Chapter 25

At the beginning of the final chapter, the doctors are working to save Sohrab's life, and Amir turns to prayer. You can tell Amir is panic stricken by the use of short, blunt sentences. At the beginning of the chapter, he simply states what is going on, there isn't any emotion behind it, which shows that he is feeling numb. This chapter really addresses the new found guilt of what he has done, which contrasts with that of his childhood. However, he is doing something about this guilt, as he is praying to god and trying to push to help Sohrab. When he has to leave Sohrab, Amir is left in a "wide, windowless corridor", which shows how trapped he feels, as there are no escape routes, he just has to carry along down the corridor. He has a brief analepsis that confirms he feels this way, as he thinks back to the time in the back of the fuel truck with Baba.

Amir knows what he needs to do, he needs to pray, even though he said earlier that he does not wear his religious clothes any more. He begs the nurse and the police man to tell him which way is west, and flings down his make shift prayer mat in desperation. He knows he has not been the best muslim, and prays that god will forgive his sins, and turn to him in his hour of need. He uses short sentences to show his desperation.

"A starless black night", Hosseini uses pathetic fallacy to highlight what is going on, it is as i nature has turned bad, hence the "black", and that all hope is lost, due to there being no stars. Amir cannot breath again, which reminds us of the hands that used to clamp his throat when he thought of Hassan and what he had done to him. This again shows the contrast between the guilt now and then, as again, he does something to relieve his breathing, by going and opening a window.

Someone taps on Amir's shoulder, and as they tell him the news, Amir immediately thinks of all the things he can do to pray to god that Sohrab is okay. By doing this between the sentences, Hosseini builds up tension, as we don't know whether Sohrab will be okay.
"He is alive"

Amir goes to see him in the intensive care unit, and the nurses are wearing "green", which indicates the new life that has been given to Sohrab. Amir falls asleep, then when he wakes up, a different nurse takes him outside the ICU, and gives him a blanket to fall asleep on the sofa with. He dreams about the doctor coming to tell him the news, but instead of it being the doctor, it is the man from the embassy.

After three days Sohrab is moved from the ICU to the ground floor. When Amir goes back to the room, he sees that the bathroom had been cleaned, but can't help thinking what was the last thought that went through his mind when he sunk the blade in. Amir asks how Sohrab is feeling, but he gets no reply. This shows the lack of trust in the situation, and how Amir had his chance with him, but blew it. "His eyes were lightless" shows how he is feeling, and later he says to Amir that he wishes he hadn't pulled him out of the bathtub, he wishes he could have died. He wants his mother and father back, his old life back.

Amir tells Sohrab that he can come back to America with him, and everything will get better, now that he has a visa to go to the US. he says two words, "I promise", and regrets it, as this reminds him of the last time he said that, when he promised he would not have to go back to the orphanage. Sohrab never accepts or declines his offer to go back to America, it just happens. They arrive back on a warm, August day in 2001, which could symbolise hope, by the pathetic fallacy. Sohrab does not say anything to Soraya when she asks if he likes his room, he lays his head on his pillow and without minutes is asleep.

Amir stands up to the General Taheri for the first time in this chapter, as he calls Sohrab the "Hazara boy", as if looking down on him. Amir says back to him "You will never refer to him as "Hazara boy" in my presence. He has a name and it's Sohrab".

Sohrab continues to be silent. It takes quite a turn on Soraya, as she had already been planning to take him swimming and help him with homework even before they had got home to America. They decide to go to the park, as a family outing, and to meet a group of other Afghans. Pathetic fallacy is used, as it is raining on the day they go out, which reflects the mood of Sohrab. Amir keeps his promise, by saying morning namaz, like he had told god he would in his hour of need. When they go out, Sohrab still does not speak, even though it is nearly a year on. People used to be empathetic, but now everybody knew about Sohrab, no one asked why he din't speak or play with other children.

Soraya notices the kites in the sky, flying high, and the use of bright colour makes them stand out against the dull sky due to the rainy day. Amir goes over to buy one, and asks Sohrab if he wants to try it out. Sohrab of course, does not say anything, but when Amir offers it to him, he takes his hands out of his pockets. Amir teaches Sohrab one of his and Hassan's tricks from when they were younger. They cut the green kite with one swoop, and Amir has an analepsis to when Baba was stood on the roof, clapping for him. Amir looks down and sees Sohrab almost smiling -
"Lopsided.
Hardly there,
But there."

Amir hears himself say, "for you a thousand times over", and it is as if he is back with Hassan again. He runs, and the repetition of the phrase "I ran", shows that he feels like a child again, with no problems and freedom.