Comparing The Hero In The Kite Runner And King Lear

“A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart,” is a quote from Disney’s animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film Hercules. A hero is defined as an individual who is admired and idolized for their courage, achievements and noble acts. In the novel “ The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini and Shakespeare's play “ King Lear”, the main protagonists King Lear and Amir have varying qualities that make them the heroes they are described to be. Throughout both stories, readers implicitly and explicitly see how much both characters have grown and the sacrifices they had to make to get to the places they ended up; Amir a redeemed hero and King Lear a tragic hero. Those who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the well-being of others is an essential trait that makes a good hero.
In the text, it states, “Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay to win Baba. Was it a fair price?” (Hosseini,82). Amir says this when he witnesses Hassan getting raped and is left with two choices; to stand up for Hassan or to run and win Baba’s affections. He see’s the kite and ultimately decides to abandon his friend to rebuild his broken father son relationship. In the end, Amir succeeds in winning over Baba by bringing home the winning kite. Therefore, this statement demonstrates the heroic sacrificial quality that Amir possesses because he was willing to sacrifice his friendship for his