The Kite Runner Compare And Contrast Baba And Amir

Baba’s high expectation influences Amir 's fixed mindset because Baba feels that his son should be more courageous and follow the values that make up a Pashtun man. Throughout Amir 's childhood Baba always sets these high expectations for Amir that leads Amir to believe that one cannot be weak at things. Throughout the story, Amir is a shy insecure boy while Baba is a confident and proud man. Due to Amir 's introverted self, he spends most of his time reading books and poetry; while Baba tries to force his interest onto his son Amir for the purpose that Baba wants Amir to be the great example of what a Pushtun man should be. An example that shows Baba has a fixed mindset was when Amir states, "With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking. The problem, of course, was that Baba saw the world in black and white. And he got to decide what was black and what was white. You can 't love a person who lives that way without fearing him too. Maybe even hating him a little" (Hossieni15). This quote shows that Baba was a man with a strong personality, and it was his way or the highway. This instills so much fear in Amir that he is afraid of committing mistakes around his

Although Amir thinks his father, Baba, is angry at him for not living up to his family’s beliefs, Baba does not hate Amir. Baba just wants Amir to be a proud man, so Baba can relate to him and further extend their relationship, but Amir does not live up to his father’s specific expectations. When Baba sees that Amir is not growing up like he did he becomes disappointed in Amir. Baba does not agree with Amir’s love and passion for reading poetry and writing stories, because he believes it shows a lack of courage and this does help their relationship. Amir simply wants to make his father happy and try and live in his footsteps. In the book I believe this relationship is part of the reason why Amir didn’t help Hassan when he was being raped, because he wanted to please his father with the victory kite of the contest. If he were to help Hassan the kite would be taken by Assef, but in actual fact I believe Baba would be happier if he stood up for his friend rather than winning the tournament. Amir could have also left Hassan because he is jealous of his father and Hassan friendship.

always buried in those books or shuffling around the house like he’s lost in some dream… I wasn’t like that.” (Hosseini 23). Baba expresses his frustration that his son is not alike his father. He expects his son to enjoy and plays sports tremendously that he forgets that his son is another person with his own likes and hobbies. This shows us the disconnect between Baba and Amir. Moreover, Baba shows more examples that he is not a good father when he criticizes his son for lacking a quality that he thinks is vital. Later in the same conversation with Rahim Khan, he says: “That’s not what I mean, Rahim, and you know it… There is something missing in that boy.” (Hosseini 24). He argues that Amir is lacking a “mean” streak that he thinks is needed for the child. He continues to tell Rahim that Amir does not have the ability to stand up for himself and he sounds as if he is losing patient over the child. This is an example of a terrible father as Baba tries to put what he has in mind unto his son. Furthermore, he displays being an incompetent father

Baba could’ve steered Amir to helping Hassan’s son in the end. It was Amir’s decision to save Sohrab in the end, it also could’ve been Baba’s dying wish; to help Hassan. In chapter 18, Amir puts the puzzle pieces together for Baba being Hassan’s father and also realizes that what Rahim Khan wanted was for Amir to redeem his own sins and Baba’s as well. And he decides to save Sohrab. “On the rickshaw ride back to Rahim Khan’s apartment, I remembered Baba saying that my problem was that someone had always done my fighting for me.” This proves that Amir had decided to redeem himself and Baba by fighting for what is the truth. Baba’s redemption followed Amir by Amir going to save Hassan’s son from the Taliban raided country. Eventually, this can be turned into Amir’s own redemption for what he had done to

Amir and Baba do not try to involve themselves with Hassan and Ali. Just like when Amir starts to understand the low social status Hassan has and accept the status quo. He says “That Hassan would grow up illiterate like Ali

Baba is an Afghanistan man that has two sons, Amir and Hassan. Amir describes him as “being a huge and intimidating man who stood six feet, five inches tall with a thick beard and wild, curly hair and was purported to have wrestled a bear because of the long scars on his back.” Baba is also softhearted. Baba is well-known to his community. He believes in trust and respect other accomplishments. One example was when Amir won the Kite Tournament, Baba was proud to be Amir son. Baba always liked a strong, loyal, and brave son like Hassan. Sometimes he wishes Amir was more like Hassan which leads to Amir winning his respect and attention. Overall, Baba is a brave and protected father for both Amir and Hassan.

