Monday 3 June 2013

Cleft Lip

I feel as though the cleft lip is a very important symbol.
In the beginning of the novel Hassan's cleft lip symbolized his poverty and low status. With the split lip Hassan was capable of standing up to Assef and being strong. Amir at the beginning did not have a split lip and could not stand up against Assef or save Hassan from being raped. Later on in the novel Amir fights Assef and ends up with a split lip that proves he has then became emerged with Hassan and learns he can now stand up and care the way Hassan did.

3 comments:

  1. I agree with you Rachel. It's almost like when Amir ends up with the cleft lip from Asseff, it is a message from Hassan. That there is now a part of Hassan in Amir.

    ReplyDelete
  2. These are very interesting points. I also believe that the cleft lift symbolises strength. Hassan would always stand up for Amir but Amir would never defend Hassan. When Amir fights Assef and gets a split lip, it shows he has fought for Sohrab, the only part left of Hassan, and proves his self strength.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great post! I think you're right when you say the cleft lip symbolizes the strength Hassan had and Amir gains by the end of the novel. I liked how this book was came so full circle, like Amir getting a cleft lip exactly like Hassan, and how Amir had to save Sohrab from the person he couldn't save his father from when they were children.

    ReplyDelete