In the first few chapters of the novel, the major characters Ali, Hassan, Baba, Rahim Khan, and the narrator, Amir were introduced. The setting takes place in Afghanistan where Amir and Hassan grew up in their childhood. Baba and Ali were introduced as living in a previous generation, also as good friends. Baba is Amir's father and his wife died at birth. Rahim Khan praises Amir's first short story as a work of art and tells him to continue pursuing his gift. Baba is not open to Amir's intellectual curiosity and as a result does not percieve him to be his son. He does not believe in Amir's teacher who is Shi'a. In this time, it seems as though there is already separation taking form among the family. Amir feels negative towards Hasaan. A first example of this evolves from the following quote:
"Never mind any of those thins. Because history isn't easy to Overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi'a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing." -(25)
Already we see that the Sunnis and Shi'a cannot feel a connection to one another because of their difficult differences from the history of their residence.
Do you think that these differences foreshadow the breakdown of Amir's family and friendship with Hasaan?
Why do you think this separation still remains within all Sunni and Shi'a?
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Welcome to my blog about Khaled Hosseini's award winning novel, The Kite Runner. Thank your for visiting and please don't hesitate to comment on the various topics and questions posed.
2 comments:
Baba is close to Hassan and Ali so the relationship between the families probably will not be distinguished over relgious or ethnic differences. Have you read Baba's response to Amir's request for new servants? p. 89 WHY?
It's really the attitude of people like Assef in his comment on p. 72 that causes the problems in the community and the Middle East. Focus on Amir and his reasons for the problem with Hassan. It is not religion.
Currently the problems between Sunnis and Shi'a are mounting, even between Shi'a factions. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan heightens our awareness of these religious situations.
Yes I have read Baba's response to Amir's request for new servants.
Baba wants to establish that Ali has been cared for by his parents and Hasaan will stay no matter what. Baba is close to Hasaan and Ali because of their dedication and their loyalty. He looks behind the cultural differences that Amir recognizes; he doesn't treat them as servants or like the rest of the town does. On top of this, Baba does not fully believe in Amir because of his character traits which he discussed with Rahim Khan toward the beggining.
In regards to the comment that Assef made about Amir's treatment of Hasaan, he does prove a valid point about Amir's negligance. Amir has problems with understanding true friendship and making a decision on what other people think about Hazaaras. Hasaan is a true friend and nothing but a nice, kind, person but Amir is blinded by society's stereotypes. I believe that this is a true flaw in Amir's character.
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