What event does Amir's description of America as a 'great, big river' allude to?

• A. The event is Amir's dream of a perfect life in America.
• B. Hassan's rape and Amir's betrayal.
• C. The journey to Kabul.
• D. The Taliban's rise to power.

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is symbolism. A river often stands for movement, cleansing, and a fresh start. When Amir imagines America as a “great, big river,” the image suggests that this new land could wash away past guilt and offer him a chance to begin again.

That hopeful sense is tied to a pivotal moment in Amir’s life: the memory of Hassan’s assault and Amir’s own betrayal. Those events create the deep moral burden Amir carries, and the idea of America as a vast river reflects his longing to escape that burden and reinvent himself. The river metaphor thus points to a longing for redemption through a new life in America, even though the past cannot be fully rinsed away.

The other options don’t fit as well. The dream of a perfect life in America is just a broad wish, not tied to a specific moment of guilt and moral reckoning. The journey to Kabul and the Taliban’s rise are tied to Afghanistan’s history and politics, not to Amir’s personal sense of cleansing or renewal in America.