The Kite Runner Chapter 7

     Chapter seven takes place on the day of the kite-flying tournament. Many people on the street filled Kabul with chatter, laughter, and music. Spectators including Baba and Rahim Khan were watching from the rooftop. Suddenly, Amir wanted to withdraw, fearing to fail. However, Hassan comforted him very well. At last, I believe they are soulmates, maybe more than family. The wind was perfect for kite flying. Kite fighters flew kites, cut each other with their hand bloodied. The tournament lasted a long time and Amir's mind drifted with the kite but finally, there were only two left. This was one chance for Amir, to become someone who was looked at. So he believed that God would let him win. Suddenly, gust wind blew and Amir cut the last one. Amir won. Amir commented that seeing Baba proud of him on the roof, hollering and clapping for victory was a single greatest moment of his twelve years of life. It seemed as if their father-son relationship would change and start to go well but life is merciless.....

     He shouted, ''For you thousand times over !'' Hassan, the great kite runner started to chase kite with his Hassan smile. My assume in Chapter one was actually right. Hassan said the keyword of the whole novel, "For you thousand times over'' which even became the title for the Japanese version. I was really amazed, picturing this wonderful and memorable scene. However, in the following sentence, Amir said, ''Next time I saw him unabashedly like that was twenty-six years later, in a faded Polaroid.'' 

     Amir wanted to show Baba his kite as soon as possible so he went looking for Hassan. However, there was no sign of him and darkness started to fall. Then, Amir heard the voice of Hassan from one of the alleys in the bazaar market. Amir was really happy when he saw Hassan holding the blue kite, the key to Baba's heart. However, there were Assef, Wali, and Khamal too. Three bullies came to revenge and demanded Amir's kite but Hassan showed his loyalty and rejected. No one knew what Assef had in his mind, even Wali and Khamal. Assef told Hassan, ''To Amir you're nothing but an ugly pet'' but Hassan replied, ''Amir agha and I are friends.'' This dialogue really hurt my feeling because Amir thought the way Assef said, at the bottom of his heart. Hassan's pureness and loyalty are just heartbreaking.

     Assef started to prepare for rape and Amir opened his mouth almost said something. Almost. Maybe, the rest of his life turned out differently if he had but he didn't. Amir just watched. Paralyzed. Still, Amir had the choice to stand up for Hassan like he did all those times in the past and accept whatever would happen,  but in the end, Amir ran.

     Amir was running, persuading himself, ''Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba. He was just a Hazara, wasn't he？''

     I believe this was the reason Hassan stopped to smile and this was the ''Sin'' that struck in his mind for the next twenty-six years.

     Lastly, some sentences in Chapter seven showed the reality of female neglect and persecution against Hazaras. For example, on the day of the tournament, an immensely popular Afghan singer called Ahmad Zahir was singing in the street. Amir described him, ''He actually smiled when he sang - sometimes even at women.'' In my opinion, Afghans cherish their customs which prevents the social advancement of women sometimes. Amir was caught between Baba and the mullahs at school and still hadn't made his decision about god. However, maybe his religious perspective changed by the miraculous wind that happened when he wished to god. I think persecution against Hazara is worse than we imagine. Amir asked the old merchant if he saw Hassan and then, he said, "Lucky Hazara, having such a concerned master. His father should get on his knees, sweep the dust at your feet with his eyelashes'' Japanese tend to pay respect to older people no matter where they're from but we can see the race is more important than age in Afghanistan.