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The Characteristics Of Heroism In The Kite Runner By Hosseini

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Every danger in the world needs a hero to fight against it. Even though ideas and interpretations of heroism have shifted throughout the years (from Greek heroes like Odysseus with his wit to Superman with his extraordinary powers), being a hero tends to include altruism, dedication to what is right, and defiance against what is wrong. And even though many heroes are celebrated and have been carved into history, many others have not. Ordinary people can be heroes, which is portrayed in Kite Runner by Hosseini. Amir, the main character, shows the exact opposite traits of how the other heroes around him act. The Kite Runner defines heroism with defiance and sacrifice, while the protagonist fails to meet these qualities and consequently tears his family apart. One of the characteristics Hosseini emphasizes throughout the novel is being defiant over being a bystander, yet Amir takes the cowardly option and hides behind others. Amir and Baba, a prominent heroic figure in the book as well as Amir’s father, are confronted by a Russian soldier while fleeing Afghanistan to Jalalabad in Pakistan. When the Russian asked to have some time with a lady on the bus, “Baba stood up….ask [the Russian] where his shame is.” The words “stood up” underline one of the heroic qualities The Kite Runner constantly showcases. Baba goes against the Russian soldier without worrying about the consequence of getting killed and ended up saving the woman and possibly everyone on the bus. Amir tried to stop

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