Analyzing The Theme Of Friendship In 'The Kite Runner'

Rose and Thorn
A friend is someone that you can trust, depends on, and turns to for help. A friend is someone who will be there for you no matter what. An anonymous author once said "The only rose without a thorn is friendship." This tells us that a true friendship is pure love, and it has no condition of any kind. In the first part of the novel The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini writes ­about how two young boys, Amir and Hassan grow up in the Afghanistan. Amir, who is the son of a Pashtun affluent (Vocab) businessman Baba, is always seeking Baba’s attention. Hassan is the son of Baba’s Hazara servant, Ali. In addition, Hassan is also the servant of Amir. They grow up, play, and get into trouble with each other. However, something terrible happens to Hassan, which changes their relationship and their lives forever. Hassan is always loyal to Amir and he is willing to do anything for Amir. On the other hand, Amir is not so sure about his relation with Hassan because they
have too many differences. Amir and Hassan act like friends when they are alone, but their relationship is complicated by their inequalities, and their relationship ends because of betrayal (Vocab).
Amir and Hassan are great friends when they are alone with each other. They do everything together and they support each other. For example, when Amir and Hassan take a shortcut through the military barrack to go back home, a group of soldiers comes out. The soldiers stop Amir and Hassan, and they talk dirty language about Hassan’s mother to make fun of him. (Coor) Amir takes Hassan away, and he puts his arm around Hassan to comfort him. Amir pulls Hassan closer to make him feel better and he lets Hassan rest his head on Amir’s shoulder despite their social status. (7) Amir shows himself as a great friend to Hassan, and he cares about Hassan. Amir and Hassan are also childhood playmates. To illustrate, Amir and Hassan save their weekly allowances for months, so that they can make their own kites for the kite-fighting tournament. They buy the glue, bamboo, string (NCN) and paper, so they can make their own kite. At the tournament, Amir flies the kite as a kite fighter, while Hassan runs the kite for Amir when Amir cuts opponents’ kite. (51) This shows they love to play with each other, and they work great as a team. Amir and Hassan are childhood friends and they feel much more conformable when there are with each other.
However, Amir and Hassan’s inequalities complicate their relationship. Friends are people who support, help and protect each other without any condition. However, Amir and Hassan do not fit into these conditions. For instance, during the school year, when Amir wakes up every day, Hassan has already washed up and prepared Amir’s breakfast perfectly. When Amir eats his breakfast and gets frustrating about his school assignments, Hassan continue to makes Amir’s bed, shines shoes and prepares school supplies. After Amir finishes his meal, he drives off to school with Baba, yet Hassan stays home all day helps his father to do Amir’s laundry, cleaning the floors, going grocery shopping, preparing dinner and watering the grass. (NCN) (27) Hassan has been Amir’s servant for his whole life. As a result, Amir always sees Hassan as a servant, and it is Hassan’s job to do what he has done for Amir. Another example of how their Master-Servant relation complicates their relationship is when they are stopped by Assef, who is a savage boy that lives in the neighborhood. Assef is threatening Amir because he plays with Hassan, a Hazara. Assef questions Amir why he calls Hassan a friend. “But he’s not my friend! […] He’s my servant!” (Quote, 41) Amir thinks to himself. (40) Therefore, on one hand, they are great friends. On the other hand, Amir’s denial of his friendship with Hassan and Hassan’s servant identity to Amir complicates their relationship.
Furthermore, Amir and Hassan’s “friendship” ends with Amir’s betrayal of Hassan after the kite tournament.
Betrayal is a hurtful thing that can break any bond. For example, when Baba wants to take Amir to Ghargha Lake, Baba tells Amir to invite Hassan. However, Amir fabricates that Hassan has errands to run and he cannot join them because Amir wishes to be with Baba himself. (13) This shows Amir betrays Hassan for his selfishness and he does not want to share Baba. Finally, Amir betrays Hassan again which break their “friendship” once for all. Specifically, after Amir cuts the last kite during the tournament, Hassan runs Amir’s kite for him. On Hassan’s way back, he encounters Assef, who threatens to hurt Hassan unless he gives up Amir’s trophy. Next, Amir is watching Assef raping Hassan because Hassan doesn’t back down. However, Amir is too afraid of Assef and he walks away as if nothing has happened. (73) Amir betrayed Hassan by his inaction, and it is a wound that will never heals between
them.
Friendship is a two way street, and it requires both trust and support from each side. Amir and Hassan are childhood playmates when they are alone, but they are never true friends. (Coor) Friendship supposes to be an unbreakable bond between two individuals, but their inequalities complicate their relationship. Finally, Amir breaks their relationship by betraying Hassan. Amir and Hassan’s relationship is like a rose with thorn, it looks beautiful and pure, but it also has its hidden danger. Consequently, Hassan and Ali quit their servant job and they move out of Baba’s house. Amir will regret about what he did to Hassan, and it will haunt him for his entire life.