Amir- Amir is a self-proclaimed weak-willed person, he says himself that he "ran because [he] was a coward" (Hosseini 77). Throughout the story, he has bouts of strength, which tend to subside again as he loses his nerve. This is shown especially well when he gets into a duel of sorts with Assef. By simply making himself go to Assef's house to rescue Sohrab, he is showing a courage we don't see often in his character. Amir is a character that expresses much guilt and lack of confidence. Amir consistently finds something to dwell over, whether it be small like taunting Hassan with unfamiliar vocabulary or life-changing such as the witness of Hassan's rape. Even into his adult life Amir feels guilt tracing back to his childhood, especially when he feels unworthy of happiness due to his past sins. "Because when spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I just witnessed the first flake melting" (Hosseini 371). Hosseini, through symbolism, is representing Amir's past sins melting as he begins to find redemption. Only towards the end of the novel does Amir let go of some of that guilt after finding redemption in raising Sohrab and succeeding in a minor way.
Hassan - Hassan is an extremely loyal person. Hosseini shows this from the beginning of the book when he introduces Hassan, his first word from birth being Amir's name. He never fails to stay by Amir's side, loyal even through Amir's abuse and mistreatment. Even wshen knowing that Amir framed him of stealing, Hassan took the blame to save his best friend. Hassan is also a very happy person, told to have "come out smiling" even at birth (Hosseini 10). Despite constant trauma in his life, Hassan displays strength, endurance, and forgiveness. Even after he is raped he is able to recover and still lives his life like he wants to. Hassan is the direct contrast of Amir due to his ability to find happiness and kindness when not offered much to make of it. Unlike Amir, Hassan does not dwell on the past, but forgives and lives for his future. In the Polaroid photograph Rahim Khan presents Amir, Hassan was smiling "unabashedly," clearly content with his life of apparent poverty.
Baba - Baba can be classified as a pragmatist. When fleeing Afghanistan, this attribute flares. One of the refugees asked Baba why he wasn't joining them, "God was going to save us all. Why don't you pray to him?" "What'll save us is eight cylinders and a good carburetor" (Hosseini 120). Baba could care less about Allah, wanting a solution, not salvation. The common image today of Afghanistan is that of a supremely Islamic nation. However, Baba does not represent this common conception. He is also heroic and somewhat of a romantic character. Baba is a respected, accomplished member of society; a self-made man who reaches the top with confidence and perseverance. He does not accept hospitality or help by others, preferring to fight his own battles. Even when diagnosed with cancer, Baba does not allow his son to take him to medical treatment until collapsing on his job. Only right before death does Baba accept intervention, his character changing from a hard, stern leader to a calm, loving father.
Assef - Assef is the recurring villain to Amir and Hassan throughout their entire lives. He is the one who torments Hassan about his religious beliefs as a child. He was the one who raped Hassan, changing his life forever. He was the one who climbed to power as a Taliban member, killing people for innocent crimes, taking children for his sexual pleasure, and beating Amir to near death. But to those not in the line of his cruelty, Assef is "the embodiment of every parent's dream" because of his politeness and charm to strangers (Hosseini 96). Amir reflects upon Assef's deranged personality as a "sociopath," the only term he can think of to describe him (Hosseini 38). Assef is the repeated opposing force to not only Amir in body, but in the ideals of his peaceful life in Kabul changed into a violent field of war. He is a living symbol of power through pain, bringing those exact ideals to rise in the Taliban power.
Sohrab- Sohrab is very timid and quiet, which is understandable given the things that he experienced after the death of his parents and while in Assef's captivity. Upon his introduction into the story, he is seen as the spitting image of Hassan. This changes as Sohrab becomes very emotionally scarred and turns to complete silence, unlike Hassan after his own trials. Sohrab is the younger, more scarred and broken Hassan; Sohrab became weaker and more withdrawn after his experiences, while Hassan grew from his own. Their similarities and differences vary, but like his father, Sohrab was able to save Amir from Assef. In the story Sohrab is the key to Amir's redemption, his "way to be good again", as Rahim Khan says. Hosseini directs Sohrab as the symbol of Amir finding peace and redemption from his childhood sins. "Because when spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I just witnessed the first flake melting" (Hosseini 371) describes how Sohrab's winter of horror may be passing, which leads to Amir's redemption and peace with what he has accomplished in life. Sohrab is named after a great warrior in the Shahnameh, who was killed by his father. This is somewhat interesting as Hassan was killed instead of Sohrab, and Sohrab isn't too much of a warrior save for helping Amir escape from Assef.
