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Amir’s mother was highly educated and universally regarded as one of Kabul’s most respected, beautiful, and virtuous ladies. Baba loved her dearly, and his marriage to her is one of the things that he was most proud of. She taught classic Farsi literature at the university and was a descendant of the royal family– a fact that Baba would use as leverage on the people who had scoffed at him and insisted he would never marry well. He referred to her as “my princess.” Sofia died giving birth to Amir, but he searches for information about her throughout the novel. He has heard very little from his father, but feels some sense of connection to her, as he knows that she loved words and literature as he does.
It is not until his return to Afghanistan that Amir learns about his mother in greater detail. She liked almond cake, honey, and tea. She fretted about her happiness. Though she is a minor character, her role is not insignificant. She acts as a foil to Hassan’s estranged mother, Sanaubar, further establishing the valley of differences that separate Amir from his half-brother. Sofia also symbolizes Amir’s great desire to know and understand himself, where he comes from, and what his character is made of. Additionally, she symbolizes the greater sense of yearning that colors Amir’s life, often leaving him with a feeling of otherness, of not-quite-belonging, and an eventual peace as he learns more about her life and impact. Where his relationship and feelings for Baba were naturally more nuanced and complex, what Amir learns of his mother allows for pure pride and adoration, giving him the space to recognize that while he never knew her in the physical world, she had a lasting impact on the core of who he is.
