who really is Amir?

Wendell Pfeffer

11/24/13

Reaction: chapter 8 -10

            These three chapters are by far the most important in the book because not only does it explain life in Afghanistan right before the invasion but reveals what kind of person Amir truly is. There’s no doubt about it Amir is a cruel person, he places himself above everyone else and deserves everything bad that is coming towards him. First off the rape incident that occurred in the earlier stages of the novel – Hassan really demonstrates himself as a true, loyal and benevolent friend. A friend that is willing to sacrifice himself for people that he truly cares about – in this case Amir. He saved him the blue kit so that he could have a better relationship with Amir. But the exact opposite occurred. Amir was only using Hassan so that his father can finally demonstrate his love and be proud of him for once. Amir does succeed and his father never stops on repeating to others about his son winning the kite tournament – how his kite was the only one out of hundreds of kites to be standing. However, it came at a price because Amir didn’t feel as if he deserved it and he is absolutely right. What Amir really deserves is a form of punishment, which is what he ultimately ends up looking for from Hassan but doesn’t get it.

            Without Hassan Amir would have never won the kit tournament, he would have been Assefs bully victim and would have never achieved what he had worked so hard for – his fathers love and appreciation. What really angers me the most about Amir’s actions is that he never came to quell Hassan’s suffering after the rape in which should have never occurred. Also how he makes it seem that Hassan did something wrong because after the rape he never spent time with him, never read him stories and invited him to the events his father wanted him to go to. Amir is just simply to deprived from his guilt that being around Hassan makes him feel and look uncomfortable. But that should have never got in the way. He should have been a man and told everyone what had happened and made an effort to re-construct the relationship he had with Hassan. Life could have gone much smoother for Amir but he chooses the coward way out – lying. Ultimately his stream of lies leads Ali and Hassan to leave Baba and Amir forever. Enough is enough and I agree with their decision to leave. This comes as a form of punishment towards Amir because I think he will never be freed from his guilt.