Theme

Redemption

 “There is a god, there has to be, and I now I will pray, I will pray that He forgive that I have neglected Him all these years, forgive that I have betrayed, lied, and sinned, with impunity, only to turn to Him now in my hour of need, I will pray that He is as merciful, benevolent, and gracious as His book says He is.”

Redemption is the key to the entire story. It’s what leads Amir to come back to Afghanistan. It’s what takes him to Sohrab, and what brings Amir to rediscover his faith in God. Redemption is symbolized by the hands clasped in prayer, as Amir did when he prayed to be forgiven by God for his sins.

Sacrifice

"But before you sacrifice yourself for him, think about this: Would he do the same for you?”

Sacrifice is a major component of the novel, as Amir sacrifices both himself and Hassan to appease Baba. Hassan is the sacrifice when he is raped by Assef, and he is the sacrifice once more when Amir frames him for the theft of Baba’s watch. Later, Amir regrets the sacrifices he made for Baba, claiming “the last time [he had sacrificed for Baba], [he] had damned [himself]”. The reason we picked the crucifix is because it represents Jesus Christ, who sacrificed himself for humanity, similar to how Hassan sacrificed his humanity for Amir.

Loss

“Your old life, I thought. My old life too. I played in the same yard, Sohrab. I lived in the same house. But the grass is dead and a stranger's jeep is parked in the driveway of our house, pissing oil all over the asphalt. Our old life is gone, Sohrab, and everyone in it is either dead or dying. It's just you and me now. Just you and me.”

The loss of innocence, loss of childhood, and loss of family. Loss is an important theme in the novel, as Amir and Hassan lose their innocence and childhood during the kite tournament. Amir loses his friend and brother, he loses Baba, and even his sense of self-worth and his dignity. The gravestone is symbolic of the death and losing people you care about. This mirrors Amir’s intangible losses.