Essay Response Question
3. Our Character (personality) is often shaped by our relationships with others. Which character is most responsible for determining the personality of Amir? How so?
Kemmy Nolah once said,” Be extremely careful not break someone’s heart or to cause someone great disappointment, and never put up with people that are reckless with yours. That is why you shouldn’t force yourself to have space in anyone’s life because if they know your worth, they’ll create one for you”. (Nolah) In the novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, Amirs father” Baba” is greatly responsible for determining the personality of Amir. Born without a mother and raised by his father, Amir lives with a single role model in his life who repeatedly expects more from his disappointing son. Amir is like a key while in the same way Baba is a door that has no key hole. ” With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking”, (Hosseini 12). Throughout the novel Amirs character is developed in different time periods of his life involving his father. Furthermore growing up in a wealthy environment Baba did not show traits of a parent, causing Amir to betray and creates additional deceptions, which escalates Amirs life for the worst.
Babas lack of love and affection towards Amir has proven to change Amir into a boy that is constantly in search for his fathers love. Amirs best friend,” Hassan” is always there to protect him when he gets into fights because he is too timid to stand up for himself. Baba is reluctant to praise Amir because he feels as Amir lacks courage and is a coward in many situations. For example; when Assef was disturbing Amir, Hassan had to take out his slingshot and threaten Assef to leave at once because Amir was too scared to do anything about it in that situation. “A boy who won’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.” ( ). Baba acts as a strict teacher for the sole purpose of making Amir a man that can stand up for what is correct. This makes Amir jealous
2. baba being diagnosed with cancer helps bring them closer. Amir shows compassion, cares for him and stays with him until he dies,, soccer game
3. Baba disappointed by Amir's decision to become a writer
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Amir wants to please his father because Amir would like to be a son Baba can be proud of. Baba loves his son yet he still wants Amir to be a “little Baba” because Amir doesn't stand up for himself and doesn't act as Baba would. Amir knows this and tries to be more like his father. Baba is seen as “the perfect man” because of his successfulness, strength, and personality or character. The community sees Baba this way because he is so willing to sacrifice himself for others and they have even made fables about Baba’s strength by fighting a bear and Amir views his father in the same way; as seen in the dreams Amir has and how he describes his father. Amir tries to make Baba proud of him through trying soccer but is short lived because he isn't…
- 211 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
In the novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini writes a fictional story about a young Pashtun boy named Amir, who lives with his wealthy father, Baba, and his two Hazara servants, Ali and Hassan. Amir and Hassan share a strong bond with each other despite the fact that both of them are part of different ethnic groups. However, their friendship is torn apart when Amir decides to betray his best friend for Baba’s love during a time when political tensions were high in Afghanistan. When the Soviet Union decides to invade Afghanistan, this causes Amir and Baba to flee the country to Fremont, California, leaving behind Hassan and his gentle father, Ali, to a terrible fate. For many years, Amir has carried a strong guilt with him throughout his adulthood…
- 310 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
4. We begin to understand early in the novel that Amir is constantly vying for Baba 's attention and often feels like an outsider in his father 's life, as seen in the following passage: "He 'd close the door, leave me to wonder why it was always grown-ups time with him. I 'd sit by the door, knees drawn to my chest. Sometimes I sat there for an hour, sometimes two, listening to their laughter, their chatter." Discuss Amir 's relationship with Baba.…
- 985 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Baba and Amir have two very different personalities. Throughout the book, Amir is whom the readers feel compassion for. He's always gets bullied and Baba doesn’t show him the love that he should. Baba is considered a hero and a leader. Compared to Baba, Amir is weak. He couldn’t stand up for himself. Amir likes poetry…
- 438 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
