As Amir's story progresses, we see that the relationships he has with others becomes progressively more complex or layered with emotional conflict. Choose a scene from one of these chapters that you feel reveals the complexity of one or more of these relationships, and explain why you feel it captures the essence of the Amir's experience.
***Note: This post went up later than expected, and after spending a half hour reading all of the responses for Chpt. 1-5 responses, I am realizing that you will not be able to respond to this in a timely fashion, unless you stay up for half the night:) Therefore, I am extending the deadline for Chpt. 6-10 responses to midnight tomorrow (Wednesday, 4/28). I would prefer thoughtful responses to those that will be rushed. Have a good night, and great work on yesterday's blog assignment! I enjoyed reading your thoughts!!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA specific scene which reveals the complexity of Amir's relationships with with the people around him would be when he and Baba are planting tulips in the garden. This is after the incident that occurred with Hassan and the boys in the alley. He feels extremely uncomfortable knowing and even worse, seeing, what happened to Hassan that night. He is only thinking of himself and how to make his situation easier, so he asks his father if he ever considered getting new servants. This angers Baba, and also brings there relationship back to silence and unfamiliarity with one another. He knew that the closeness between him and his father would end sometime, but by doing this he ended it sooner than expected, along with drawing more suspicion about the complete change in Amir and Hassan's friendship.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cassie that Amir's relationship with his father is very complex. Amir has to tiptoe around his father to stay in his good graces. One wrong question ruined the infrequent closeness he was experiencing with Baba.
ReplyDeleteBoth Hassan and Amir were forced to grow up very quickly after what happened to Hassan in the alley. It is at that moment that Amir starts a new chapter in his life. His childhood was filled with kite running and playing with Hassan. Now this new chapter is tainted with endless guilt and shame. He is ashamed for Hassan and he is ashamed of himself. His relationship with Hassan has been altered drastically. I said in my last post that perhaps Amir's friendship with Hassan came so easily because of a "safety net" of sorts. I was referring to his father's influence as that safety net, but it could have also been the lack of hard times for the two boys. Now that their friendship has been put under immense pressure, it hasn't faired as well as most of us would have hoped. He hasn't had much experience with unfortunate times in his short life, so Amir is left clueless as to how to deal with the situation, which later leads to drastic measures when he can no longer conceal his guilt.
I have to agree with Casey. A good scene that shows the drastic measures that Amir begins to take is when he and Hassan go for a walk up the hill like they always did as children. Before Hassan's incident, the two boys had a fairly natural relationship and simply walking up the hill was filled with laughter and childish ways. However, this time, there was forced conversation and Amir had a breakdown. Amir threw a pomegranate at Hassan and begged him to throw one back. By doing this, he finally showed Hassan a side of him that has true feelings and showed how he really does care for Hassan. However, even with Amir's exaggerated action, Hassan just threw a pomegranate at himself. This action showed how far their relationship had come because before the incident, Hassan would have just laughed and showed some life on his face rather than walking away.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cassie that that relationship that Amir has with his father is the most complex. Amir seems to always be trying to please him, and only succeeding when he finally wins the kite fight, and brings home the final kite that fell. When Amir brought this kite home, he dexcribed how excited his father was, and how his father gave him a large comforting embrace. Amir described how much he loved to see his father in a mood like this, and how much he loved the way his father finally appreciated him and noticed that he could do good things. The way Amir described how he finally felt like his father was proud of him made me realize how tense and complicated their relationship is; the only time Amir's father is proud of him is when Amir does something that his father would do himself. This shows how stressed Amir feels whenever he is around his father, and also shows what Amir has to do to earn any notice or respect from his father.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the relationship between Amir and his father is most complex. As Sarah said the Kite Fighting is the best example of the relationship between father and son. When Amir's father tells him that he thinks Amir may win the competition, Amir gets very excited and can think of nothing except this comment. He knows that his father is a winner and Amir wants to be just like him. I also think it is important to recognize how this relationship afffects Amir and his other relationships. Amir's need for his father's approval leads to him hurting himself emotionally and Hassan. After the incident in the alley, the responsible thing would be to stand up and tell his father what happened to Hassan. However, Amir feels he can not speak up because his father will be disapointed that he did nothing to help Hassan. Hassan may come to resent him for not speaking up in the future and Amir will always have guilt for what happened.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with everyone above me that the relationship that Amir and his father have is the most complex by far. Amir is always looking for approval from his father and seems to be living his life for his father. Amir is going to end up hurting himself and everyone around him if he continues to live to please his father.
