As Amir looks back on his childhood, he realizes how much of a coward and disloyal friend he really was. Not only did Amir watch Hassan, his best friend get helplessly raped, but selfishly set him up by putting his own watch and money under Hassan's pillow in an attempt to have both him and Ali fired by Baba. Amir was so selfish he could not face Hassan any longer as he was a constant reminder of his cowardly decision to let him get raped rather than trying to help his best friend who was in need.
After all of this, Hassan chose to be loyal one final time by admitting to Baba in front of Amir that he did indeed steal Amir's belongings. Baba's reaction was surprising as he said he forgave him however Ali and Hassan already chose otherwise and said they could no longer stay,
"Baba was pleading now. 'At least tell me why. I need to know!' Ali didn't tell Baba, just as he didn't protest when Hassan confessed to the stealing. I'll never really know why, but I could imagine the two of them in that dim little hut, weeping, Hassan pleading him not to give me away. But I couldn't imagine the restraint it must have taken Ali to keep that promise." (Hosseini 113)
After all of this, Hassan chose to be loyal one final time by admitting to Baba in front of Amir that he did indeed steal Amir's belongings. Baba's reaction was surprising as he said he forgave him however Ali and Hassan already chose otherwise and said they could no longer stay,
"Baba was pleading now. 'At least tell me why. I need to know!' Ali didn't tell Baba, just as he didn't protest when Hassan confessed to the stealing. I'll never really know why, but I could imagine the two of them in that dim little hut, weeping, Hassan pleading him not to give me away. But I couldn't imagine the restraint it must have taken Ali to keep that promise." (Hosseini 113)
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- Amir's selfish and cowardly ways as child not only affected Amir, but also his father, Baba aswell as Hassan's father, Ali
- Amir's guilt had stuck with him his entire life and when Rahim Khan called, he knew it was his chance to repay Hassan and get redemption for his past
" He knew about Assef, the kite, the money, the watch with the lightning bolt hands. He had always known. 'Come. There is a way to be good again,' Rahim Khan had said on the phone before hanging up again. Said it in passing, almost as an afterthought. A way to be good again." (Hosseini 202)
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- By traveling back to Kabul, Amir can prove that he is no longer a coward and that he will be able to repay Hassan for what he did to him by rescuing his orphan son and his own nephew from having the same fate as Hassan's