The Kite Runner Essay

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The hardships that life reveals can either affect a person in a negative or positive way. They can strengthen or weaken the development of one’s character. Khaled Hosseni’s The Kite Runner is a novel that tells the story of two boys – Amir and Hassan, his childhood friend and servant– who spend their lives attempting to overcome their obstacles. These obstacles create experiences that will shape them for the rest of their lives. Firstly, Hassan and Amir share similar hardships, however Hassan learns and grows from them, and Amir lingers over the negativity, allowing it to destroy his life instead of moving forward. Secondly, Amir is always rescued, which allows him to feel a sense of entitlement, while Hassan fights his own battles, resulting in a greater amount of inner strength. Lastly, as Amir and Hassan become adults in opposite ends of the world, they battle hardships that are very different. The differences within their adulthood continue to show who is the more honourable character. Ultimately, in Khaled Hosseni's The Kite Runner, Hassan is a stronger character than Amir, despite the fact that they both battle similar hardships. Throughout the childhood that Hassan and Amir shared, they both experience similar hardships, yet Hassan always has it more difficult. Amir has more than one father figure: Baba, his biological father and Rahim Kahn, his father's best friend. The relationship he has with both men eventually has a positive effect on him. Amir spends most of his childhood fighting for the approval of his father. Amir mentions “Then I saw Baba on our roof. He was standing on the edge, pumping both of his fists. Hollering and clapping. And that right there was the single greatest moment of my twelve years of life, ... ... middle of paper ... ...trength. Despite Hassan and Amir sharing similar hardships, Hassan is ultimately the stronger character because of the way he is able to suffer and continue to show the strength he has within himself. Hassan having the most inner strength is proven by the fact that although him and Amir share similar hardships as children, Hassans learns and grows from them, while Amir lingers upon the negativity of them. As well, Amir is always rescued while Hassan fights his own battles. Lastly, despite them both facing hardships as adults, Hassan comes through his life being the stronger person. Khaled Hosseni's The Kite Runner demonstrates how the hardships in life no matter how different or similar, can affect a life negatively or positively depending on their inner strength. This inner strength is determined by one's ability to deal with the hardships that life reveals.

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