The Kite Runner Chapter 16

In Chapter 16, there are retrospection scenes written from Rahim's perspective. Rahim Khan actually went to Hazarajat to find Hassan in 1986 because he felt terrible loneliness and unbearable emptiness in Kabul where everyone barely knows each other and arthritis made it harder for him to maintain the house.

     The main event in this chapter was a reunion between Hassan and Rahim. Twenty-three years old Hassan was living in a glorified hut with his pregnant wife. Rahim said Amir could definitely recognize him as facial features didn't change. He was very glad to meet Rahim and they started conservation to catch up with each other's situation. Unfortunately, Ali died by a landmine. His right leg, twisted polio leg had finally betrayed him. Hassan had so many questions for Amir and decided to write a letter (he learned how to write).

At first, Hassan and his wife Farzana declined the request of working at Rahim's house as the village was already his home. However, Hassan worried throughout the night and decided to move Kabul for Rahim who was like his second father. One impressive Hassan's act was how he rejected to live inside the house instead of the hut as a matter of respect. His loyalty to Baba and Amir never changed.

     Chapter 16 depicted the beautiful relationship of the family. Hassan finally met with Sanaubar who eloped soon after Hassan was born. She was unbelievably beautiful in the past but looked starved and had big scratches on the face. Of course, the reunion was a shocking event for both mother and son. However, they eventually started to spend time together, trying to catch up on all the lost years. After a miscarriage, Farzana gave birth to Sohrab. Sohrab was the name of Hassan's favorite hero in Shahnameh, a book Amir used to read him in childhood. Hassan often took his son to Kite Running which made me wonder how he got over the trauma.