What would happen if Hassan and Amir knew they were brothers?

[Abby Cody]

Based on Amir's character how would Amir treat Hassan if knew they were brothers?  What evidence can support this based on Amir's actions after he found out?

[ashley.s...@gmail.com]

Amir is a coward so I believe he would be shameful and still wouldn't stick up for Hassan. Amir is a shallow person and would treat Hassan little respect "Eat dirt if I told you to," I said. I knew I was being cruel, like when I'd taunt him if he didn't know some big word." Amir wouldn't change just like his father.

[emileean...@gmail.com]

If Amir knew him and Hassan were brothers, he would have still treated Hassan the same. It idn't matter if he knew they were brothers by blood, Amir was still afraid of Assef and that fact wouldn't change who he was frightened by. Amir says, "I ran because I was a coward. I was afraid of Assef and what he would do to me. I was afraid of getting hurt. That's what I told myself as I turned my back to the alley, to Hassan." The fact the he was his brother wouldn't change that he was still scared.

[Eveline M. Bailey]

It is quite likely that Amir would not have behaved differently to Hassan except perhaps to stem his jealousy of his father's attention some. I believe he would still have been afraid to acknowledge their relationship in public since he was afraid to acknowledge their friendship in public. In fact, it may have been a little worse for him in this way since he was too much of a coward and concerned with what others think of him to forget their opinions in spite of blood- relations. He may even have found it acceptable to do so if Baba did not publically acknowledge Hassan as his own. Like father, like son. It may very well be that the only thing Amir does not do would be to set Hassan up to get rid of him--at least not in the way that he does--because he would understand the reasons that his father would not want Hassan and Ali to leave. I'm not sure blood-relationship would have changed Amir's reaction in the alleyway, though.