I want to hate Amir. I really, really want to hate Amir.
Beginning in 1975, Khaled Hosseini’s intriguing novel, The Kite Runner, highlights the differences in the Pashtun and Hazara cultures of Afghanistan. Specifically, the uncommon friendship between Amir, a Pashtun, and his Hazara servant, Hassan. The two young boys grew up together, and were even breastfed by the same woman. They are almost always inseparable. Both of their mothers are out of the picture: Amir’s dead and Hassan’s somewhere unknown. Baba, Amir’s father, blames his son for killing his beloved wife. While unfair, sometimes the only way to cope is with blame. The only person who understands Amir is Hassan. The only person who understands Hassan is Ali, his father. Throughout the entire novel, Amir and Hassan fight the deeply rooted divide in the Pashtun and Hazara cultures. However, an event so tragic threatens to rip them apart forever. They have never known life without each other. Actually, I should say they didn’t know life without each other up until now.
Amir is selfish and insecure in his need for his father’s love and attention. I began reading this book thinking Amir would go from the cliché need-to-be loved character to the strong willed, independent …show more content…
He is undyingly loyal and “so goddam pure.” He can do no wrong. However, the world throws a lot of wrongs onto him. After Amir commits the unforgiveable, Hassan immediately finds it in his heart to forgive him, even though Amir cannot forgive himself. Years after the two boys go their separate ways, Hassan is still looking for Amir’s friendship. He writes Amir multiple letters begging him to come home to Afghanistan where he “will find an old faithful friend waiting.” As a reader, I wanted Hassan to be mad at Amir for betraying him at the time of the assault. Now, I want Hassan to forget about Amir. He stayed a man of “unrequited loyalty” until the day he died. For that, I pity and admire
Beginning in 1975, Khaled Hosseini’s intriguing novel, The Kite Runner, highlights the differences in the Pashtun and Hazara cultures of Afghanistan. Specifically, the uncommon friendship between Amir, a Pashtun, and his Hazara servant, Hassan. The two young boys grew up together, and were even breastfed by the same woman. They are almost always inseparable. Both of their mothers are out of the picture: Amir’s dead and Hassan’s somewhere unknown. Baba, Amir’s father, blames his son for killing his beloved wife. While unfair, sometimes the only way to cope is with blame. The only person who understands Amir is Hassan. The only person who understands Hassan is Ali, his father. Throughout the entire novel, Amir and Hassan fight the deeply rooted divide in the Pashtun and Hazara cultures. However, an event so tragic threatens to rip them apart forever. They have never known life without each other. Actually, I should say they didn’t know life without each other up until now.
Amir is selfish and insecure in his need for his father’s love and attention. I began reading this book thinking Amir would go from the cliché need-to-be loved character to the strong willed, independent …show more content…
He is undyingly loyal and “so goddam pure.” He can do no wrong. However, the world throws a lot of wrongs onto him. After Amir commits the unforgiveable, Hassan immediately finds it in his heart to forgive him, even though Amir cannot forgive himself. Years after the two boys go their separate ways, Hassan is still looking for Amir’s friendship. He writes Amir multiple letters begging him to come home to Afghanistan where he “will find an old faithful friend waiting.” As a reader, I wanted Hassan to be mad at Amir for betraying him at the time of the assault. Now, I want Hassan to forget about Amir. He stayed a man of “unrequited loyalty” until the day he died. For that, I pity and admire