ReplyDeleteThe scene that best represents the father-son relationship so far in the book, is the kite fighting scene. Amir states in that chapter that he enjoyed when his father was happy for him because he finally felt accepted in a way.
This was a key point in the novel because it showed what Amir would have to do to get his father's approval and make them both happy.
I agree with Cassie and Casey that Amir has a very complicated relationship with Baba and that he is constantly trying to impress him. After what happened to Hassan in the ally, Amir is forced to hold back secrets. He wants to let them out but he is afraid of what might happen if he does. Amir constantly seeks the approval of Baba and I agree with Catherine that most of the father-son relationship between Amir and Baba has to do with being accepted, and the fact that Amir has to try and be someone that he isn't to please Baba. Amir is a smart, book reading kid. and Baba wants him to be tougher than that.
ReplyDeleteThe scene that I feel most depicts one of Amir's relationships is the scene when Amir lies about Hassan stealing his watch to get him out of the house. He originally does it because he feels so guilty and he thinks that once Baba thinks Hassan is a theif, they will be kicked out of the house, but when Hassan says he did steal it, Amir feels bad for falsely accusing him. Amir is the type of person who thinks about himself before others. He knows the difference between right and wrong, it just isn't reinforced the right way in his actions, sometimes.
I agree with everybody about the complicated relationship that Baba and Amir have, but I also think the relationship between Amir and Hassan is complicated after the rape. Amir had to watch his friend get beat up and raped. This makes talking to him awkward, especially since the only reason Hassan was in the alley was to get Amir's kite. Amir didn't even help his friend which must give him a feeling of guilt. He could have stepped in and stopped the boys, but instead he watched and walked away.
ReplyDeleteAmir's relations with Baba are very complicated. Baba doesn't see potential in his son or at least doesn't show it until the kite competition. He actually mentions to Amir that he has a chance at succeeding in something. This is huge for Amir because he attempts to be like his father and be successful. Now he has his father's support for something in his life and he is happy about it. The relationship changes once again when Amir talks to Baba in the garden.
I agree with a lot of the above statements, but especially Casey's. After the horrible incident that went on with Hassan in the alley way, the boys are forced to grow up quickly. Amir is ashamed to be Hassan's friend, and is conflicted with this. He knows it is wrong to suddenly avoid Hassan and pretend they aren't friends, but he is confused as that is what society is telling him to do. Now Amir has to walk around with the guilt of Hassan's attack as the reason why Hassan was there in the first place was because Hassan was being loyal to Amir. This is the exact opposite of what Amir is doing.
ReplyDeleteAlso Amir is having an interesting relationship with his father. All he wants is for his father to be please by him, and not to be disappointed.When Amir asks his father the question in the garden, his father gets mad and once again their relationship goes stale. Amir really needs to learn what he stands for in life and what his beliefs are before more people are hurt.