Rahim Khan - As in most coming of age stories, the protagonist Amir finds a mentor in Rahim Khan. Throughout his childhood, Amir looks up to Rahim Khan as the doting father that his own could not be. Rahim Khan shows support in Amir's first writings, inspiring Amir to follow his interest. Once Amir goes as far as wishing Rahim Khan was his true father due to his protective and kind attention to him. In contrast to Baba, Rahim Khan is the voice of reason to Baba's extreme, outspoken tendencies. Often Rahim Khan is the communication bridge between characters. He backs up Amir when Baba insults his cowardly personality behind his back. He is the one Hassan turned to after the night in the alley to explain what had happened, how Amir betrayed him. As his last action of communication, Rahim Khan reconnects Amir with the shadow of Hassan's life, Sohrab. Only through Rahim Khan is Amir convinced to face the dangers or returning the Kabul. Throughout the novel Rahim Khan is the character who drives those around him, whether directly or indirectly, into achieving something new.
Hassan - Hassan is an extremely loyal person. Hosseini shows this from the beginning of the book when he introduces Hassan, his first word from birth being Amir's name. He never fails to stay by Amir's side, loyal even through Amir's abuse and mistreatment. Even wshen knowing that Amir framed him of stealing, Hassan took the blame to save his best friend. Hassan is also a very happy person, told to have "come out smiling" even at birth (Hosseini 10). Despite constant trauma in his life, Hassan displays strength, endurance, and forgiveness. Even after he is raped he is able to recover and still lives his life like he wants to. Hassan is the direct contrast of Amir due to his ability to find happiness and kindness when not offered much to make of it. Unlike Amir, Hassan does not dwell on the past, but forgives and lives for his future. In the Polaroid photograph Rahim Khan presents Amir, Hassan was smiling "unabashedly," clearly content with his life of apparent poverty.
Baba - Baba can be classified as a pragmatist. When fleeing Afghanistan, this attribute flares. One of the refugees asked Baba why he wasn't joining them, "God was going to save us all. Why don't you pray to him?" "What'll save us is eight cylinders and a good carburetor" (Hosseini 120). Baba could care less about Allah, wanting a solution, not salvation. The common image today of Afghanistan is that of a supremely Islamic nation. However, Baba does not represent this common conception. He is also heroic and somewhat of a romantic character. Baba is a respected, accomplished member of society; a self-made man who reaches the top with confidence and perseverance. He does not accept hospitality or help by others, preferring to fight his own battles. Even when diagnosed with cancer, Baba does not allow his son to take him to medical treatment until collapsing on his job. Only right before death does Baba accept intervention, his character changing from a hard, stern leader to a calm, loving father.
Assef - Assef is the recurring villain to Amir and Hassan throughout their entire lives. He is the one who torments Hassan about his religious beliefs as a child. He was the one who raped Hassan, changing his life forever. He was the one who climbed to power as a Taliban member, killing people for innocent crimes, taking children for his sexual pleasure, and beating Amir to near death. But to those not in the line of his cruelty, Assef is "the embodiment of every parent's dream" because of his politeness and charm to strangers (Hosseini 96). Amir reflects upon Assef's deranged personality as a "sociopath," the only term he can think of to describe him (Hosseini 38). Assef is the repeated opposing force to not only Amir in body, but in the ideals of his peaceful life in Kabul changed into a violent field of war. He is a living symbol of power through pain, bringing those exact ideals to rise in the Taliban power.
Sohrab- Sohrab is very timid and quiet, which is understandable given the things that he experienced after the death of his parents and while in Assef's captivity. Upon his introduction into the story, he is seen as the spitting image of Hassan. This changes as Sohrab becomes very emotionally scarred and turns to complete silence, unlike Hassan after his own trials. Sohrab is the younger, more scarred and broken Hassan; Sohrab became weaker and more withdrawn after his experiences, while Hassan grew from his own. Their similarities and differences vary, but like his father, Sohrab was able to save Amir from Assef. In the story Sohrab is the key to Amir's redemption, his "way to be good again", as Rahim Khan says. Hosseini directs Sohrab as the symbol of Amir finding peace and redemption from his childhood sins. "Because when spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I just witnessed the first flake melting" (Hosseini 371) describes how Sohrab's winter of horror may be passing, which leads to Amir's redemption and peace with what he has accomplished in life. Sohrab is named after a great warrior in the Shahnameh, who was killed by his father. This is somewhat interesting as Hassan was killed instead of Sohrab, and Sohrab isn't too much of a warrior save for helping Amir escape from Assef.
Rahim Khan - As in most coming of age stories, the protagonist Amir finds a mentor in Rahim Khan. Throughout his childhood, Amir looks up to Rahim Khan as the doting father that his own could not be. Rahim Khan shows support in Amir's first writings, inspiring Amir to follow his interest. Once Amir goes as far as wishing Rahim Khan was his true father due to his protective and kind attention to him. In contrast to Baba, Rahim Khan is the voice of reason to Baba's extreme, outspoken tendencies. Often Rahim Khan is the communication bridge between characters. He backs up Amir when Baba insults his cowardly personality behind his back. He is the one Hassan turned to after the night in the alley to explain what had happened, how Amir betrayed him. As his last action of communication, Rahim Khan reconnects Amir with the shadow of Hassan's life, Sohrab. Only through Rahim Khan is Amir convinced to face the dangers or returning the Kabul. Throughout the novel Rahim Khan is the character who drives those around him, whether directly or indirectly, into achieving something new.