The Road to Repentance

            An important turning point in the story is when Amir goes back on his promise with Sohrab and tells him that he is going to live in an orphanage for a little while. Sohrab had greatly feared this due to the abusive past he had experienced from orphanages and immediately become terrified and broke down. After finding Sohrab in a bloody bathtub, he is rushed to emerge and Amir kneels for the first time in fifteen years and prays. This relates with the Jewish holiday: Yom Kippur, which is 10 days of repentance. Amir is begging for God’s forgiveness and help to save Sohrab’s life. In the meantime, he is restoring his right relationship with God and agreeing to fast longer that what is required for Ramadan, memorize the Koran, and go on a pilgrimage. 

       Furthermore, this situation goes on to further explain that suffering can be salvific. Amir suffers greatly when he sees Sohrab's bloody body in the bath tub and immediately feels guilty for being the leading cause to Sohrab's actions. However, suffering brings Amir closer to God. He realizes that he needs God for he can not live without him. Therefore, suffering can be good because it can teach one a life lesson that they are not inevitable and sometimes life is going to be tough but one has to keep on living it and no live it alone. 

     According to Jacob Neusner's article, "Evil and Suffering," Amir also adheres to the Muslim response to suffering. This would be considered avoidance and seeking out suffering as a path to God and pained viewed positively. When one looks at life it is going to be full of bumps and highlights along the way. When one encounters a horrendous experience in their life there is always a reason and a purpose. For instance, when looking at the crucifixion, Christians notify this as the worst wrongdoing ever done by mankind but good did overcome the evil in the resurrection of Jesus. Likewise, there is a reason for everything and although suffering may not be our plan, there is a greater plan that will follow eventually. In Amir's situation, it'll bring him closer to God and Sohrab, even if it takes a couple years for the boy to come around.