The Kite Runner Chapter 12

     After meeting Soraya Taheri, every night of the week became a Yelda for Amir. Yelda is the first night of winter and the longest night of the year. Starless night tormented lovers kept vigil and enduring endless dark. Lovers were waiting for the sun to rise with their beloved one. Amir was always thinking about Soraya.

     One summerly Sunday, Baba and Amir joined bazaar as usual. Amir was planning to talk to Soraya for the first time and Baba, who understood him advised to not forget nang and namoos (honor and pride). Nervously, Amir spotted Taheri's van and started a conversation with Soraya. They chatted about favorite books and Amir's story writing. Lastly, he promised to bring his story, feeling really happy that Soraya recognized him. 

     After the first conversation, Amir often visited Taheri's house to talk with Soraya and her mother, Khala Jan who was eager and barely veiled hope for marriage. On the other hand, the general was very rigid for her daughter's relationship and often applied pressure to Amir. Women always became a victim of gossip. Father and daughter could never talk freely about relationships although fathers and sons could. Like these, the double standard that favored males existed in Afghanistan.

     Soraya's dream was to be a teacher. In fact, Amir and Soraya had experienced a similar environment, still, what they did was completely different. Her servant called Ziba was eager to learn the alphabet. Soraya taught an illiterate girl and enjoyed her growth. On the other hand, Amir used literacy to ridicule Hassan and teased him about big words he didn't know. As we can see from this episode, Amir and Soraya were in contrast. 

     Baba's cold started with hacking coughs and sniffles. He reluctantly agreed to go hospital when he started coughing a wad if bloodstained phlegm. In the hospital, Baba rejected the Russian doctor because he loved Afghanistan more than anything, cherished faith than health. The result showed Baba got cancer, already advanced and inoperable. Baba once told Amir that Pashtuns are often hard-headed and far too proud but in the hour of need, there's no one other than Pashtuns to have at your side. It turned out to be true when Soraya's family and numerous Afghan friends came to visit Baba who was fighting hard with the disease.

     One significant event in Chapter 12 is ''Khastegari'', the wedding ceremony. Baba achieved one last father's duty and went to ask the general for Amir and Soraya's marriage, following Afghan tradition. Before accepting propose, Soraya confessed her sin to Amir. Long years ago, Soraya eloped with a drug-addicted Afghan man and hurt parents. That was the reason for the general's rigidness about relationships. Amir didn't chastise her past because he knew he didn't have the right to do so. However, Amir envied her at the bottom of his heart because her secret was open. He almost told his sins to Soraya but wasn't courageous enough like when he abandoned Hassan.