Allison Tony Will Theme Question

[allison alvarez]

How has family shaped the lives of the characters with in the novel, especially with the idea of parenthood?

[Joseph Jarrell]

The central story line of the book is Amir's journey towards redemption. His actions in his childhood were all about him trying to prove himself to his father. That being said, Amir's central character is shaped through his daddy issues in his childhood as he is originally driven by wanting his approval. After Baba's death, Amir, after feeling like he has earned his father's respect, does everything he can for Sohrab. He does this not only for Hassan but also for his father, knowing that's what he would have wanted for his other son.

[Kirbie Linthicum]

The cultural values of the characters in the novel about the importance of family shape the lives of each character as they all have a very strong attachment to each other in addition to standards created within the family that creates friction. In the case of Baba and Amir, it is described that Amir was jealous of Hassan for the attention he gets from Baba and for his own insecurity of not meeting Baba's standards for boys. As a result of Baba's disappointment in Amir for reaching his standards, Amir becomes self absorbed in finding a way for Baba to finally be proud of him causing him to justify the reason for no telling anyone about Hassan's rape. Knowing that he had done nothing to help Hassan, the guilt Amir carried caused him to seek redemption and visit Rahim Khan after he had called him to visit Afghanistan. While back in Afghanistan, Amir's guilt and determination to "be good again" resulted in a fight between him and Assef to free Sohrab, Hassan's only son. While Amir is receiving a brutal beating, he begins to laugh because he had finally been punished for turning away his family and not helping Hassan. After the fight, in an attempt to adopt Sohrab and bring him back to America, when the papers were denied and Sohrab thought he would go back to the orphanage he tries to kill himself and Amir then spends the rest of the novel trying to make Sohrab happy again. To be the parent Sohrab, Amir's character evolves to become more like Hassan and he becomes fully devoted to Sohrab as the implications in his family led him to the family he would have at the end of the novel.