Looking Back

1. Amir's putting the money under the mattress at Wahid's house.
a) The moment he refers back to is when he put the money under Hassan's pillow.

b) The present moment is in contrast to the previous since this time he is doing good. Because there is a way to be good again!

c) The purpose I believe is to emphasize the point that there is a way to be good again, and a sort of catharsis for Amir.

2. The sheep reference to Sohrab

a) When Amir is getting Sohrab out of Assef’s house he sees the look of the sheep in Sohrab’s eyes

b) It is comparing the look in the sheep’s eyes to Sohrab’s eyes and the look of surrender and utter submission. Like they know what is going to happen.

c) This develops the idea of Sohrab and is destiny being totally in the hands of others. There is no way to change things, but this is later found out to be wrong, which Hosseini might have intended to do to show us the difference between animals and humans.

3. Amir's laughter when Assef beats him.

a) The moment is earlier when Assef laughed when got beaten

b) The moment Assef is beaten and laughs, he gains "insight" and believes that it is a sign from God that he is on Assef's side. In Amir's case, he finally feels healed! He has finally received his penance. His house of cards has fallen and he can start rebuild a new house, a better, stronger.

c) The purpose seems to be to create some contrast between Assef and Amir and also to show some similarities since Assef and Amir both has had very unhappy lives, however Amir deals with his past and finally overcomes his past. Assef does not and even clings to it since he has waited for this moment to be able to get revenge.

4. Amir's kite running for Sohrab

a) When Hassan ran a kite for Amir

b) This time, the roles are switched around which is a sign of "returning a favor" and restore equality the characters which for so long has been entirely different.

c) This is the final scene and is filled with the sensation of catharsis and releases the tensions built up, and there was indeed a way to be good again.