Sohrab's Plight: Amir's Unknowing Betrayal

what happens to sohrab while amir sleeps

In *The Kite Runner*, Amir and Sohrab arrive in Islamabad. Amir falls asleep, and when he wakes up, Sohrab is gone. Amir eventually finds him outside a mosque, and they have a heart-to-heart. Sohrab talks about his guilt and sinfulness due to the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of Assef. Amir comforts him and asks if he wants to come live with him in America, but Sohrab doesn't answer. Amir later discovers a way for Sohrab to go to America without needing to go to an orphanage, but when he goes to tell him, he finds Sohrab bleeding and unconscious in the bathtub after a suicide attempt.

Characteristics Values
Sohrab's location Mosque
Amir's action Asks Sohrab about his parents, gives him a photo of Hassan, and reassures him about God's forgiveness
Sohrab's feelings Scared about the future, feels sinful due to sexual abuse by Assef, wants to avoid his parents seeing him
Sohrab's actions Asks Amir about God's forgiveness, expresses uncertainty about Amir's wife accepting him, cries
Outcome Amir offers Sohrab a chance to live with him in America, which Sohrab does not immediately answer
Sohrab's mental state Depressed, attempts suicide
Sohrab's recovery Spends time in ICU, on a 24-hour suicide watch, and does not speak for months

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Sohrab attempts suicide

In Khaled Hosseini's novel, *The Kite Runner*, Amir travels to Afghanistan to rescue his nephew, Sohrab, from the Taliban. Sohrab is the son of Hassan, Amir's half-brother, and has been held captive by Assef, a Taliban official who sexually abused him.

Upon their return to America, Amir faces difficulties adopting Sohrab due to bureaucratic hurdles and the lack of required documentation. One night, Amir tells Sohrab that he might have to go to an orphanage, causing the boy to scream and cry himself to sleep. When Amir wakes up, he finds Sohrab unconscious in the bathtub, having attempted suicide by cutting his wrists.

Sohrab is rushed to the emergency room, where he receives emergency care and spends three days in the ICU. During this time, Amir prays fervently for Sohrab's recovery and remains by his side. Sohrab survives but falls into a deep silence, wishing for his old life back and expressing his desire for Amir to have left him in the water.

For several days, Amir stays in the hospital with Sohrab, reading to him and trying to comfort him. Amir explains that they have found a way for Sohrab to go to America without going through an orphanage, but Sohrab remains unresponsive. It would be a year before Amir hears Sohrab speak again.

Sohrab's suicide attempt leaves him broken and beaten. He spends months in silence, struggling to adjust to his new life in America. Amir, haunted by his own guilt and past failures, is determined to save Sohrab and provide him with a better future.

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Amir finds him and takes him to hospital

In *The Kite Runner*, Amir and Sohrab travel to Islamabad. While Amir sleeps, Sohrab disappears. Amir eventually thinks to look for him at the mosque, where he finds him sitting in the parking lot. They have a heart-to-heart, during which Sohrab reveals that he feels "dirty" because of the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of Assef. Amir comforts him and asks if he would like to come and live with him and his wife in America.

Sohrab does not answer, and Amir falls asleep again. When he wakes up, he finds Sohrab bleeding and unconscious in the bathtub, having attempted suicide. An ambulance arrives and takes them both to the hospital. Sohrab survives over five hours of emergency care and spends three days in the ICU. Amir stays by his side throughout his recovery, and eventually, they travel to San Francisco together.

Amir's rescue of Sohrab from Assef and his suicide attempt is admirable. Through Sohrab, Amir is able to right the wrongs from his childhood and atone for his treatment of Hassan, Sohrab's father.

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Sohrab spends three days in ICU

In Chapter 24 of Khaled Hosseini's novel, *The Kite Runner*, Amir finds Sohrab unconscious in a bathtub after cutting his wrists in a suicide attempt. An ambulance arrives, and Sohrab is rushed to the emergency room. In the hospital waiting area, Amir prays fervently for Sohrab's recovery.

