Second Reaction to the Kite Runner

        I’ve barely read a fourth of the book, and I’m already extremely heartbroken at how things are proceeding. From the last reading, it was not hard to tell that things would get worse, but I could never have imagined this turn of events.

        The introduction of the kite tournament seemed like a light-hearted change of pace, yet there were many grave instances in which the seriousness of the book shone through. In particular, I found Amir and Hassan’s exchange during one of their past kite running days to be the most interesting; Amir switches to his haughty attitude and toys with Hassan. As he taunts the naïve Hassan, however, there is a moment that scares him: Hassan seems to change and eerily understands the game Amir is playing.

        This occurrence struck me as greatly telling. Amir is shallow because he has been influenced by others’ notion that Hazaras are worthless, yet he is intelligent enough to pick up that Hassan is loyal to him because of his naivety and trust in Amir; once Hassan matures, he will understand Amir’s manipulative nature. For this reason, I feel sympathy for Hassan; he is perceptive, curious, warm-hearted, yet his life has been pre-determined by his religion and birth. It was heartbreaking when he assumed he would forever live as a servant in the shack, as Ali did.

        In regards to Assef, I’m completely and absolutely appalled at his inhumane and sick behavior. What he did was disgusting, and it was revolting that his friends believed it a sin to rape Hassan yet found no problem in restraining him so Assef could. What saddened me greatly, however, was not only the fact that Amir cowardly ran away and let the rape continue, but also his nerve in acting like nothing happened. I am extremely frustrated at him and the way he constantly deceives himself. The fact that Amir recalled all those special moments between him and Hassan as he made his decision to run away is all the more disappointing.

        However, it is the most devastating to see Hassan carry the entire burden on his back, and wave Amir back to his father. To me, this is the greatest moment of the juxtaposition between Hassan’s selflessness and Amir’s selfishness. In the end, Amir chooses to give up on the only one who has ever supported and loved him to try and win the favor of someone who never has or will.