Hassan and Sohrab: Father-Son Love

The deep love between Hassan and his son Sohrab, and how it motivates Amir's redemption.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Happy Family

The Happy Family The Birth Sohrab is born in the winter of 1990. Hassan is overjoyed. He names him after the hero of the Shahnamah. He teaches him to read and write, and takes him kite running. The Bond Hassan and Sohrab are inseparable. Hassan carries Sohrab on his shoulders. They play together, and Hassan reads to him from the Shahnamah. Sohrab learns to use the slingshot from his father. The Loss When the Taliban kill Hassan, Sohrab loses his anchor. He is taken to an orphanage and then abused by Assef. The love he shared with his father is the only light in his dark world.

The Legacy

The Legacy The Photograph Sohrab keeps a Polaroid of himself and Hassan. It is his most treasured possession. He looks at it often, trying to remember his father's face. The Stories Amir tells Sohrab stories about Hassan—his loyalty, his kite running, his bravery. Sohrab listens. He begins to see his father through Amir's eyes. The Healing Sohrab's love for his father is the foundation for his healing. When he smiles at the kite, it is as if Hassan's spirit is present. The father-son bond transcends death and becomes a source of hope.

1990 to 1998

2001 to 2002