Amir Character Development

What circumstances influence the development of the characters under an unstable environment? The development of individuals and their ability to find their own identities is often difficult under normal circumstances, however, it is even more difficult for individuals who live in unstable environments given the severe challenges that they must face and adapt to. In Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, the environment is shaped through an erratic political landscape in which political powers change hands rapidly, a deranged social environment in which Hazaras are oppressed by Pashtuns, perilous living conditions due to conflict and war, as well as afflicted relationships between characters. The conditions of the unstable environment

Fathers often play critical roles in a boy’s childhood since they are figures that a boy looks up to and aspires to be, hence a father’s opinions are esteemed and valued. Baba’s disapproval and disappointment towards Amir for lacking the elements that Baba wished for in his son, lead Amir to feel ashamed, guilty, and unwanted. The insecurity that Amir develops due to his father’s insensitive nature causes Amir to desperately seek for Baba’s approval in his quest for acceptance. Amir’s thirst for acceptance is further explored when Amir watches Hassan being assaulted and says, “Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba” (Hosseini 68). This quotation reveals that Amir is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice by allowing his best friend to be raped in return for a material object, the blue kite, which he would be able to take back to Baba to make him proud and prove that Amir does mirror some talents that his father had as a boy. Another example in which Amir demonstrates his thirst for acceptance occurs the day before Baba’s orphanage opened when Baba was taking Amir to Ghargha Lake and asks Amir to invite Hassan, but Amir lies and says, “… Hassan has the runs” (Hosseini 14). This quotation highlights the fact that Amir was willing to lie to his father, telling

Amir rescues Hassan’s son, Sohrab from Assef and the Taliban where he was treated like a pet as he was forced to dance with bells around his body and was likely abused physically and sexually multiple times. After Sohrab is rescued, Sohrab asks Amir if he thinks God will put him in hell for hurting Assef with his slingshot. When Amir consoles Sohrab assuring him that he didn’t do a bad thing and Amir tries to reach out Sohrab when Amir says, “I reached for him and he flinched” (Hosseini 334). This quote highlights that Sohrab can not bear anyone laying a hand on him even if it is to console him because he had probably been touched by men he did not know in ways that he did not want, and hence has changed his personality and approach on life regarding people touching him. Therefore, one of the methods in which Sohrab isolates himself is by not allowing anyone to touch him. Following that conversation, Amir asks Sohrab if he missed his parents. Sohrab continues by telling Amir that he misses his parents as well as his grandmother a lot, but then continues to say “But sometimes I am glad that … they’re not here anymore … because I don’t want them to see me … I’m so dirty and full of sin” (Hosseini 335). This quote reveals that Sohrab feels dirty and blames himself after he was abused by the