Notes

Amir and Hassan grew up together and were as close as brothers. They would fly kites, watch movies, read books and play throughout Kabul as children. They spent seemingly every waking moment during the summertime together. However, Amir was never allowed to openly acknowledge that Hassan was his friend because Hassan was a Hazara and he was a Pashtun Society's expectations prevented Amir from expressing his true feelings about Hassan and thus he could not embrace him as his best friend. Despite Amir's amiability for his friend, he develops jealous toward Hassan because Baba seems to favor him. As a child, Amir did not know that Hassan was actually his half-brother. Unfortunately, Amir witnesses Hassan being raped by Assad and does not intervene, which leaves Amir feeling extremely guilty and traumatized. Amir no longer wants to be friends with Hassan and attempts to get him kicked out of their home. Decades later, Amir has a revealing conversation with Rahim Khan regarding his past, and Amir learns that Hassan was his half-brother.