassan chased down the biggest prize for Amir, the runner-up. This is the cause of his raping. He sacrificed himself so Amir could bring the kite back to his father. Later, Amir's father throws him a birthday party where Assef shows up. He brought him the biography of Hitler, which Amir throws to the side. The book then flashes forward several years after the servants leave, this time, Baba and Amir leave. Russians invaded and controlled most parts of Afghanistan and the two had to sneak away with only two bags with their belongings. At this point, Hassan is eighteen.  They pack into a train and are taken to Jalalabad, where they wait. Over the course of the trip, Baba is almost shot, a woman is almost raped, and Baba almost kills a man, not to mention they have to sleep with rats. I cannot imagine what is going through Amir's head. He went from a pristine  home with every toy he could ever want to now sleeping in a basement with only two bags of possessions. This is what I'd like to believe is Karma. After everything Amir put Hassan and Ali through, this is what the universe believes he deserves; a punishment that will be imprinted in his brain for the rest of his life.

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