Things have changed significantly in the story since Hassan's rape in Chapter 7. Amir feels guilty for not intervening and is steering clear of Hassan. We get the impression that his friendship and any loyalty he felt toward Hassan has been traded for an improved relationship with Baba. He felt his strained relationship with Baba could be fixed with a win at the kite tournament but by the end of the chapter the reader and Amir realize this is not so.
The relationship between Amir and Hassan becomes more complicated. Their feelings toward one another and reactions to Hassan's rape can be summed up in the scene on the hill with the pomegranates.
What was the purpose of Amir throwing the pomegranates at Hassan and explain Hassan's reaction.
I think that Amir wants Hassan to fight back to make him feel better. Amir does not feel he deserves Hassan loyalty and love because he is ashamed of himself. Hassan does not know why things have changed because I think that he feels that this may have been the price he paid in his being loyal to Amir in getting the Kite to gain Amir's love from his father. He has always been the servant and Hassan has always recieved this from him. Hassen continues to be the servant.
ReplyDeleteamir feels ashamed that he abandoned his friend and he feels the guilt can be lifted simply by if Hassan was to strike him back or do anything against him, hes finding it hard to accept Hassan's loyalty to him when he had none to give back.
ReplyDeleteWhen shooting the pomegranates at Hassan he was trying to make him stand up for himself. He feels that Hassan will allow Amir to treat him any way he likes no matter how demeaning. He needs Hassan to get angry so he doesn't feel as if everything bad that happens to Hassan is his fault. Hassan does not react the way Amir had hoped. He is devoted to Amir no matter how awful the situation and he will not retaliate just to put Amirs guilt at ease.
ReplyDeleteAmir is in a way begging Hassan to fight him, to beat the guilt out of him when he throws the pomegranates at Hassan. He wants the guilt to ebb off and than maybe their friendship can go back to the way it had been before the end of Chapter 7. Hassan will devote his life and loyalty to Amir no matter what happens to him. But wouldnt the punishment to Hassan be greater if he -the servant- fought Amir?
ReplyDeleteAmir longs for Hassan to fight back with him. Only to make himself feel less guilty. He thinks if he gets mad and fights back he will have less of a guilty feeling in his heart. But Hassan will forever be loyal to Amir, no matter what happenes to him.
ReplyDelete