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Bahnam
11/20/2020 06:25:59 pm
Hassan is a supportive brother and friend figure that Amir needs even if Amir does not want to admit it; Hassan is also able to make Amir more self aware and see the world through another perspective. Throughout the novel, the boys are always together and Hassan even stands up for Amir against Assef, a bully, who believes that Hazaras are inferior to Pashtuns. Even though Hassan is a Hazara and Assef is a Pashtun, Hassan still stands up for Amir when Assef bullies them. This shows how much Hassan cares for Amir even if Amir doesn’t see Hassan as a friend. Despite not being labelled as friends, Hassan and Amir’s strong bond is shown when they are playing cards. While the two are playing cards, Amir overhears the radio being played in the other room and says that he will buy Hassan a television when they grow up. Hassan responds with he knows just where to put it in his shack and Amir later feels bad. This dialogue is able to depict the difference between Amir and Hassan’s lives. Amir is a Pashtun and has many opportunities while Hassan is a Hazara and will most likely still live in the shack where he and Ali currently live until he is an adult. Through Hassan, Amir is able to understand how hard life is for Hazaras and even feels bad for Hassan. Hassan is able to make Amir more self aware of the privilege Amir has and even makes him sympathize with him unlike Assef another Pashtun who utterly hates Hazaras.
Pazir
11/23/2020 01:15:25 pm
I totally agree with you Bahnam. I also believe that Hassan is a support system to Amir and that he makes him more self aware about how privileged he really is. The information you brought up about the book talking about how Hassan sticks up for Amir against Assef, a bully, always makes me a little upset because I truly believe that instead of Hassan sticking up for Amir, it should be Amir sticking up for Hassan. I love the way you talked about how when they were playing cards and Amir said that he would buy a TV for them when they grow up and he actually thinks about what Hassan actually said. Which is that he would live in that shack forever and I believe that made Amir feel bad as well and made him have a different viewpoint on Hassan's life.
Jaah
11/23/2020 02:00:25 pm
I totally agree with your statement Bahnam! Amir really does not take time to truly appreciate Hassan, but we can clearly see that there is a stronger bond and connection between them throughout the novel and their interactions. I really liked how you used Hassan as a way for Amir to look at the world differently, I had not even thought about that. I definitely agree that Hassan can be a representation of Amir’s sense of privilege and show how grateful he should be. Because Hassan who has a lot less than Amir is always happy and this also speaks to his character. I think you do a great job of defining their complex relationship and giving specific events to support your claim. I think viewing Hassan as a way for Amir to see how hard life is for Hazaras is also a great idea and I am glad you brought that up!
Azoom
11/23/2020 07:56:06 pm
I agree that Hassan is a sort of support system or comfort person for Amir. He doesn’t want to admit that Hassan is really his most reliable and true friend. Although Hassan does unknowingly help Amir better understand Hazaras and their struggles, I think Amir still can't get past that difference between them. When he’s mean to Hassan he tries to use the fact that he’s a Pashtun while Hassan a Hazara as a way to justify his actions. Hassan is the complete opposite where he recognizes their difference but doesn’t let it stop him from treating Amir as a friend, even if it makes him overly devoted to Amir.
Zarak
11/24/2020 09:26:35 pm
I agree with you Bahnam, I think that Hassan does really care about Amir and they have a strong bond even though they may not be labeled as friends.I think Hassan who is a Hazara, and stood up for Amir shows how important Amir is to him, that despite how Assef was bullying them and saying that he wants to get rid of the Hazaras, Hassan, who was afraid on the inside still toughen up and had the courage to stand up for him which got Assef to walk away. I also agree that Hassan has shown Amir a different point of view that gives Amir sympathy.
