The Kite Runner - Amir and Baba's Relationship, Amir and Hassan's Relationship

1199 words 5 pages
Amir and Hassan’s Relationship
From reading chapters one to four, one of the main aspects of Amir and Hassan’s relationship is the sense of control Amir has over Hassan. It becomes apparent that Amir is the one with the most authority in their friendship when he ‘talked’ Hassan into firing walnuts at the neighbour’s one-eyed German shepherd, ‘Hassan never wanted to, but if I asked, really asked, he wouldn’t deny me’. This highlights the way Hassan looks up to Amir and obeys him due to their religious, cultural and social differences, ‘I was a Sunni and he was a Shi’a’. Nevertheless, Amir does express his sensitive side towards Hassan and feels protective over him, especially when he can see he’s upset, ‘I reached across my seat, slung my
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Amir’s lack of attention from Baba results in him feeling lonely as the one thing he desperately wants is recognition from his father because admired him greatly. However, Amir reveals that from an early stage, he knew that Baba and he hadn’t a natural connection, ‘I’m in him arms, but it’s Rahim Khan’s pinky my fingers are curled around’ exposing that Amir has a greater connection with Rahim Khan rather than with Baba.
Their contrived father and son relationship becomes apparent when Baba doesn’t listen to Amir and isn’t interested in what he is saying to him, ‘Baba grunted, didn’t answer’, and this ignorant behaviour portrays he has no interest or time for his son. Baba’s ignorance causes Amir to resort to saying unpleasant things to attract his father’s attention, ‘”I think I have saratan”, I said. Cancer.’ However, this still doesn’t affect Baba and he misunderstands him, ‘Told me I could get the soda myself’. However, even though Amir knows Baba doesn’t listen to him, he still has great admiration for his father and feels lucky that he has a father as eminent as Baba, ‘He motioned to me to hold his hat for him and I was glad to, because everyone would see that me was my father, my Baba’. However, as much as Amir craved love from Baba, he was also fearful of him and often didn’t know how to act when Baba did show attention to him, ‘I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to hug him or leap

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