There was a pomegranate tree up on a hill near Amir's house, where both he and Hassan would go to talk, play, and read stories. Their friendship developed under, around, and in this tree. Amir even carves the words "Amir and Hassan, Sultans of Kabul" into the tree, legitimizing their friendship with the permanence of writing. During their childhood, this tree produced the best tasting and most ripe fruit, more than fit for consumption and enjoyment. However, after Hassan's death, Amir goes to visit the tree and finds it barren and without produce; he also can't find the words he had engraved into the tree, symbolizing that the era of his friendship with Hassan was truly over and would never be revived, just as the tree would never be revived. This tree isn't a pomegranate tree for no reason; pomegranates symbolize a few things that double as characterization of Amir and Hassan. First off, the pomegranate connotes divine reward, which is something that Hassan would certainly get and something that Amir would strive for but would not believe he could achieve. Pomegranates also symbolize resurrection in Greek connotations, which is significant in that the tree is dead when Amir comes to it as an adult, suggesting that Hassan's physical friendship could not be saved, although his spirit would be resurrected in Amir and in Sohrab. In Shakespearean setting, pomegranates symbolize innocence, which is a sensible comparison since both boys had a great deal of naivety and innocence before Hassan's rape. |