Family is an important theme in the book, because many people’s lack or inadequacy regarding their families leads them to desire it later in life. Baba’s need to provide for both of his children caused him to improperly love both of them, as he felt he let down one by loving the other, while the inverse would also be true. Baba’s lack of caring for Amir led Amir to sacrifice others to gain Baba’s love. Amir brings Sohrab home to accomplish what he was not able to do as a child and build a family with Hassan, only Sohrab takes Hassan’s place. Amir loves Sohrab, thus accomplishing what his father never did and completing a family. In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini shows us how family pulls people through …show more content…
This is seen throughout the book such as when Amir abandons Hassan in the alley to get the kite, to please Baba. When Amir and Baba moved to America, Baba found it easier to love Amir because “he saw a little bit of Hassan”(303) in Amir. In America, there was no caste system, so Baba harbored no resentment towards Amir for his privileged life. Baba’s love for Amir came out of the fact that he could finally focus his love onto one child, and get over his guilt of only loving one child. In Afghanistan, if Baba gave too much love to Hassan, he would feel guilty about having stolen Amir and Hassan’s right to a brother and Ali’s honor. On the other hand, if he had given too much love to Amir, then he would have felt guilty about having such an underprivileged son, Hassan. When Baba discussed Amir’s lack of standing up for himself with Rahim Khan, Amir tries to prove him wrong “about the mean streak thing”(23). by taking out his anger on Hassan, and shouted at him at their kitchen table. At this point in his life, Amir believes that if he acts more like the son Baba wants him to be, he can finally win Baba’s approval and affection. If Baba had given more attention to Amir, then Amir wouldn’t have had to go to the extremes that he did to obtain …show more content…
Amir never received the support he needed from Baba and he suffered as a result. Amir also feels the need to be a friend to Sohrab to make up for him never being a friend to Hassan growing up. Baba’s lack of love for Amir comes from his guilt over having Hassan. If Baba loved Amir too much, he felt guilty how he had caused another, Hassan, to have a terrible life as a second-class citizen in Afghanistan. The book explores the complex dynamics of family and how patterns of love, conflict and loyalty are destined to repeat themselves until they are finally