Symbols

Question 1

Kites

Answer 1

Amir’s kite symbolizes both his happiness and guilt. Flying kites as a child connects him with Baba, a champion kite fighter. However, Amir’s betrayal of Hassan leads to the kite’s resemblance to his betrayal of Hassan. The kite’s significance changes when Amir raped Hassan to bring it back to Baba. At the end of the novel, Amir redeemed himself, and the kite becomes a reminder of his childhood and his connection with Sohrab, mirroring his relationship with Baba.

Question 2

The Cleft Lip

Answer 2

Hassan’s cleft lip, a symbol of his poverty and social status, separates him from Amir. Baba, Hassan’s biological father, pays a surgeon to repair his lip, expressing his secret love for him. Assef, Hassan’s abusive partner, splits Amir’s lip, leaving him with a permanent scar. Amir’s identity merges with Hassan’s, and he learns to stand up for those he cares about, becoming a father figure to Sohrab. This serves as a sign of Amir’s redemption.

Question 3

The Lamb

Answer 3

In Islam, the lamb symbolizes the sacrifice of an innocent. Amir describes Hassan and Sohrab as lambs waiting to be slaughtered, similar to the lambs killed during Eid Al-Adha. Sohrab, on the other hand, is portrayed as a slaughter sheep. Both are innocents sacrificed by rape, but their meanings differ. In Hassan’s case, Amir sacrifices him for the blue kite, while in Sohrab’s case, Amir stops his sexual abuse, illustrating the exploitation of an innocent.