It is very clear that Amir longs for his father's exceptance and only wants to please him. This is difficult because of the relationship that they share. He does not like to share any time that he gets with his father with anyone, including Hassan, in order to try and work on his relationship with his father. After witnessing the tradegy that took place in the alley with Hassan and Assef, Amir has been emotionally torn on what to do. He feels that if he tells his dad what happens and admits his cowardness, then his dad will further dimiss him as a failure as a son. So instead Amir does not mention anything and admires his dad's pride with him winning the kite competition. This relationship does not last long and Amir still feels emotionally unstable with his father. He will nerver be the son that Baba wants.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above comments that the most complex relationships in Amir's life right are with Hassan and his father, Baba. However, if analyzed closely, the two actually go hand and hand with one another in a way. Since the incident Hassan experienced that Amir simply just stood back and did nothing, their relationship has been extremely strained. Hassan is no longer the same and neither is Amir. Hassan because his best friend did not help him and Amir because he did not make a move to. While Hassan had the courage to deal with Asef, Amir did not have the courage to stand up for Hassan. This ties to the complex relationship with Baba. All Baba wants for his son is for him to be aggressive, brave, and courageous; everything he is currently not. If Baba ever heard of what occurred in the Alley, he would be furious with Amir not only because he let it happen, but because he did not have enough courage to stop it. As a result, Amir feels more pressure in each of his relationships with the two most important people in his life as he is not fulfilling their expectations of whom he should be to each of them.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the above statements; Amir has complicated relationships with both Hassan and Baba. Amir has always had an interesting relationship with Baba; there has always been a kind of "barrier" between them. Amir has more of a passive or feminine personality, which constantly clashes with Baba's gruff, masculine one, which causes them to have a mutual, yet silent communication. Baba finally broke this silence when Amir won the kite contest; however, after standing and watching Hassan in the ally, the guilt was too much for Amir. After the incident in the ally, Amir's connection with Hassan changed from playful to serious, just as Amir's relationship with his father changed from proud, back to silent. This change occured after he asked about hiring new servants; which further complicated his and Baba's relationship as a result from the complication of Amir's with Hassan.
ReplyDeleteI both agree and disagree with all the previous comments. Amir's relationship with his father is very complex, and it only increases in complexity as time goes on, especially after what Amir said about getting new servants in the garden. However, I believe that Amir's relationship with Hassan is equally complex, in fact I believe the two parallel one another. I believe after the incident in the alley, the relationships switch roles. Amir becomes close with his father, the way he was with Hassan, after he wins the kite tournament. Also after the kite tournament, Amir becomes very distant from Hassan. Eventually Hassan warms back up and tries to rekindle their friendship, and that is when Hassan and Amir's relationship parallel's Amir and Baba's original relationship. Hassan is playing the role of Amir, who looks up to Baba and wants nothing more than his love or to simply be acknowledged. Amir plays the role of Baba, who ignores him whenever possible. Baba thinks there's something missing from Amir, in the sense of a strong personality, leadership qualities, and guts. Amir thinks there's something missing from Hassan in the form of anger and distrust. Amir wants nothing more than for Hassan to hate him, but that's simply not who Hassan is.
ReplyDeleteThe most intense moment where the emotions have to be layered the to the absolute tipping point or climax has to be when Amir is pelting Hassan with the tulips and wishing that Hassan would only pelt him back just so that it would ease his pain. This situation was like the straw that broke the cammels back. With everything Hassan has to put up with on a daily basis he doesnt need Amir making matters worse for him. As I progress further into this book I am startign to realize that I really hate Amir. He is a selfish person who only cares about himself and doesnt deserve a freind like Hassan. Although I do agree that the relationships between Amir his father and Hassan are complicated I feel that they could of all been simplified to some extent if Amir would just talk about his problems. I also feel that Amir is just being a real drama queen about his life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Sarah R and Kelly F that Amir's relationship with his father has become the most complex. Throughout his life, Amir has felt guilty for "killing" his mother during childbirth. This guilt has been amplified by the lack of true acceptance from his father. Therefore, Amir has always strived to be just like Baba who has become more of an idol than a father figure. When he finally won the kite fighting contest and brought home the last kite to fall, Amir finally got a taste of Baba's acceptance. His overwhelmingly excited reaction to his father's approval shows just how tense the relationship usually is. This creates Amir's mixed feelings for Baba where he hates that he isn't accepted, but praises Baba as the ultimate role model. For this reason, Amir's relationship with his father is the most complex.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone in that Amir and his father's relationship is definitely the most complex. Amir is constantly searching for the approval of his father since the death of his mother Amir feels that his father thinks he is guilty of killing her. "Baba and I lived in the same house, but in different spheres of existence. Kites were the one paper thin slice of intersection between those spheres." After winning the kite fighting Amir enjoys all the time his father is finally spending with him. After asking if Baba was to ever get new servants, Baba gets furious and the brief relationship they had ended which makes things very complex.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kyle and samsaham. The incident in the alley puts a huge strain on Amir and Hassan's relationship making it one of the most complex. By standing by and doing nothing, Amir now has to endure a massive amount of guilt which, like samsaham said, causes his relationship with Hassan to shift from playful to serious. Amir tries to alleviate some of his guilt by pelting Hassan with pomergranates. Amir does this in hope that Hassan will pelt him back making things between them "even," however, Hassan only crushes a pomergranate against his own head, only making Amir feel worse.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Michelle and everyone else who said that Amir and his father have the most complicated relationship in the book. An example of this I found is when Amir and Baba are talking to Assef and his family at the party. Even though it is a party for Amir, and even though Amir makes it clear he does not like Assef, Baba still seems to expect that he would want to talk and play with Assef. I feel like this moment really shows how little they understand each other. Baba cannot understand why Amir doesn't want to befriend this other kid, and Amir cannot understand why Baba wants him to be out playing volleyball with the other children.
