Betrayal is an issue many can relate to, whether it is done by a family member or a friend. In the book The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, we witness betrayal play a vital role in the downfall of the main character’s Amir and Hassan’s friendship, and how betrayal was the reason for why Amir sought redemption in hopes to move on. The novel begins with Amir as an adult, recalling an event that took place in 1975 in his hometown Kabul, Afghanistan and how this event was what changed the rest of his life and made him who he now is. Despite this heartbreaking occurrence of Amir’s reluctance to help Hassan while he was being raped, it was the reason for why Amir later decided to be brave and stand up for what he believes in. Hosseini shows us how the Afghani culture and Amir’s reluctance to help …show more content…
In The Kite Runner, the author tells a story of the close friendship of two boys who come from different social classes, Amir being the wealthy boy and Hassan the servant. It takes place in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1978, a time where the separation of Hazara Shia Muslims and Sunni Muslims took place. A part in the book where we witness betrayal of their friendship and this division of culture is after the yearly kite tournament where Hassan goes after the kite Amir won and promises to bring it back to him. During his search for the kite, Hassan encounters Assef and his friends, who constantly bullied Amir, threatened Hassan to give up the kite or pay the price. Being that Hassan was loyal and wanted to keep his promise to Amir, he decided to pay the price which was rape. The saddest part was that Amir was there watching from a distance and was unwilling to help his best friend due to his lack of courage and inability to stand up for himself. Up until adulthood, Amir had to carry the baggage of betraying Hassan by not being there when he most needed him, this guilt tormented him to the point where he moved to America with his dad, Baba, as a way to escape his