Amir's Sympathy In 'The Kite Runner'

When fathers unequally distribute their attention between their children, one receiving more than the other, it can negatively affect the self-esteem and emotional well-being of the son who feels neglected. Sons often scrutinize other father-son relationships to identify areas where their own relationship falls short. The stark contrast between Baba's affectionate relationship with Hassan and the distant bond he shares with Amir highlights the importance of empathy in fatherhood. When conversing with Rahim Khan, Baba says, "A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything" (20) alluding to the fact that Hassan always faces Amir’s challenges for him. This quotation relates to Baba's favoritism towards Hassan

People would talk. All that a man had back then, all that he was, was. His honor, his name, and if people talked... We couldn’t tell anyone, surely you can see that” (190). This quotation relates to baba favoritism over amir because baba is more concerned about protecting hassan’s honor, whereas he does not have the same level of concern of Amir’s honor. The dramatic irony of Hassan also being Baba's son provides some explanation for Baba's neglectful and emotionally detached relationship with Amir, while showing an abundance of love and empathy towards Hassan. Baba did not want people to find out about his infidelity and bring shame to his name and reputation. Baba's fear of people talking and tarnishing his name leads him to favor Hassan. This shows Baba's favoritism towards Hassan because it suggests that he values his reputation and honor more than his relationship with Amir. Baba’s secrecy impacted his relationship with Amir, as he was not able to openly show love and affection towards Hassan in front of others, which caused Amir to feel neglected and resentful. However, this decision also had a devastating impact on both Hassan and Amir as they were deprived of a true father-son relationship and

This shows the damaging effects of parental favoritism and the lengths that some parents may go to keep their secrets hidden, even if it means neglecting their own child. Additionally, it also demonstrates how it can lead to long-term emotional scars and fractured relationships. A text-to-text connection that can be made to the theme of parental favoritism is the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. In the novel, Dr. Alexandre Manette keeps a secret from his daughter Lucie that he had been imprisoned in the Bastille for eighteen years. This secret has a profound effect on Lucie, who is unaware of her father's traumatic past, and she is deeply affected when the truth is revealed. Similarly, in The Kite Runner, Baba keeps a secret from Amir that Hassan is his half-brother. This secret affects Amir's relationship with both his father and Hassan, as he struggles with feelings of jealousy and neglect. The favoritism shown towards Hassan by Baba can be attributed to this secret, as Baba feels guilty for neglecting his son and compensates by treating Hassan with more