In The Kite Runner, there are some special relationships between some of the characters. Amir has a relationship with Rahim which should be with Baba. Rahim seems like the present father Amir never had. Rahim listens to what Amir has to say in another way than Baba does. For instance Baba gives Amir expensive gifts for his birthday, a bicycle and watch, while Rahim gives him a book for him to write his stories in. This shows that Rahim listens to Amir, and gives him something that he appreciates. This makes him want to write even more, because he knows Rahim is found of him, and will keep pushing him forward. Baba doesn't ask many questions to Amir about what he likes to do, or wants to become. He's more obsessed with what Amir is NOT, rather than what he IS.
Because of this, Amir finds it very important to get Baba's attention in a more positive way, even for only a short period. He therefor decides to join the kite fighter tournament. Baba encourages him, and tells him often how god he is at this, and that he will win. I think Amir feels this as a pressure, at the same time as he enjoys to the fullest, to finally have his fathers full attention. After the tournament Amir sees Baba on the roof with his hands victorious up in the sky, and I think this gives Amir an extraordinary feeling of certification.
While Amir is watching what's going on in the street Hassan is, we get to look back in two of Amir's early memories. The first one is about Baba. He says "did you know Hassan and you fed from the same breast?".."there's a brotherhood between people who've fed from the same breast". That Amir thinks of this memory while Hassan's being raped, most have something to do with Amir not taking any action. He already there and then starts to feel guilty for not doing anything to stop them. After all, Hassan is his brother. They've fed from the same breast.
The next memory we get is when the two boys sees a fortune-teller man who offers to tell them their fortune for only one rupia. They both pay, and he starts with Hassan. After reading Hassan for a while, he gives him his coin back, rather than telling him what he saw. I think Amir now understands why the fortune-teller wouldn't say what will happen in Hassan's future, because it's to bad to live with. Hassan was already doomed. And when it actually happens, Amir is there. Amir can do something with it. But he chooses not to. Amir is Hassan's horrible future.
The next we get is a dream. A dream Amir had about himself being lost in a snowstorm. This is probably a picture of Amir's feelings at the time, and why he doesn't do anything. He feels alone in a way, just him and Hassan against those three big guys. In the dream he can't see through all the snow. For real, he's closing his eyes. In the dream he choses to take the hand that reaches out for him when he get's the chance. The snow disappears. The sky is again blue and filled with kites. But doesn't take the hand. He just runs away.
Amir get's to see in Hassan's eyes. They look just like the look of a lamb. We get the explanation in another memory. The memory of a lamb being killed for food. In the lamb's eyes it's like it understands. It understands that it's born for a higher purpose. This is the look he compares to Hassan's after the rape. Like Hassan is accepting he's not as good as Amir. As if raping Hassan is okay because that's what the kite is worth. But i feel this is wrong. It's so wrong for a kid to grow up with the impression of being worth less than someone else. That you're born to a higher purpose, that it's okay to get raped, because that's what you're here for. That's just so wrong.
Amir has some phases of guilt through the book. In his early years he does some stupid things to Hassan. It's not any big issues, but he bugs Hassan with big words he doesn't understand because he doesn't have the same chance as Amir to go to a school or learn to read and write. When Amir gets bad guilt for this "innocent joke" he gives Hassan some toys, or some of his clothes. He never says he's sorry. As if he doesn't need to because Hassan is a Hazara. Even though it hasn't been mentioned, I think Amir takes some of the things the other children say's about Hazaras and Hassan into him. Even though Hassan say's they're friends, Amir never admits to anyone that they are.
Later, when bigger problems occurs, Amir pretends that Hassan doesn't exist. After the rape, Amir never tells Hassan that he saw everything, or that he feels guilty. He just stays away. One time, i think he feels he gives Hassan a chance to get back on him, by tossing some blood-red fruit on him, begging him to throw back. Hassan never throws back, and it ends up with Amir throwing all of them on him, and Hassan in the end pressing one on his own forehead. After this I think Hassan understands that Amir knows. Amir find's out that the only solution, for HIM, is that Hassan has to go. He therefor "plants" some of his own stuff under Hassan's bed, so Baba will think it's been stolen. Hassan understands why Amir does this, and tells his father, Ali, about everything, and they decides to leave. Baba begs Ali to stay, and Amir think's he should run out and stop them. But still, he doesn't. He's just watching. He still doesn't take the hand.
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