To what extent do you agree that personal weakness is to be blamed for what happens to the central character in novels? Discuss your views with reference to a novel or novels you have studied.

To what extent do you agree that personal weakness is to be blamed for what happens to the central character in novels? Discuss your views with reference to a novel or novels you have studied.

At the start of the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini we view the events that create the story through the eyes of the main character, Amir, in a difficult political arena where the socio-economic conditions in Afghanistan demonstrate the disparity between the majority (Sunni Muslims) and the minority (Shi’a Muslims) and how people discriminate against each other based on physical features, such as a cleft lip, and religious beliefs. The socio-economic differences are also explored in the United States, as Baba and many other immigrants give up their lives of relative prosperity and security for manual labour and little pay. In addition to the differences between the Muslim sectors in society, The Kite Runner also alludes to the differences between European and Western Christian cultures on the one hand, and the culture of the Middle East on the other. The conservative Taliban, which outlaws many customs and traditions, also demonstrates the differences within the same religious groups.
The central character in The Kite Runner is a boy subjected to the loss of his mother, and little understanding of his father in a place where emotional and physical toughness was valued and expected in boys. Amir was not of this ilk because he neither expressed nor embraced the characteristics or enjoyment of being a rather privileged boy. As an example of this, towards the middle of the book, Amir attempts to write a story that pleases his friend and servant, Hassan, although makes his father question the way he is, seeing him as being “unlike him” (Baba) and “unable to stand up for himself” when Amir and Hassan are continually faced with confrontations from other neighbourhood boys. A factor that could have influenced Amir to be this way could be a possibility that his mother shared this trait, a love of books and writing, with him. Amir not being privy to such a fact because he never met his mother, could only make him question himself as much, if not more, than Baba questions him. Every relationship in The Kite Runner is strained at one point or another. For example, Hassan’s love for Amir is unconditional, while Amir’s love for Hassan can almost be considered as selfish. These two relationships demonstrate a love that includes jealousy and insecurity. This further fuels the fire of events the effect Amir and put a greater dent in his personal weakness. Despite this though, Amir does show varying degrees of paternal love.
In terms of Amir’s character growth, his desperation to please his father, which we have witnessed throughout the novel, plays a significant part in Hassan’s rape. Although Amir felt paralyzed by fear when he witnesses the horrific act, he admits that his main reason for not intervening is selfish. Amir does not stop Assef from raping Hassan because he wants to bring the kite he won to Baba, and Hassan is the price to pay for this. Having taken this into consideration, it is clear that this all leads back to Amir wanting to please Baba. This marks the basis for the rest of the novel. It shows how in the future Amir will still not be able to stand up for himself and the things he believes in and how he will be marked with cowardice. Also, the foreshadowing set into place with Assef’s warning that he was a patient person and would have his revenge eventually has finally come true. Hassan paid a terrible price for revenge, but so will Amir. Insert Quote & Relevance (TEER)
When Amir sets Hassan up and frames him for stealing a watch and some money, Amir just proves that his reaction towards his guilt and jealousy of Hassan is linked to Baba’s lack of approval and the father-son relationship. For most of the novel, Amir attempts to deal with his guilt by avoiding it. Doing this clearly does nothing toward redeeming himself, and he ends up still feeling guilty. That is why he still cringes every time Hassan’s name is mentioned. When Amir finds out about Baba’s betrayal of Ali, realising that Hassan is Baba’s son as well, he begins to acknowledge that everything he thought he knew and understood about his father was false. Amir himself feels betrayed but Baba has been dead for fifteen years, and there is nothing he can do about the situation. Neither feelings of betrayal or punishment are enough to redeem Amir.