He can also be called Amir's protector, guardian and teacher because Amir learnt many things from Hassan. From a readers point of view we could never question Hassan's loyalty towards. We see many examples of Hassan's loyalty for example daily routine of serving, sticking up for him against Assef and of most loyal act sacrifice himself for Amir and be raped by Assef. Hassan's action or qualities can never be questioned as wrongdoing or selfish. "For you a thousand times over" Amir on the other hand, we can see many actions of self-centerness, betrayal and jealousy. Through out his childhood he always tested Hassan's loyalty but never tested his own loyalty. Amir while yes being a friend with a Hazara is loyal thing, Hassan was only the backup. " Wondered why he never includes you in games when he has guests? ...something he can play with when he's bored, something he can kick when he's angry." In reference to Baba and Amir, they were not very alike because they shared no interests. Even though Amir cried out for his fathers love, Baba could never accept his Amir for who he was. Baba always wanted more from Amir, to stand up for himself, to be a man and not to sit around and write and read. Amir was not strong minded or willed and was highly emotional and self absorbed. But 26 years later, after the sexually assault of Hassan we see a very different…
- 926 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Baba is always the wise parent giving his son, Amir, a slice of life now and then. One of the times that Baba gave his son a slice of life is when Amir was in Baba’s study room. Amir was talking to Baba about his…
- 966 Words
- 4 Pages
Powerful Essays -
In other words, Baba is very important to Amir’s upbringing through his practice of leading by example. One of the key situations is when Baba forgives Hassan for “stealing” Amir’s watch and money. Throughout his childhood, Baba had reminded Amir that “there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft.” (17) However, in this instance, he let’s Hassan pass without punishment, even though he had broken the one sin Baba believed in. While not an immediate influence, later in life, this gave Amir the courage to see past other people’s weaknesses and faults, and forget his own prejudices when dealing with people, especially his now deceased best friend Hassan, who was of Hazara descent. Similarly, Baba had shown Amir early in life how to treat others correctly, even if they were not of the same ethnicity as you, or perhaps the same social class. Baba was always best friends with Ali, who is a Hazara and Baba’s housekeeper, since the day Baba’s father took Ali in off the streets, and “Ali and Baba grew up together as childhood playmates...just like Hassan and I grew up a generation later.” (25) Baba’s childhood actions had greatly impacted his own future, and therefore influence the childhood and future of his son, showing him to be accepting of people and not to believe the prejudices that other people talked about. In Amir’s life, Baba’s “silent” influence was likely the one of the greatest…
- 1003 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Amir see’s Baba as a great, proud, and courageous man, who is always determined, but sometimes has a tendency to not express his feelings and therefore, seeming distant and unloving. Through out the book Baba proves his courage and fearless personality, for example, when Baba and Amir escape Kabul, Baba prevents a guard from raping an innocent woman, something Amir had already proved himself to cowardly to do.…
- 327 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
For those who don’t reach the end of the book The Kite Runner, they might consider Amir to be evil or immoral. Based on his actions from his childhood and teenage years he does things that seem inhumane and inconsiderate. However, the full presentation of Amir is very important to the complexity of his character. The events that happen throughout the book make readers feel more sympathetic because the author explains scenarios that readers feel bad that Amir had to go through those experiences. Readers begin to sympathize more with Amir because they understand what being neglected can make a person feel like. They can also relate to what it might be like to not have a mother as well as the despair of being betrayed by someone you love.…
- 773 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
He becomes aware of Baba’s betrayal to Ali, recognizing that his father and he were very much the same and the way he saw Baba as a kid was a false perception of his father. Amir realizes that betrayal is an evil thing and will haunt one until redemption is reached, like it once did with Baba, and now himself. Baba, however, did not have to be too hard on himself, for he tried to redeem himself throughout his entire life, although he made an immense mistake and had an affair with Ali’s wife, resulting in the birth of Hassan, Baba was sincerely sorry and was an honorable man who acknowledged his wrongdoing. Amir’s father was a prime example of a man who was worthy and honorable, he made a mistake, but an honorable man has several…
- 692 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
