Similarities

Author Khaled Hosseini uses recurrent themes throughout his novel to illustrate character development over time. 

Similarity	Childhood	Adulthood
Harelip Theme –  truth	-Hassan is born with a harelip and this is one of the reasons why Baba gives him away at birth.  Hassan does not seem bothered by this facial deformity which demonstrates the inner strengths of this character who never tells a lie.  Later in the novel, Baba pays for him to have plastic surgery as a birthday present and a way to reduce his own guilt.	-Amir is the perfect looking son that Baba keeps for his own. As an adult he gets into a fight with Assef and ends up with a harelip. Amir was not concerned about his facial injuries because he was finally able to redeem himself for concealing the truth for so many years.
Kite Running Theme –  Freedom	-Hassan runs a kite for Amir.  These two best friends are a difficult team to beat when they work together.   When Hassan and Amir are flying their kite, they are both free and not confined by social class and economic level.	-Amir runs a kite for Sohrab at the end of the novel.  Amir is trying to reach out to the traumatized son of his best friend and his real life nephew.  When flying the kite, Sohrab smiles for the first time leading the reader to believe that his future may be more hopeful.
Slingshot Theme - Courage	-Hassan threatens Assef with the slingshot to save Amir from being beaten.	-Sohrab in turn uses a slingshot to take out Assef’s eye when he fights to the death with Amir.  The bravery of the young boy is similar to how his father protected Amir as a child.
Assef the bully Theme - Power	-is the neighbourhood bully who rapes and brutalizes Hassan.  Amir hides and does not come to his friends aid. As a result, guilt and shame breaks up the friendship and  Amir is haunted by his inaction.	-this same bully grows up to become a high ranking Taliban. He ends up buying Sohrab when he becomes an orphan.  This motivates Amir to fight Assef to free his nephew.  Confronting the bully in spite of his own fears allows Amir to finally atone for past guilt.
Watch + Money Theme - Redemption	-Amir frames Hassan for taking his watch and money.  This results in Hassan and his father quitting as servants and moving out.	-Amir helps a needy family by giving them  his watch and money.
“For you a thousand times over” Theme - loyalty	-Hassan says this to Amir as an expression of loyalty and friendship.	-Amir uses this same phrase to Sohrab as an expression that he will always be there for him.