Father-son relationship

"Nothing was free in this world. maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba. Was it a fair price? The answer floated to my conscious mind before I could thwart it: He was just a Hazara wasn't he?" (pg 76)

I know that prior to this blog, I discussed my frustration with Amir. But one has to wonder why Amir's thought process was so selfish when faced with rough situations. He mentions that he wants to do well to impress his father, but I cannot decide whether or not that is an excuse to betray such a loyal friend. If Baba had not been so distant to Amir while raising him, I believe that Amir would try to behave as Baba. He would want to be the loyal, honest, confident man that Baba had been as a father to him. However, the fact that Babe only showed and told of his disappointment in his son and his behavior, Amir did not feel adequate enough for his father's love and appreciation. Because of the lack of affection, Amir had to stoop so low as to risk the well-being of a best friend, a brother. It is so hard to make up my mind on how I feel towards Amir and Baba. They both have their stronger qualities that I admire; however, both of them lack good judgment at times throughout the novel.

Diversity of Characters

"Come. There is a way to be good again, Rahim Khan had said on the phone just before hanging up. Said it in passing, almost as an afterthought....A way to be good again" (pg 192).

This line made me absolutely stoked for what is to come!! I am praying that Hassan comes back into the story soon because so far, he has been my favorite character (predictable, I know). I am sure that people have been complaining about Amir's selfishness, and I am no different. Amir's casual self-righteousness bothered me so much within the first ten chapters. No matter the circumstance, he was always putting himself before others, and majority of the time he knew that what he was doing was wrong. However, the diversity of the characters and their personalities are what make this story so intriguing and tragic. If Hassan had not been this amazing child, who always put his friend before himself, then the audience would not feel such pain and anger when he endured the hurt from rape. Of course, there would be sympathy no matter what, but due to Hassan's caring and giving soul, the hurt was exaggerated nonetheless. If Amir redeems himself in the end of this novel, then I will be more than satisfied. I cannot tell, but this novel has an eerie feeling and I am afraid of an anything-but-happy ending...

Style/Foreshadowing

"Like the times Kaka Homayoun's projector got stuck on the same slide, the same image kept flashing in my mind over and over: Hassan, his head downcast, serving drinks to Assef and Wali. Maybe it would be for the best. Lessen his suffering. And mine too. Either way, this much had become clear: One of us had to go" (pg 102).

One thing that I have noticed throughout each chapter of the book is the style that Hosseini uses to write the novel. Each chapter contains some sort of foreshadowing, whether it be menial or significant, there always seems to be a hint as to what the audience can expect the characters to do next. For example, Amir clearly admits that either he or Hassan has to leave. Because of this foreshadowing, the audience can easily guess that Hassan will have to be the one to leave, considering he lives in Amir and Baba's house. The way he goes about goes about getting rid of Hassan is the part that leaves the audience reading for more information. The use of foreshadowing is one of the reasons I have enjoyed reading this book so much. It is so hard to put down because I always know something is coming up that I cannot miss! The unknown makes the story intriguing and suspenseful.

Metaphor

"...Baba had wrestled bears his whole life. Losing his young wife. Raising a son by himself. Leaving his beloved homeland, his watan. Poverty. Indignity. In the end, a bear had come that he couldn't beat. But even then, he had lost on his own terms" (pg 174).

The narrator, Amir, frequently provides the audience with metaphors to draw comparisons between people and other figures. At times, he even makes references to Afghanistan as a person itself. One of the metaphors that really stuck out to me was the comparison between "bears" and the difficulties that Baba has faced throughout life. First, Amir refers to his father losing his wife, which he often felt was his fault because of the way Baba treated him. The second metaphor was comparing the beast to raising Amir by himself. Although towards the middle of the novel their relationships has seemed to improve, the relationship between Amir and Baba was shaky towards the beginning of the novel. Their relationship has progressed, and they act more like friends toward the middle of the novel before Baba's death. Then, Amir refers to the bear being poverty and indignity. The move from their rich and easy life to a life of nearly nothing had to be difficult for Baba, who is used to having everything that he needs in a country he loves. However, Baba's strength allowed him to overcome those difficult times until the new "bear" arrived: cancer. According to Amir, this was the only beast that Baba could not defeat.

Direct Characterization

"I can still see his tiny, low-set ears and that pointed stub of a chin, a meaty appendage that look like it was added as a mere afterthought. And the cleft lip, just left of midline, where the Chinese doll maker's instrument may have slipped, or perhaps he had grown tired and careless" (pg 3).


Throughout the first several chapters of The Kite Runner, the narrator, Amir, describes Hassan's outward appearance and physical stature by using direct characterization. Due to Hassan's ancestry (Hazara), he looks a person of Asian descent rather than Afghan, which is used as a sign of inferiority in the eyes of the Afghan men and women. Although often seen as a servant, and a person not worthy of recognition, Hassan is described to always have a smile on his face. Because the audience is provided with the physical deficiencies of Hassan, we understand how is mental attitude is so superior. By standing up for Amir against bullies, and attempting to maintain a friendship between Amir and himself after the incident, Hassan is a strong and superior individual. He is loyal to his family and his friends, and does not give into stereotypes. Therefore, even though Hassan possesses a cleft lip, he is displayed as a stronger individual than his master and friend, Amir. Amir, with this education and his money, does not have the confidence and morality to ward off bullies and do the right thing.