Consequences of Betrayal and Loyalty
A consequence is a result or effect of an action or condition, betrayal can lead to many consequences. By definition Betrayal is to fail or desert a friend or person in their time of need. In Khaled Hosseini’s astounding novel The Kite Runner, the ramifications of betrayal and loyalty bring a negative emotion to the book. Amir faces a guilty conscience for his actions. Baba`s culture motivates him to betray hassan. Hassan’s loyalty causes him to fall unpleasant situations.
Amir faces the most repercussions for his actions of betrayal, most involving Hassan and what he chooses to do. Firstly, a consequence of Amir`s fear of Assef and the cowardice of being harmed if he intervened is Hassan's rape. “ The studiously symmetrical plot revolves around an act of childhood cowardice and cruelty that Amir - the narrator - must make amends for” ( O`Rourke 64 ) . Secondly, Amir, the protagonist, states that he wishes he could help but was paralyzed by fear. “ I opened my mouth, almost said something. Almost. The rest of my life might have turned out differently if I had. But I didn't. I just watched paralyzed.” ( Hosseini 78 ). The aftereffect of Amir`s fear of Assef is Hassan was taken advantage of.
Another way Amir faces ramifications of his betrayal is guilt. In Judi Slayden Hayes` In Search of the Kite Runner she wrote a great analysis of Amir`s emotions: ” So great was his shame in what he had witnessed and his guilt for not intervening and attempting to help Hassan that he entered a downward spiral that took him years to escape.” ( 15 ). He faces the remorse of his betrayal for years. Furthermore he can not face Hassan, he feels so guilty he has trouble sleeping, leading him to becoming an insomniac.’ I kept tossing and turning as my relatives grunted, sighed, and snored in their sleep. I sat up… “I watched Hassan get raped;” ( Hosseini 91 ). Amir faces a guilty conscience as a follow up of allowing the rape to happen.
Amir is overwhelmed by so much guilt, he wishes to put some distance between Hassan and himself. The distance created by Amir is a repercussion of accusing Hasan of theft, the only sin in Baba’s eyes. “Did you steal that money? Did you steal Amir’s watch, Hassan?” Hassan’s reply was a single word, delivered in a thin, raspy voice: “Yes.” ( 111). Amir’s guilt becaume too much that he couldn't stand the sight of him. “ unable to look the victim of his sin in the face, Amir sought to rid himself of his sin by creating distance… Then he drove that sin and guilt into silence. ( Hayes 15 ). The consequences of Amir framing Hassan is distance is created and the brothers never see each other again.
Very much like Amir, Baba faces many consequences for his actions. Hassan is a aftereffect of Baba and Sanaubar`s affaire. “Baba loved both Amir and Hassan. Of course at the beginning of the book, we don't know that Baba is actually Hassan`s father.” ( Hayes 44 ). Additionally, Ali could not have kids leaving Baba as the only possible father.
“He and Sanaubar had Hassan, didn't they? They had Hassan-’’ “ No they didn't” Rahim Khan said. “ Yes they did!” “ No they didn't, Amir.” “ Then who-” “I think you know who” ( Hosseini 234 ).
Baba betrayed Amir by sleeping with Sanaubar consequently having a son with his childhood friend’s aluring wife.
The Kite Runner’s setting takes place in Kabul, Afghanistan where culture and is embedded into everyday life. Baba and Amir are Pashtuns, the superiours to the Hazaras like Hassan and Ali. Baba is a rich and respectable man and having a Hazara as a son would taint his spotless reputation. Sadat wrote an essay called Husseini’s Unveiling of Afghanistan: “Amir’s father Baba the bear wrestler, honest and respected Pashtun” ( Sadat 59 ). Henceforth, because of Baba’s culture and reputation he could not claim Hassan as his own or tell the boys that they are brothers. A Hazara son would be seen as a disgrace by society and Baba would be shamed and shunned. “Please think, Amir Jan. It was a shameful situation. People would talk. All that a man had back then, all that he was, was his honor, his name, and if people talked… We couldn't tell anyone surely you can see that .” ( Hosseini 235 ) Culture and reputation are two reasons why Baba betrayed Amir and Hassan by denying them the right to a brother.
Hassan represents all things pure and loyal in the novel, he would never dream of betraying Amir or Baba. He would rather be hurt or teased then to lose Amir’s trust or do something to upset him. “ Amir agah won the tournament and I ran this kite for him. I ran it fairly. This is his kite.” ( 77 ) The