by the haunting of the past which perturbs him in the present. The haunting of the past clearly did have a ‘devastating emotional consequence’ on Amir’s life as well as Hassan’s although he was unable as a child to understand the sheer complexity that the rape of Hassan had on him. It is evident that Amir had not gone through the correct counselling procedure for the rape of Hassan which would involve a lot of cognitive behaviour therapy; instead, he confronts it again as he and his father try to leave Afghanistan and meet Kamal; one of Hassan’s perpetrators. Amir and his father learn of Kamal’s ordeal as they leave for America. Kamal’s father reveals how the experience of rape has affected him and his son:

Should have never let him go alone . . . always so handsome, you know . .