In Amir's dream, what does Hassan's cry 'For you, a thousand times over' symbolize?

• A. Hassan's forgiveness
• B. Hassan's unwavering loyalty and Amir's guilt
• C. The memory signals Hassan's betrayal
• D. Baba's approval

Answer: (B)

The main idea this question tests is how a single line in a character’s voice can symbolize deep loyalties and unresolved guilt. Hassan’s cry, “For you, a thousand times over,” embodies his unwavering loyalty to Amir. It shows how selflessly Hassan would stand by Amir, even at great personal cost, a devotion that Amir later realizes he took for granted and betrayed.

In Amir’s dream, that vow returns to remind him of two intertwined truths: Hassan’s steadfast loyalty and Amir’s own guilt over letting that loyalty be violated in the past. The cry isn’t about forgiveness being granted or about Baba’s approval; it’s about the moral debt Amir feels because Hassan never abandons him, while Amir abandoned Hassan. The line thus serves as a powerful symbol pushing Amir toward seeking redemption rather than seeking approval or absolution from others.

The other options don’t fit because they misread the emotional center of the cry: it is not forgiveness, it is loyalty; it does not signal betrayal, it contrasts with it; and it isn’t about Baba’s approval, since the loyalty and guilt originate in Hassan’s actions toward Amir.