Brotherhood, loyalty and friendship

Brotherhood is a very important theme in the novel and it is examined through the relationship of Amir and Hassan. Amir betrays Hassan but he redeems himself with love.Their relationship shows how loyalty and trust are crucial to a real brotherly bond.This theme of brotherhood also touches on the ideas of loyalty and friendship.
We see in the novel that Amir and Hassan are like brothers as they share many experiences. However, because of different values their friendship is not one of true brotherhood. Amir feels superior to Hassan and he is jealous of him at times. Hassan, however, shows absolute loyalty to Amir and he never wavers in his love for him.
We know by the end of the novel that Hassan and Amir are in fact real brothers. This blood tie serves to heighten Amir's betrayal but also compels him to sacrifice himself for Hassan as Hassan had done for him. We know that Amir has fully atoned for his actions when he publically declares that Hassan is his brother.
The nature of friendship is also a recurring theme in this novel, particularly in terms of how friendship is experienced between different social classes. This is explored in the relationships between Baba and Amir (Pashtuns) and Ali and Hassan (Hazara).
The novel explores how friendship is experienced between social unequals. This is shown through Baba and Ali and Amir and Hassan. They shared their childhoods in the same house, despite their very different status within the household. Amir repeatedly reflects on the question of friendship: ‘But in none of his stories did Baba ever refer to Ali as his friend. The curious thing was, I never thought of Hassan and me as friends either. Not in the usual sense anyhow…Because history isn’t easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi’a and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing.’ This is emphasised to the reader when Assef attacks them and questioned Amir about his friendship with a Hazara. Amir admits: ‘ “But he’s not my friend!” I almost blurted. “He’s my servant!”Had I really thought that? Of course I hadn’t. I hadn’t. I treated Hassan well, just like a friend, better even, more like a brother.’
However, Hassan regards Amir as his friend and he is unfailing in his loyalty. Amir finds it difficult to accept Hassan’s unfailing loyalty and self denial on his behalf. ‘For you a thousand times over’ is the repeated phrase that most expresses this loyalty and it is this phrase which finally comes from Amir himself in the conclusion of the book.

Journey and Quest