Pazir
11/23/2020 01:01:45 pm
Amir and his father Baba have a very complicated relationship with each other. They love each other dearly, but they each have their own personality types which makes it so difficult for them to understand each other. From reading the book we know that when Baba was a kid, he was way different than how Amir is now as a child. Baba was athletic, loved to run and play sports, he would stand up for himself and fight. Unlike Amir who likes to instead read and write, and enjoys telling stories to his friend Hassan who sticks up for him rather than Amir standing up for himself. Amir and Baba have a hard time communicating with each other and Baba can find it frustrating talking to his own son. When Baba is talking about how there is only one sin, which is theft, Amir does not seem to understand what his father is saying and says that “Baba heaved a sigh of impatience. That stung too, because he was not an impatient man”. This shows how their communication with each other is very uncomfortable. They do not understand each other in a way that a father and son should. Baba needs to learn that his son is different from him and news to embrace what he is interested in. He is not a coloring book in which you get to decide the colors that go into it. But also, Amir needs to realize that everything he did or does is not the reason why Baba “hates him”.
Pazir
11/23/2020 01:03:51 pm
needs to*
Jaah
11/23/2020 02:17:23 pm
Zarak
11/24/2020 09:36:42 pm
I agree with you, I think that Amir and Baba do have a complicated relationship when it comes to communicating. I also think that Baba has to be more patient with him and not expect him to be like Baba and win at everything he puts his mind to. I believe that Amir should be himself and not have to win his father’s affection and do the things that Baba wants him to do just to please him. Baba should love and care for his son for who he is. I also think the mother’s death may be a reason that causes the relationship discomfort. It makes Amir feel guilty and feel like he needs to do better to make his father proud.
Jaah
11/23/2020 01:50:18 pm
Amir has a complex relationship with Hassan. Even though Hassan and Amir spend most of their time together hanging out during the day, Amir does not really consider Hassan a true friend. He thinks of him as someone that he just spends time with. Although Amir views Hassan in this manner his actions tend to show a different side. When he takes his time to read to Hassan and go to the movies with him, it shows that there is a stronger connection and relationship than Amir wishes to declare. Amir views Hassan almost as a servant boy but I think Amir within himself, knows how much he values Hassan and his friendship. Amir is already an introvert and kind of has a disconnected relationship with his father, so without Hassan, Amir would truly feel the loneliness. Hassan on the other hand shows his admiration for Amir by the respect he renders to him each time he speaks to him. Hassan also showed his protective side when he stood up to Assef while Amir stood there lifeless not doing anything. Instead of Amir, who is looked at to be of “higher status” because of his background and father, intervening and protecting Hassan. It is Hassan who has the courage to stand up to Assef. This shows that even though Hassan knows that he does not receive the same level of respect from others, he will not let that stop him from protecting the people he cares about. In a way I feel Amir takes Hassan for granted.
Azoom
11/23/2020 07:45:57 pm
I completely agree that Amir takes Hassan’s friendship for granted. Amir knows that Hassan will do anything for him and uses that when he can. I also agree with the idea that while Amir sometimes doesn't want to admit it, he would be lost and painfully alone without Hassan in his life. He knows this which is why he keeps Hassan at arms length. There is a sort of disconnect between them as Amir is sometimes hesitant with talking about his feelings or thoughts with Hassan. He also gets annoyed when Hasan “reads his mind.” When Hassan tries to console or comfort Amir he just gets pushed away. They definitely are not true friends.
Pazir
11/24/2020 01:30:10 pm
I totally agree with what you have to say Jaah. I also believe that Hassan and Amir have a complex relationship with each other. For Hassan, he sees Amir as a good friend and even maybe as a brother, while Amir thinks that Hassan is just someone that he hangs out with and or a servant to him. I like how you included the part where Hassan and Amir are getting bullied and it is Hassan who has to stick up for Amir rather than Amir sticking up to Hassan. I truly also believe that Amir should have stood up for Hassan with him being of high status, from what the community thinks.