This came about when Baba’s darkest secret was revealed by Rahim Khan. The secret was that Baba had slept with Ali’s wife Sanaubar and impregnated her, making Hassan his child. Amir went through a series of mixed emotions at this revelation. Initially the news made Amir furious. He thought of his father as a hypocrite due to all of the lessons he had thought him in his past. Baba once told Amir, ‘There is only one sin – ‘and that is theft…When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth.’ (Pg.225) Due to this lesson, Amir couldn’t help but think that Baba’s theft was the worst kind of stealing, since “the things he’d stolen had been sacred: from me the right to know I had a brother, from Hassan his identity, and from Ali his honor.” (Pg.225). As Amir reflected on his father’s deception and betrayal, he started to see himself in a similar way. Amir realized that his father was more like him than he ever knew and this is when their relationship made the final shift. He saw how much they were one and the same. His feelings towards his father finally changed. “Baba and I were more alike than I’d ever known. We had both betrayed the people who would have given their lives for us.”(Pg.226). Amir finally realizes that Baba was a man who also made mistakes and lived with regret. He recognized that the negative behaviors he had witnessed from his father, came from the struggles he had while trying to deal with the guilt and failures of the past. In the same way Amir had also suffered from the terrible things he had done. The big difference is at the end of the day Baba was a better man than Amir was, but Amir knew he had time to change this. From here on, Amir took on the task of redeeming both his and Baba’s mistakes. He agreed to go on the search for Hassan’s orphaned son Sohrab and to take care of him and raise him like he was his…
- 1807 Words
- 8 Pages
Better Essays -
It is Baba’s choice that set the story of Amir and Hasan into motion. His brief moment of infidelity and the fact he was never able to fully claim his illegitimate son led to a chronicle of events that defined Amir. However, it was not only this choice that came to affect the people around him. The way he raised Amir under the constant pressure of being someone he was not, ultimately led for his son to believe he needed to prove his worth. During the kite contest Amir confesses that he needs to “Show [Baba] once and for all that his son was worthy” (56), showcasing a boy who has the incessant need to prove his self-worth. Despite this Baba never truly accepted his son as he was, and even confessed that Amir is “A boy who won’t stand up for himself” (22). Throughout the majority of his life, Baba tried his best to shape Amir into the son he designed. Just like how he bends the world into his liking Baba sought to mold Amir to be just like him. In the end, however, it was revealed that he was merely a man with a “tortured soul” (301), who saw redemption in the marks he would leave the…
- 858 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Amir, is the central character and is shaped both in character and intellect by power. He is privileged and wealthy, but also steeped in jealousy and cowardice. He is selfish and guilty of abhorrent behaviors. The one positive strength Amir has is his friendship with Hassan. Considered best friends this is a friendship that is generally one-sided with Hassan showing the loyalty and trust. There is an ongoing conflict for this friendship because Amir shares paternal heritage with Hassan. Hassan was born into servitude and thus Baba, the boys’ father, cannot lay claim to Hassan’s heritage. The Afghan traditions and culture pose a conflict for Baba regarding Hassan. Hassan for his part is loyal, forgiving, and an all-around pleasant person to be with. The two boys are drawn to each other naturally. Hassan is the family servant and never wavers in his loyalty to the family even with the knowledge that he should be considered part of it. At the same time, Baba struggles with his own morals and the rigid Afghani traditions. He is proud and determined but also emotionally detached from Amir. Amir feels the detachment deeply and constantly strives to receive Baba’s affection.…
- 1218 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
In The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, the especially profound connection between Amir and Hassan exemplifies the potent influences of a brotherly alliance, undying fidelity,…
- 840 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
In the beginning of the novel one encounters a self-centered young boy, who lives a notably privileged life. He has a great friend, his father is wealthy, and he belongs to the upper social class in Afghanistan. However, a troubled relationship with his father deprives him of the affection he longs for, which he blames on himself. He believes Baba wishes he was more like him, and that Baba holds him responsible for killing his mother, who died during his birth. For example, when Baba tells Rahim Khan that, “If I hadn’t seen the doctor pull him out of wife with my own eyes, I’d never believe he’s my son” (Hosseini 25). As a result Amir behaves jealously toward anyone receiving Baba’s affection, especially Hassan. This causes Amir to resent bringing Hassan around Baba, even if it’s just for a short time. This is evident when Amir states, “He asked me to fetch Hassan too, but I lied and told him Hassan had the runs. I wanted Baba all to myself” (Hosseini 14). Although they are best friends, Amir feels that Hassan is beneath him because he is his Hazara servant. For instance, after the rape of Hassan Amir tries to justify his actions by stating that, “He was just a hazara, wasn’t he?” (Hosseini 82). At the same time, Amir never learns to defend himself or anyone else because Hassan always did it for him.…
- 1139 Words
- 3 Pages
Powerful Essays