Although Baba and Ali grew up together, they grow to be very distinct people. Baba is a respected Afghan businessman who constantly gives to the community. Baba also stood up for himself and others when he felt that something was unjustified. Ali on the other hand is very reserved and doesn’t do anything when people make

While on a truck, he defended the women. Willing to take the bullet without hesitation, he put his life on the line for the stranger, for his passion had been stronger than his fear of death. Baba acted out of bravery due to his grand stature, level head, and big heart, “when all six-foot-five of him thundered into the room, attention shifted to him like sunflowers turning to the sun” (13). Baba was well respected in Afghanistan, and he knew that his voice would be heard; therefore, he used his power as a way to defend the defenseless. He was willing to sacrifice himself even though his son disagreed with the idea. Amir thought only of himself and that he would be left as an orphan if Baba was shot; whereas Baba wanted to help the woman as long as he was only risking his own life. His heart reached out for anyone needing an extra hand. He loved and cared for so many people, he wanted to help all of them. Baba put in hard work to help the people around him, and they all looked up to him due to “the marks he had left on people’s lives” (174). Baba’s willingness to sacrifice himself for strangers shaped his reputation in Afghanistan.

When the Russian soldier asked for half an hour with the lady in the back Baba stood up and spoke against it. Baba had the courage due to his past experiences and adverse situations he has already faced. “I will take a thousand of his bullets before I let this indecency take place.” His personal values and beliefs went against Russian soldiers demands only because incidents before have had an impact on his character and they shaped his identity. Baba constantly tries to do good deeds to redeem and perhaps forgive himself. Another example of shaping identity is society pressure. Baba’s image mattered, how other people saw him and how they treated him was a part of his personal values and self worth. Wealth, status and honor were how he was portrayed in front of society. Society pressure and judgment shaped Baba’s identity and impacted his decisions. He was ashamed to tell everyone that he is Hassan’s father, a father to a Hazzara. He did not want to lose his identity of being a Pashtun or be disrespected due to his past. Just as Amir Baba was willing to deal with guilt and regret for personal desires and searched for true redemption the rest of his life.

Amir's first word indicated how much Baba meant to him. Everything Amir did in his childhood was to gain his father's approval. He tried to connect with Baba by playing soccer, which turned out to be unsuccessful. It was very difficult for him to gain acceptance from a man who wanted him to be the complete opposite of himself. Baba wanted carbon copy of himself; a son who was athletic, strong minded and brave, for him to grow up to become a "man's man." Baba noticed how Amir never stood up for himself, it was always Hassan that came to his rescue. He also

Shortly after Baba’s death, his old friend Rahim Khan calls him to come back to Afghanistan to finally make amends. As Amir begins his journey back to Afghanistan, his character can be defined as empathic and loving.

Baba was usually aloof and cold when he was around Amir. Since Baba was interested in sports, he felt like Amir wasn’t his son because he was into writing and was weak. In a conversation with Rahim Khan Baba said that something was missing in Amir. He said that a boy who couldn’t stand up for himself would not stand up for anything. They don’t really have a good father and son relationship because Baba expected too much of Amir. It was that winning kite tournament that somehow bonded them together but after a while, it went back to being the “cold” treatment

Amirs father, Baba, is a strong man very set in his ways. He represents the independent culture of old Afghanistan. He instills his ideals of masculinity on Amir, and believes he should be stronger, more sports oriented, and able to stand up for himself. “Of

Baba never really confronted his mistakes, yet he seemed to live a fairly full and whole life. Amir and his father, Baba have a very distant relationship, they seem to be two very different people. “I always felt like Baba hated me a little. And why not? After all, I had killed his beloved wife, his beautiful princess, hadn’t I?”(Pg. 18) In this quote Amir talks about his relationship with his father and how difficult it is. Although, he doesn’t know that the distance between them was because of Hassan, not the death of

Amir had great influences on him as a child; Baba was a brave person, generous to everyone, and should’ve influenced Amir to be the same. On the contrary, Amir was selfish and chose not to stand up for his friend, even when the situation desperately needs it. This is not because of how he grew up, of his environment. Amir’s genetics made him to be fearful and mean, as shown throughout the book. “I knew I was being cruel, like when I’d taunt him if he didn’t know some big word. But there was something fascinating - albeit in a sick way - about teasing Hassan.” (Hosseini 54). Even though Amir had great influences growing up, Hassan took the brunt of his attacks and neglect. Near the beginning of the book, Hassan is raped in the alleys running a kite for Amir. Going after Hassan, Amir finds Hassan while this is going on but does not stop the rapist or stand up for his friend. Instead, Amir ran away and proceeded to abandon Hassan emotionally after the event. Baba was a brave man and would’ve stood up for Hassan, regardless of the danger to him, but Amir was not influenced nearly as much by his positive environment rather than his negative cowardice, or