The subordination still exists on the outside and this is shown more and more through Amir's despotic behavior towards Hassan. The subordination has moved beyond its tacit acceptance phase and into a clearly recognizable perspective.
It is, however, completely irrational and comes, in fact, from Amir's own shame and being a coward and not doing anything to save Hassan. His incapacity develops on more than one levels and it is interesting to see once again how one of the characters is, in fact, pictured with regards to the relationship with the other character. On one hand, he is genuinely afraid of what could happen to him. On the other, more hidden level, he also wants the kite and is willing to trade anything for it, because the kite, as shown previously, will give him the stature he needs in society and, especially, in front of his father.
The fact that he is unable to intervene triggers his subsequent erratic behavior as well, generated, in fact, by his own conscience and culminating with framing Hassan so that Amir's father would believe he had stolen money.
However, the rape also had a different effect in the relationship between the two, one of equalizing the two characters on a subconscious level. Amir recognizes to himself that what he has done (or rather what he has not done) is wrong and this fact alone is able to determine the transformation of their relationship into one of equality. The fact that he accepts to himself the reality of the events also shows how the character evolves, as influence by Hassan's actions and behavior.
This is certainly a connected theme to the main theme described in the first paragraph. Amir evolves throughout the book as he begins to become accountable for his actions and all this new behavior is, in fact, triggered by Hassan. Amir certainly does not realize this until he grows up and lives in the United States, but it is already beginning to be felt by the reader...
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the simple fact that Amir accepts to himself that he did wrong is a key in that sense.
The plot develops so as to bring Amir's character forgiveness and redemption for his actions. Again, Hassan's character, even if Hassan had passed away, as Amir learns, being killed by the Taliban, is key in the
evolution of Amir's character. The plot shows that Amir and Hassan had, in fact, been brothers, Baba being Hassan's father as well. Hassan tried to make a life in
Afghanistan, with a wife and child named Sohrab. However, after his
death, Sohrab was in danger as well, as Amir finds him being molested by Assaf in an almost similar recreation of the rape scene.
The issue is that Sohrab offers, in fact, the perfect opportunity for the redemption of Amir. As Rahim Khan says, it is a way by which Amir can be good again, after the entire string of lies and deceit that had thrown Hassan out of his house and, more notably, his own coward approach towards the rape. The way is simple, although full of dangers: come to Afghanistan, save Sohrab and take him back to America for
adoption, which Amir eventually does, thus being able to make up for past mistakes. It is interesting to note here how the relationship between the two characters, Amir and Hassan, goes beyond their simple existence: even with Hassan dead, his character still influences the evolution of Amir's character.
The relationship between Amir and Hassan, the main theme of the novel, is both constantly evolving throughout the book and determinant for the development of each character, most notably of Amir's. The two characters are interconnected so that the actions of one will affect the way the other character is likely to change. This is clear in many of the parts of the book, but mostly so after the rape scene.
At the same time, the
main character, Amir, describes a cyclical development, as he starts off as an innocent character, becomes a coward and a liar after Hassan's rape, but manages to redeem himself towards the end of the book.
