Guilt

                Guilt isn't something you can avoid and the more you try to ignore it, the more it will eat you alive. Hassan witnessed Assef rape Amir and instead of coming to the rescue and protecting Hassan, like Hassan had done so many times for him, Amir takes the cowardly path and runs. "In the end, I ran." (page 77) This was the first mistake Amir made.
                The second, was not coming out clean. Instead, he just held it in and tried to reason with it by thinking to himself "He was just a Hazara, wasn't he?" (page 77) It was obvious that he felt horrible for not having done anything. "I thought he might burst into tears, but, to my relief, he didn't, and I pretended I hadn't heard the crack in his voice. Just like I pretended I hadn't seen the dark stain in the seat of his pants. Or those tiny drops that fell from between his legs and stained the snow black." (page 78) Amir believed he could hide his guilt by the love his father gave him and tried to drown his sorrows in his fathers loving arms, but even Baba's love came to an end eventually and left Amir exposed to his regret. Amir continuously tried to avoid the situation whether it was by school work or hanging out with his Baba but when his birthday came, he showed his true colors.
                His third mistake happened when Rahim offered to listen to whatever was bothering Amir and Amir didn't take the chance. "He looked at me. 'You know, you can tell me anything you want Amir jan. Anytime.'" (page 99) Amir could have lifted a big weight off of his shoulders that would have helped to halt any future problems, but he was too afraid and too much of a coward to speak his mind in fear of being hated. "For a moment, I almost did tell him. Almost told him everything, but then what would he think of me? He'd hate me, and rightfully." (page 99)
                Amir's last and final mistake was framing Ali and Hassan. This is where he shows how much of a pig he really is and I was truly disappointed to read his plan unveil. "I lifted Hassan's mattress and planted my new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it. I waited another thirty minutes. Then I knocked on Baba's door and told what I hoped would be the last in a long line of shameful lies." (page 104) All this lie did was cause pain and misery. Hassan, being the loyal friend he is, takes the blame and leaves with his father because he understands he is no longer wanted for something he even didn't do.
                My heart was broken when reading this scene and I'm disgusted that Amir not only betrayed a friend, but a brother. The whole point of this scheme was to allow Amir to rid himself of his guilt, but I think it will only cause him more.