ReplyDeleteI agree with a bunch of people that Amir's relationship with his father is the most complex. This is because Amir, even from earlier on in the book, wants to be like his father. Even in the beginning, he puts his father in a shining light, and respects him. I agree with Kelly about how well the kite incident showcases the bright side of their relationship. Obviously, Amir's father makes amir feel happy and feel good about himself. This seems almost like a boost in their relationship, but there is still some tension that exists. For example, after the alley incident, Amir doesn't feel comfortable enough to tell his father about what happened. This makes it seem like Amir may be fearful to open up to his father. Fear is a red flag in any relationship, but the fact that there are two completely different sides to the relationship show how layered or complex the relationship has become.
ReplyDeleteI agree with mostly everyone who said that Amir's relationship with his father has become much more complex. The alley scene displayed Amir's hope to gain his fathers approval. Baba is afraid that what is "missing" in Amir is his ability to stand up for himself and what is right. It is ironic that Amir allowed Hassan to be raped in exchange for the hope that Baba would be proud of him. Amir showed his weakness by running away instead of standing up for the one person who loved him. Baba praised Amir for winning the competition, but it doesn't last. He is embarrassed by Amir when he asked if they could get new servants, and during his 13th birthday party when he acted rudely to Assef. Amir must then feel more guilt and regret for Hassan's rape because, in retrospect, it seems like a waste. He sacrificed his relationship with Hassan in the vain attempt to gain his father's approval. It now seems like Amir has lost everything.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the majority of student in that the relationship between Amir and Baba is not honest. Amir is constantly trying to please Baba by being someone who he is not, such as changing his likes/dislikes to seem more masculine. But this metaphoric shield that is blocking their relationship from being closer is due to the clashing of their personatlities.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Julianna and Adam G. because the relationship between Amir and Hassan has become tense after the rape. Hassan has become a more timid person who doesn't share his emotions as much, as shown in the scene, like Adam G. said, with the tulips. They have become less close with one another. Each relationship that Amir has with close ones seems to be not a genuine friendship, but a strained one; he's trying to live up to the expectations for that person.
