Chapter 6

Hassan and Amir are both kite-fighters and in the winter, when the schools close, all the children take part in a kite-fighting tournament. When Amir asks for a new kite, Baba buys him one and also buys Hassan the smae one, no matter how big or expensive which causes Amir to grown more jealous. When a kite's string gets cut, kite-runners run after it to catch it and claim it as a prize. Hassan is a gifted kite-runner.
Amir tests Hassan's loyalty when he asks if Hassan would eat dirt if he asked him to. Hassan then challenges Amir's integrity by replying, 'Would you ever ask me to do such a thing, Amir agha?'
The kite-fighting tournament of 1975 is to be held in Amir's district, which makes Amir want to win more because he wants to make his father proud of him. The night before the tournament Amir and Hassan play cards but Amir suspects Hassan is letting him win, showing Amir's lack of confidence in himself, but also Hassan's loyalty to Amir and respect for Amir's feelings.
Kite-fighting is one of the only sports that we know of that both Amir and Hassan enjoy allowing both of them to excel at it. It brings the two of them together more so than the other activities they do as they both have equal roles, Amir as the fighter and Hassan as the runner. It also helps Amir feel closer to Hassan than he sometimes feels. It is also an activity which his father approves of and therefore provides Amir with a way of securing his father's love. He describes kites as 'the one paper-thin slice of intersection' between his and his fathers interests and ways of living.
Kite flying is shown as a symbol of freedom and independence. The idea of one kite against many is portrayed as typical of Afghan attitudes towards life. As well as this, Amir admits that the galss on the string cuts his finger but he doesn't mind, whereas in other activities he avoids getting hurt, which tells us he is willing to risk getting hurt for the things he believes in.
Amir's description of wintertime in Kabul reinforces this feeling of freedom suggested by the kites. He uses poetic imagery to paint a picture of Kabul from his childhood, 'The sky is seamless and blue, the snow so white my eyes burn.' He also describes, 'the soft patting of snow against my window at night' and 'the way fresh snow crunched under my black rubber boots.' By using this language he is able to convey his love for his home city and the beauty it can achieve in a cold winter.
The conversation Amir and Hassan have about Hassan eating dirt is another indicator of the widening gap Amir feels between himself and Hassan. It shows us Amir feels uneasy about placing himself in a superior position to other people and doesn't quite know how to handle this level of power and its responsibilities. Hassan's response shows that he has a better understanding of the balance of power between them than Amir does. This is reinforced when Hassan allows Amir to win at cards.