Rahim Khan offers a path for redemption. Amir’s life is plagued with guilt ever since Assef’s attach on Hassan.
One of the more interesting parts of this chapter is the plight of refugees who used to be professionals in their countries. People who were military officers, doctors, professors in their home countries are reduced to working menial jobs. Since I am the child of refugees, this is not a unknown idea, but may be surprising to other Americans.
Amir retreats to memories of his childhood with Hassan for an escape.
Amir is sorry for what he has done but cannot take it back now. He is ashamed of his actions and cannot leave his home. He can only force Hassan out in an attempt to remove the nightmares. This will most likely not work. Added to that is the jealousy he has for everything else his father loves. If his father had made more clear the relationship he felt with Ali and Hassan, maybe Amir would have been able to feel differently about Hassan. The class distinctions in Afghanistan play a huge part in the problem. While Hassan can treat Amir as loyally as a dog, Amir does not know how he should treat Hassan. He is a brother and yet not a brother.
This section is interesting in that dreams and memories are intersected into the narration.
Amir’s feelings about Hassan seem incredibly antagonistic for the type of relaitonship they have, and for Hassan’s peaceful character. There is so much turmoil pent up inside of Amir that it’s going to explode right into Hassan.
This section seems mostly to setup other chapters. Assef’s introduction portends to something dark occuring in later chapters. Hassan’s operation is the start of some transformation, which may mirror Afghanistan’s transformation.