Ciara's Fifth Reaction to The Kite Runner

I know that Amir surprised me when he did not save Hassan, but his framing of Hassan f**king blew me away.  I've been avoiding saying it because I felt bad for him, but let's face it: Amir's a lil b*tch. I attributed his previous actions to his intense desire for Baba’s love, at all costs; however, accusing Hassan of stealing was plain cruel.  Regardless, I think it was for the best.  If Hassan and Ali stayed, Amir would continue to hurt Hassan while Hassan took the brutal emotional beatings.  Hassan is too kind to deserve this treatment and Amir knows it as well.

The move to America was exactly what Amir needed.  Everything in Afghanistan reminded him of what he did (or, rather, what he didn’t do) that cold night many years ago.   Initially, I assumed Baba’s decision to move to Afghanistan had some selfish reasoning behind it that had nothing to do with Amir’s happiness, but as the story went on, I realized it had everything to do with Amir’s well being.  In the beginning of the novel, I was not even sure if Baba really loved Amir.  Amir was the not the son Baba had wanted or envisioned, and he resented this.  However, this section of the book showed me how deeply Baba loved his son. 

Baba went from being a wealthy influential businessman to a blue-collar worker in a gas station.  He never once complained.  Baba’s pride came from the fact that he was able to provide for him and Hassan, not how he did it.  He did everything he could to make ends meet, including working twelve hour shifts at the station and spending his weekend selling junk at the flea market.  Everything he did, he did so that Amir would have a better life. 

I did not think it would ever be possible, but Baba eventually learns to accept Amir for who he is.  When Amir is scared on the last leg of the trip to Palestine, Baba calms him with his watch light and encourages him to think happy thoughts.  When he falls in love with Soraya and asks for his father’s permission to marry her, Baba approves and cites Amir’s wedding day as the happiest day of his life.  He even brags that Amir is “going to be a great writer one day” when introducing Amir to the general.

Though he changed in some ways, Baba retains his stubborn, proud character until his death.  He refuses to get chemotherapy and denies the pity of his fellow Afghans.  I feel bad that Amir has no one left in his life, and I appreciate Soraya’s presence because I do not know how he would cope alone.  Still, I hope this spurs him to find Hassan eventually.