Father-Son Relationships and Brotherly Bonds

This week, I began reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. This novel focuses on modern day life in Afghanistan and the story is told through the interactions between five characters: Baba, Amir, Hassan, Ali, and Rahim Khan.  I wanted this first blog post to focus on who the key characters are in the novel, setting the base for the rest of my posts about this book.

Baba is the father of Amir and in the district he is known as a businessman.  When Amir begins to show an interest in kite fighting and running, Baba also gains interest because he feels that this is the only way to connect to his son.  “Baba would buy us each three identical kites and spools of glass string.”  Baba’s interest in kite fighting is only due to his son’s interest in the sport, and feels that kites is the only way to connect to him.  Baba’s character brings up the question of if parents are too focused on what can be measured success of their child over their child’s happiness?  I’m hoping that as I continue to read, Baba’s parenting style changes as his child’s attitude and interests change.

            Amir is the son of Baba and the main character of the novel.  Currently, Amir is a child that is about twelve years old, and acts as if he is brothers with his servant’s son, Hassan.  Amir’s true personality shines through when he is unable to support Hassan, and "ran because [he] was a coward.”  When Amir chooses to be a bystander and not do anything to help Hassan, who is the closest person he has to a brother, it shows where Amir’s priorities truly lie.  Depending on his actions to protect Hassan and stand as an individual or go along with a group will decide Amir’s personality and true priorities.

            Hassan has also been going through a difficult time trying to balance being Amir’s servant as well as his friend.  In the first five pages, the reader notices that Hassan is so loyal that from Amir’s perspective that “he wouldn’t deny [him]” of anything.  Hassan’s unwavering support is clearly shown during the winter when the two of them are a team for kite fighting and running.  Once Amir cuts the last kite, Hassan runs to go and catch the kite “for [Amir] a thousand times over!”  The need to please Amir shows how loyal he is.  Hassan proves his loyalty to Amir time and time again, yet, Amir does not reciprocate his feelings.

Ali is the father of Hassan, while he is a father he is also a servant to Baba and his family.  When Ali was a young child he was an orphan, since he had no place to go and no parents to raise him, Baba’s father adopts Hassan.  Ali is raised with Baba and has the same relationship their sons have with each other.  The brotherly bond between Ali and Baba is strong, but unspoken.  Ali and his son are practicing Shi’a Muslims as well as Hazaras, which is the minority currently in Afghanistan.  Ali has been with Baba and in his family for over forty years, and Baba’s father “loved Ali like his own son.”

Rahim Khan is Baba’s best friend and his business partner. Rahim shows his support for Baba as well as Amir by offering to “hear any story [Amir has] to tell. Bravo.”  Amir shows Amir that Rahim will support his interests, even if they are not his interests as well.  From my perspective, Rahim is the father that Amir has been looking for because he genuinely supports Amir.  I think that many readers will enjoy Rahim’s character throughout the novel because he is Amir’s outsource to having someone to turn to when he needs the traditional model of a father.