Cleft Lip

And the cleft lip, just left of the midline, where the Chinese doll maker’s instrument may have slipped, or perhaps he had simply grown tired and careless”( Pg.3)


http://www.stockvault.net/photo/108484/male-model-sketch



   One of the most prominent symbols in the story is the deformed lip of Hassan. The cleft of Hassan’s lip represents the contrast between the people of poverty/underclasses citizens and the people of wealth in Afghanistan since his father could not afford to pay for the reconstruction surgery; as well as contrasting the lives between the Pashtuns and the Hazaras in Afghanistan. The harelip also represents an opportunity for Hassan’s biological father Baba to care and help his son publicly.

     The cleft lip reappears in the story during the confrontation of Assef and Amir in Afghanistan. As Assef relentlessly beats Amir, one hit to the face splits Amir’s lip open. When the wound is healed it resembled the mark that Hassan had after his reconstruction surgery. This deformity on Amir represent his identity merges with Hassan’s as he displays characteristics that Hassan possessed such as loyalty, and courage for standing up for what is right. It also a permanent mark on Amir that will remind him that he had finally owned up to what he should have done in the first place.