Amir’s scar received from the fight with Assef is a very prominent symbol in the novel. The scar is a permanent reminder of the winter Hassan was raped, as well as a general reminder of their relationship. The harelip Hassan was born with contributed minimally to the physical aspect of the higher status Amir felt. However, Baba’s generosity and symbol of love proven to Hassan by providing the surgery to fix it only made Amir more jealous, causing him to make more of an effort to differentiate himself from Hassan.

     Although Hassan’s scar brought separation and envy, Amir's represents brotherhood and friendship. He laughs when he is informed that the scar will remain on his lip forever; Amir realizes the irony of the situation and will never be able to look at his face again without remembering his half brother. The scar also is a representation of the quality of life. When the scar is most noticeable on each brother, they happen to be going through a difficult patch in their lives. The scars are referred to as fading when their lives improve; they correlate with the emotional scars both characters possess. Amir’s scar is very permanent, and will last throughout his life. However, this is not bad thing, because the reminder of his past is what ultimately leads to his recovery.