I agree with Cassie and everyone else who has stated that as the book progresses, Amir and Baba's relationship becomes more complex. However, I agree with Casey in that Amir's relationship with Hassen becomes filled with emotional conflict. A direct example of this would be the turning point in their relationship, or the alley scene. Before this occurred, Amir did somewhat treat Hassen as an inferior; however, they considered each other to be brothers. They have grown up together and played as best friends, just as normal children would. However, the society they live in has caused their relationship to become complex. The religious divergence has caused Amir to be confused and ashamed when he does not stick up for Hassen in that alley scene. He feels that he should have helped Hassen because they are friends, but he was afraid what would happen to himself. This scene showed the struggle that Amir had to face in deciding what would benefit either the friendship, or his own needs; and in the end, he chose himself. Their friendship is being torn apart by pressures of their country, causing a complex and emotional relationship between the two boys.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Amir's relationship with Baba has grown to be complex, I find that Amir's relationship with Hassan has become even more complex. Just like Casey stated, their relationship has become tainted with guilt and shame. The optimal example is the alley scene. Not only did Amir watch it happen, but he decided to run away and act as though he had seen nothing at all. As Rachel said, the relationship between Amir and Hassan is far from honest; in fact, it appears that it's unreal. Amir continues to treat Hassan as if he is inferior to himself, however, Hassan still manages to do the things that Amir wants him to do. (Again, Amir's culture is impacting the way in which he treats Hassan, a Hazara). The reason why Hassan went to the alley was to find the blue kite that had been set loose; he didn't have to go retrieve the kite, but he wanted to get it in efforts to help Amir. After he was raped/beaten, there is no question that things between the two of them were awkward. Amir must've been filled with such guilt that he didn't know what to say to Hassan or how to react to what he saw. I find it hard to believe that Hassan is so quick to help Amir, but Amir can never help him. More likely than not, this event will pose problems for the boys' relationship in the future.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Julianna in the idea that the poor relationship between Amir and Hassan ties into the poor relationship between Amir and Baba. Amir is not brave enough to step in to help Hassan, and I feel as though his lack of courage impacts his relationship with Baba. All Baba looks for in his son is someone who has strength and bravery, and Amir does not possess these qualities. Amir is not even brave enough to tell Baba what had happened in the alley, because he knows that Baba will be disappointed in his choice to not help Hassan out. Amir is the type of person who enjoys reading (not implementing courage to fight off potential foes), and since this disappoints Baba, it impacts their overall relationship.
I think that Amir's relationship with his father is by far the most complex in the story, but his relationship with Hassan is also very interesting. After the rape, it is very uncomfortable for them to talk because Amir feels guilty, that the entire incident was his fault. It was his kite that Hassan had went to get when he was raped, and Amir realizes that he should have been the one to go get his own kite.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rachel that Amir no longer seems to have genuine relationships with others as a result of trying to please them by changing himself to fit their opinions and interests. This is especially evident in the "friendship" with Hassan and with his father.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with Alex in regards to the complexity of Amir’s relations. It is essentially the relation with Hassan that most greatly influences Amir’s actions and thoughts. Despite his need for his father’s attention, approval, and love, Amir is closest to Hassan and a brotherly relation forms between them. Baba’s relation with his own son is dissident, impersonal, and cold, which Amir has grown accustomed to. The incident in the alleyway is the scene which embodies the theme of the entire book; the loss of innocence, the pains of regret and guilt. Even in the first couple chapters, Amir constantly alludes to that moment which essentially marred his relation with Hassan, which exhibits the closeness that exists between them.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the relationship between Amir and Hassan is the most complex. Hassan will do anything for Amir to make him happy. Amir is embarrassed to be around Hassan because of what happened in the ally. I don't believe that Hassan knew Amir knew what happened to him in the ally. When Amir threw the pomegranites at Hassan, Hassan didn't retaliate and didn't know why Amir was doing this. If Hassan did know surely he would have done something.
ReplyDeleteI feel that a very powerful as well as meaningful scene within the story thus for that truly does capture the essence of Amir's character is when he and Baba are planting tulips in the garden. When the two are planting the flowers, many things about Amir's relationship seem to unfold. The moments are very tense because of the situation that happened earlier on with Hassan in the alley. After some very intensive conversing between the two, their relationship becomes very strained, which is unexpected for Amir. I completely agree with Cassie when she states that Amir did know that this closeness would not last forever, but he was upset that it was torn apart so soon. When everybody says that Amir has a very complex relationship with his father, i certainly agree with this. I agree because of the confusion and uncertainty of what is to come next. At one moment things may be fine but there seems to always be an unexpected turn for the worst at every corner. This may speak volumes about the character of Amir and the coplex dynamic that he possesses throughout the book so far. If he cannot hold a stable relationship with his father, than who can he maintain tranquility with?
ReplyDelete