Sohrab survives over five hours of emergency care and spends three days in the ICU. During this time, he is placed on a 24-hour suicide watch per hospital policy. Amir stays by his side, but Sohrab remains non-responsive. When he finally wakes up, he tells Amir that he is tired of everything and wishes for his old life back. He expresses his desire for Amir to have left him in the water. Amir tries to comfort Sohrab by explaining that they have found a way for him to go to America without needing to go to an orphanage. However, Sohrab stops speaking altogether, and it would be a year before Amir heard him speak again.

During the three days that Sohrab spends in the ICU, Amir reflects on his own guilt and past actions. He feels a sense of redemption and the opportunity to atone for his past mistakes by saving Sohrab. The experience helps Amir turn to both God and his inner strength to navigate the challenges they face.

In the following months, after arriving in America, Sohrab remains silent. He does not speak to Soraya when they greet him at the airport, and he continues to be non-verbal for seven months. During this period, Sohrab's existence is described as minimalist, highlighting how quickly people's interests and attention can fade once events are no longer in the headlines.

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Amir stays by his side

In Khaled Hosseini's novel 'The Kite Runner', Amir and Sohrab's relationship is a central focus. After rescuing Sohrab from Assef, who sexually abused him, Amir is determined to save Sohrab from his trauma and offer him a new life in America. However, the adoption process proves challenging, and the uncertainty of their future together weighs heavily on both characters.

While Amir sleeps, Sohrab attempts to take his own life, unable to cope with the guilt and trauma of his past experiences. When Amir discovers Sohrab in the bathtub, bleeding and unconscious, he rushes him to the hospital. During Sohrab's recovery, Amir stays by his side, praying fervently for his recovery and reading to him. Despite Amir's efforts, Sohrab remains silent and withdrawn, expressing his tiredness and longing for his old life.

Amir's unwavering dedication to Sohrab's recovery is a testament to their bond and Amir's desire to atone for his past failures. As Sohrab struggles to cope with his trauma, Amir provides a source of stability and support, even as Sohrab's silence persists during their journey to America. Amir's presence offers Sohrab a chance at a new beginning, away from the horrors he endured.

The hospital stay marks a turning point in their relationship, as Amir becomes a pillar of strength and hope for Sohrab. Despite the challenges they face, Amir's commitment to Sohrab remains unwavering, demonstrating his transformation into a courageous and compassionate figure in Sohrab's life.

As the narrative progresses, Amir's rescue of Sohrab from Assef and his dedication during Sohrab's recovery highlight his growth as a character. Through his actions, Amir symbolically redresses the wrongs of his childhood and finds a way to be good again, guided by his newfound connection to God and his inner strength.

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Sohrab eventually travels to America with Amir

In *The Kite Runner*, Amir travels to Afghanistan to rescue his nephew, Sohrab, from Assef, a Taliban official who keeps him as a sex slave. Sohrab is the son of Hassan, Amir's half-brother, who was raped by Assef. In an attempt to rescue Sohrab, Amir is brutally beaten by Assef, but Sohrab intervenes and they escape together.

After rescuing Sohrab, Amir asks if he wants to come and live with him in America. Sohrab is scared about the uncertainty of their future together, and the prospect of going to an orphanage. Amir promises that he will never have to go to an orphanage again. Amir encounters red tape at the American embassy, finding out that adopting Sohrab will be almost impossible without death certificates to prove his orphan status.

After a week, Amir tells Sohrab that they have found a way to get him into the country, but he starts screaming and is found bleeding and unconscious in the bathtub. He is rushed to the hospital, where he survives and spends three days in the ICU. After this, Amir brings Sohrab to America to raise him as a son with his wife, Soraya. However, Sohrab does not speak for months, and it is a year before Amir hears him speak again.

Frequently asked questions

While Amir sleeps in the hospital, he dreams of Sohrab in bloody water and the razor blade he used to cut himself.

While Amir sleeps in Islamabad, Sohrab goes to the mosque. When Amir wakes up and realises he is missing, he goes to the mosque and finds him.

While Amir sleeps in the car, Sohrab runs away from Assef with Farid.

While Amir sleeps in his bed, Sohrab attempts suicide by cutting his wrists in the bath.

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