Azoom
11/23/2020 07:33:26 pm
Amir has extremely mixed feelings about Hassan which impacts the way he views their friendship, if you could call it that. While playing cards with him, Amir notes to himself how sad Hassan’s life is and how he feels bad for him. But not a moment later, he gets a little annoyed at Hassan’s purity and speaks to him with an attitude. We see this kind of behavior from Amir not only in this moment but throughout The Kite Runner so far. Amir plays with Hassan and talks to him in a friendly manner most of the time. But when narrating, we see Amir’s inner thoughts and how he sometimes insults or messes with Hassan. He isn’t at all ashamed to narrate about how he lies to Hassan about the meaning of words and how he sometimes uses his literary advantage to insult Hassan. However, he has referred to Hassan as his friend and even brother. Amir doesn’t seem to know how he feels about Hassan since he likes him sometimes and dislikes him other times. Hassan is the complete opposite and never changes the way he views or treats Amir. Hassan is secure in how he values and cares for Amir despite how he is treated. He is devoted to Amir and sees him as his best and really only friend.
Azfaar
11/23/2020 10:40:28 pm
The relationship Amir has with his father, Baba is complex but rooted from love. There are multiple instances where Amir can sense his fathers distance and disinterest. This in turn affects other relationships he has such as the one with him and Hassan and him and Rahim Khan. A part of this lack of connection comes from the fact that Amir's mother died while giving birth to him. Amir carries that guilt with him and it gets in the way of him having a relationship with his dad without feeling like he blames him for the loss of “his princess”. Rahim Khan, his dad's best friend is one of the people, in a way, who relieves him of this guilt. A flashback in the book describes a photo taken the day Amir was born, “I am a baby in that photograph and Baba is holding me, looking tired and grim- I’m in his arms, but it's Rahim Khan’spinky my fingers are curled around“ (Hosseini 3). Amir holding onto Rahim Khan symbolizes the support and connection they will always have even if he’s not where he wants to be with Baba. Another cause of the subtle strain on Amir and Baba’s relationship is the fact that they don't have the same interest. Baba is a big athletic man and Amir is small and likes to read and write stories. This difference between the two makes Amir feel as if he is letting his father down by not being a miniature version of him. Word count:255
Zarak
11/24/2020 09:10:44 pm
Amir seems to have a unique and ambivalent relationship with Hassan. Hassan seems to really care about Amir when Hassan, who was afraid, stands up for Amir with his slingshot when Assef was bullying the both of them. They have had a very close relationship since childhood. In the story “The Kite Runner” they enjoy each other's company and spend their days playing together. However, they also have an ambivalent relationship because in the story, at times Amir gets jealous over Hassan when Baba treats Hassan like a son. Amir wants his father and his affections only to himself. Amir’s treatment of Hassan shifts throughout the story because although he treats him like a good friend, he also has his moments where he plays tricks on Hassan’s education. In the end of chapter 6, Hassan, a Hazara boy who lives in a small hut, makes Amir feel bad about his living conditions when Amir states about buying a television for the both of them when they get older and Hassan says he’ll place it in his table in the hut. When Hassan tells Amir that he likes where he lives, Hassan teaches Amir that he appreciates the little that he has.
Shahmeer
11/28/2020 12:02:32 am
Amir’s relationship with his dad seems like the stereotypical rich kid and their distant parents who don’t have enough to time to give attention to their kids because they’re focusing on work. Amir is young and it seems like he dislikes his father because of the lack of attention and care he receives. This can be shown through the times Amir has felt jealous towards Hassan when his father gifts Hassan presents. Though Amir has a lot more materials than Hassan, he is still envious because he doesn’t long for the actual gift, but reviving it from his father. Because of this lack of attention he believes that his father truly hates him. During the conversation about sin Amir was very self conscious about how his words and how his father reacted. He could feel a distant between because of their lack of views and Amir interiors that disconnect to hatred. Amir believes that a reason for his father hating him is because his birth has caused the death of his love of his life, implying that his father has never loved. Hopefully as the story progresses, and Amir matures that he will no longer believe his father hates him and overcome his feeling of envy towards Hassan. Leave a Reply. |
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