1. The Kite Runner
CHAPTER 8

2. CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY
The Aftermath of the Rape and Amir’s Birthday Party
• After the rape, Amir and Hassan spend less time together.
• When Hassan asks Amir what he did wrong, Amir tells Hassan to stop
harassing him. After that, the boys avoid each other.
• One day, Amir asks Baba if he would ever get new servants. Baba
becomes furious and says that he will never replace Ali and Hassan.
• With the start of school, Amir spends hours alone in his room.
• Amir asks Hassan what he would do if he threw a pomegranate at him.
Amir begins pelting Hassan with pomegranates and yells at Hassan to
hit him back. But Hassan won’t. He crushes a pomegranate against his
own forehead, asks Amir if he is satisfied, and leaves.
• That summer of 1976, Amir turns thirteen.
• Rahim Khan tells Amir he is always there to listen, then gives him a
leather-bound notebook for his stories.
• Amir sees Hassan serving drinks to Assef and Wali.

3. QUESTIONS
• How is Hassan presented in this chapter?
• Why does Amir resent his father’s concern about
Hassan’s illness?
• How do we know that Amir is feeling very guilty?
• In what ways is Amir an anti-hero?
• Baba is impressed by Assef. Why? What present
does Assef give Amir and what does he do with
it?
• Why does the chapter end by talking about
Amir’s sin?

4. How is Hassan presented in this
chapter?
Very forgiving, kind and gentle. He has already
forgotten what Amir done but its Amir that
cannot accept what has happened. He is pushed
Hassan away however Hassan keeps trying to
rekindle their relationship but Amir cannot deal
with the guilt he feels every time he is with
Hassan.

5. Why does Amir resent his father’s
concern about Hassan’s illness?
He craves Baba’s attention and when Hassan
gets attention he is jealous. He wishes Hassan
wasn’t there and is very selfish when it comes to
Baba.
He now sees Hassan as the servants so would
should Baba care about them? He shows more
interest in Hassan illness than most things Amir
does.

6. How do we know that Amir is feeling
very guilty?
He can not look at Hassan or be around him he just
wants to take a punishment for what he has done
so he can forgive himself, however Hassan has
already forgiven him but its Amir who cant accept
it. “Hit me back...Hit me back goddamn you!” He is
ashamed of what he has done and wants to forget
it all but every time he sees Hassan all the
memories and guilt come back therefore he doesn’t
like being with Hassan any more, he even asks Baba
if they will get new servants.

7. In what ways is Amir an anti-hero?
ANTI-HERO: Protagonist of a book but has many
qualities that you don’t associate with the hero.
Amir is a coward and remorseful yet Hassan is
the brave confident one yet he is not the main
character and its all about the selfish life of
Amir. He is the opposite of a hero therefore he is
an anti-hero.

8. Baba is impressed by Assef. Why?
What present does Assef give Amir
and what does he do with it?
Assef is a strong willed young man, he is
portrayed to be confident, brave and ‘manly’ this
image of a young controlling boy is exactly what
Baba was like as a child and its what he wants for
Amir however Amir is NOT like this. Baba resents
Amir for this. Assef gives Amir a Hitler biography
and Amir throws it in the bin, later Assef tells Amir
that everyone should follow Hitler and his views
are what Assef agrees with, showing signs of a
psychopath/sociopath.

9. Why does the chapter end by talking
about Amir’s sin?
Because every thing positive has to have this
grey cloud over head, putting a downer on it. Its
his birthday he should be happy but instead he
sees Assef and Wali getting served by Hassan,
this guilt will never go away as long as they stay
here. Hassan is not going anywhere, neither is
Assef and neither is Amir’s regret of the
situation.