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Examples Of Amir's Identity In 'The Kite Runner'

1001 Words5 Pages

Martin Ortiz Alvarez
Honors English II
8th period
May 4th, 2023

"The Parental Influence: Amir's Identity in The Kite Runner"

Father and son, daughter and mother—these are some examples of common bonds in a family. When looking further into it, our parents always tend to influence our identities in one way or another. For instance, a parent's religious or political beliefs can often shape a child's values and worldview. In the novel "The Kite Runner," we watch how Amir, the sensitive and intelligent son of a well-to-do businessman, attempts to gain approval and acceptance from his father, Baba. Throughout the story, Amir tries to impress Baba by excelling in sports like kite flying, which is a popular pastime in Afghanistan and one that …show more content…

Hassan tends to get mistreated and disrespected by Amir due to his jealousy of not gaining his father's attention. “I went downstairs, crossed the yard, and entered Ali and Hassan’s living quarters by the loquat tree. I lifted Hassan’s mattress and planted my new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it. I waited another thirty minutes. Then I knocked on Baba’s door and told what I hoped would be the last in a long line of shameful lies” (Hosseini, 2003, pg. 104). In this scene, Amir plants his new watch and Afghani bills under Hassan's mattress, falsely accusing him of theft and hoping to get rid of him and Ali. This action reveals Amir's cruel nature towards Hassan and his willingness to frame his closest friend to win his father's trust. Amir states, "What I hoped would be the last in a long line of shameful lies." This is a primary example of figurative language. The irony extends to the fact that Amir is accusing Hassan of theft when, in reality, Amir is the one who has attempted to steal Hassan's chance at a happy life by betraying him. The accusation is also ironic because it highlights the power dynamic between Amir and Hassan - while Amir holds the privilege and social status, it is actually Hassan who holds the moral high ground. Hosseini uses irony to underscore the theme of betrayal and its impact on the characters' lives. Hazaras are a minority ethnic group in Afghanistan, often marginalized and discriminated against, while Pashtuns are the dominant ethnic group in the country, enjoying more power and privileges. To fully understand the significance of this event, the ethnic and social divide between Pashtuns and Hazaras, the two main ethnic groups in the novel, exacerbates the mistreatment and abuse that Hazaras like Hassan face. Amir, as a privileged Pashtun, sees himself as superior to Hassan, who is his Hazara

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Moreover, the setting is significant for the plot because Khaled Hosseini showcases the major differences that take over Afghanistan before and after the Soviet Invasion and Taliban rule. Likewise, the setting sets the tone for how the characters interact and the conflicts they face. In the beginning, Afghanistan is shown as a beautiful country where Amir has spent his entire childhood devoid of bloodshed and misery. Amir and Hassan’s interactions are based off the activities they do such as going to Cinema Zainab for new Iranian movies and hiking up the hill North of Baba’s home. At the top of the hill, they would watch the airplanes take off and land near the pomegranate tree that bears a lot of memories, such as the time Amir had pelted Hassan with pomegranates in shear frustration after the incident in the alley.

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On the other hand Amir, has grown up in a big house, has gotten everything he wanted, has received special treatment throughout his whole life. He could cause him to feel superior and brave, but ironically he is a coward. Amir would rather lie and get Hassan in trouble then stand up and admit and apologize for what he has

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Whenever Hassan was out in public he was jeered at, yelled at, called names, and Amir witnessed that. He witnessed how nobody saw this as a problem, how nobody stepped in, because that was the socially acceptable way to treat Hazaras in that society, the society in which Amir lived for his entire childhood. The environment in which you live as a child has a big effect on how you grow as a person, and in Amir’s environment it was constantly reiterated that he was better than Hassan, so why should he risk something for someone who is only a servant? On page 28 Amir says, “That Hassan would grow up illiterate like Ali and most Hazaras had been decided the moment he had been born… after all, what use did a servant have for the written word?” Amir is abiding by society's social standards, he has started to think less of Hassan

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Amir makes hassan look like a thief by “planting [his] new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under [the mattress]” (Hosseini 104). Hassan knew of Amirs intentions that Amir wanted him to leave so Hassan lies and says that he stole it in order to remain loyal with his friend Amir. Thus, Hassan and his father Ali, feel like they can no longer serve Baba or Amir anymore and leave forever; Amir never sees him again. It was then that Amir realized how much of a horrible person he was and how undeserving he was to have Hassan. His father realized it was him and forgave him even though his father said “theft is unforgivable.”

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Hassan’s Hazara status is a mark of persistent discrimination, and other frequent insults because of the little consequences they face because of the systematic oppression of Hazaras. Hassan must suppress any anger he faces and keep it inside of himself in a way Amir and the Pashtun children do not have to. Additionally, Hassan faces stereotypes of distrust because of his heritage. When Rahim Khan leaves for Pakistan, he leaves Baba’s house to Hassan to care for. The Taliban regarded the Hazara family alone and executed Hassan because they said “he was a liar and a thief like all Hazaras”(Hosseini 218).

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