Hassan
Family:
Hassan's Family was always very important to him. He always tried to take care of and forgive every single family member he had
Baba: Biological Father
"'[Baba] was like my second father'...In mourning for [Baba], Hassan wore black for the next forty days"-Rahim Khan describing Hassan's actions (Hosseini 219)
Father and son
Amir: Biological Half-Brother
"You Know what always happens when those neighborhood boys tease him? Hassan steps in and fends them off" -Baba (Hosseini 24)
Hassan always steps in
"What will [Amir] think when he comes back to Kabul... and finds that I have assumed his place in the house" -Hassan (Hosseini 219)
Hassan waiting for Amir to return
Sanaubar: Biological Mother
"She was home now, [Hassan] said, home with her family" (Hosseini 222) Rahim Khan telling of when Sanaubar returned after 26 years.
Forgiving one's mother
Gentle:
Hassan is always kind, and never seems to like hurting people
Birth:
"even in birth, Hassan was true to his nature: He was incapable of hurting anyone." - Amir (Hosseini 11)
An Easy Birth
One-Eyed German Shepard:
"I talked Hassan into firing...his slingshot at the neighbor's one-eyed German Shepherd. Hassan never wanted to"- Amir (Hosseini 3-4)
The Neighbours German Shepherd
So Pure:
"That was the thing with Hassan. He was so goddamn pure," -Amir (Hosseini 62)
Annoyingly Good
The Punishment I deserve:
"'Hit me back'...I wished he'd give me the punishment I craved" (Hosseini 98)
Hassan would never hit back
Wisdom:
Hassan shows that he is naturally wise and intelligent multiple times in the book
Plot Hole:
"Why did he ever have to feel sad to shed tears? Couldn't he have just smelled an onion?" -Hassan (Hosseini 36)
The Dreaded PLOT HOLE!!!!
An Open Book:
"How could I be such an open book to him when, half the time, I had no idea what was milling around in his head?...Hassan couldn't read a first-grade textbook but he'd read me plenty." -Amir (Hosseini 65-6).
Amir, as seen by Hassan
A Dark Time For Hazaras:
"'God help the Hazaras now'...'The war is over Hassan...There's going to be peace...happiness, and calm...No more killing'" -Hassan and Rahim Khan on the state of Kabul after the Taliban take over. (Hosseini 224-5)
Taliban Member
There is No Monster:
"Maybe Hassan had made up his dream. Was that possible? Hassan wasn't that smart." -Amir (Hosseini 66)
There is no monster in the lake
Self-Sacrificing:
Hassan shows an affinity for self-sacrifice that is perhaps more of a weakness than strength at times
The Look of a Lamb:
"Hassan didn't struggle...Saw the resignation in it. It was a look I had seen before. It was the look of the lamb." -Amir (Hosseini 81)
A Sacrificial Lamb
Hit Me Back!:
"He opened it up and crushed it against his own forehead" -Amir (Hosseini 98)
Hassan hurt himself rather than Amir, even though Amir needed to be hurt
Hassan Never Lies:
"'Did you steal that money? Did you steal Amir's watch, Hassan?'...'Yes'" -Conversation between Baba and Hassan (Hosseini 111)
Hassan should have defended himself
It was Amir's idea:
"Never told that the mirror, like shooting walnuts at the neighbours dog, was always my idea" -Amir (Hosseini 4)
Causing trouble was always Amir's idea
Physical Description
Harelipped
Mongoloid Features
Low Set Ears
Green Eyes