Thursday, April 3, 2014

The Kite Runner: Coping with Uncontrollable Forces


The character Hassan in the Kite Runner has to go through many experiences that are out of his control and must adjust to deal with them. Amir and Baba were forced out of Afghanistan because it had become a war zone. They ended up moving to California where there lives changed completely. After living here for a while, Baba became very sick and eventually passes away. His father's death takes a huge toll on Amir. Baba was the only person that Amir had in his life after they had to leave Afghanistan. Although Amir and his father did not have the closest relationship as he was growing up, there is no doubt that he had a huge admiration and respect for his father. Losing anyone in your life is a hard thing to deal with and is something we have no control over.


Amir and his father, Baba
(http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/movieDetail.cfm/i/810BB061-C037-4183-6EB7B5E1D0B1BCCB)


One day, Amir receives a phone call from his father's old friend Rahim. Rahim updates Amir about everything that has been happening in Afghanistan. He asks Amir to come visit him in Afghanistan where he tells Amir about Hassan and he learns that since he left, his old friend has gotten married, had a child and unfortunately been killed. This is news that Amir takes very harshly because it makes him think of their childhood together. Amir and Hassan grew up together and even though they had grown apart after all the experiences they went through, Amir is still devastated by this news. On top of this, he learns that before Hassan and his wife passed away they had a child who is now in an orphanage and is in need of a parent. Amir isn't sure about taking his child in which I don't really understand because he and his wife, Soraya, had been trying to have a baby.
 
 However, this is not all the news Rahim Khan has. He also suggests the Hassan’s father, Ali, and his wife, Sanaubar, were not able to have children and that Hassan was actually Baba’s child. This would mean that the entire time Amir and Hassan grew up together, they were actually half-brothers and didn’t even know it. This makes Amir more apt to consider adopting the child because that would make him Amir’s nephew.

Unfortunately for Amir, this is not even all of the bad news. Rahim Khan, the man he has looked up to for so long, is ill as well and says that he will not make it through the summer. This takes a toll on Amir because Rahim has been like a father to him for his whole life. He treated him like a father should treat a son and encourage his dreams rather than be embarrassed of them, like Baba sometimes was.

Amir and Rahim Khan
 
 
This is a lot of bad information that Amir receives in a very short amount of time. All of these things are out of his control and he has already lost two people he had been close to for a long time and now he knows that he will lose Rahim Khan as well. Baba, Hassan and Rahim were the people that Amir was the closest to in his life and now he is forced to cope with these tragedies.
 

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