textbooks and discovers that the feud between the Pashtuns and the Hazaras dates back to the nineteenth century; during this time period the Hazara rose up against the Pashtuns and tried to overthrow them. However, their efforts were futile and they were mercilessly defeated. Ever since the failed coup, there has been bad blood between the Pashtuns and the Hazara. As a result, one's caste became a master status in Islamic society. For example, Baba’s father took in Ali after his parents were killed by a drunk driver. Which resulted in, Baba and Ali becoming very close almost like brothers. However, Baba never called him a friend because Ali was a Hazara. Moreover, based on the history of the Pashtuns and the Hazara it would have been socially
This quote, an excerpt from the letter Rahim Khan wrote to Amir, reveals the inner torment Baba faced regarding his two sons, whom he didn’t know how to love fairly, and the guilt he carried for fathering an illegitimate son, guilt that is reminiscent of Amir’s guilt for betraying Hassan. All his life, Baba had been hard on Amir, withholding the fatherly affection Amir longed for, but, as Rahim reveals, this was also hard on Baba. Baba wanted to be able to show affection to both of his sons, but didn’t know how when one of his sons was illegitimate and the other represented everything that made him feel guilty. In this quote, it is also apparent that Baba is much more like Amir than either of them thought. Baba harbored guilt for betraying Ali, just as Amir suffered guilt for betraying Hassan.
Pashtuns have more control over things, as Hosseini talked about in the novel, they had more control in their history. When Amir was describing his father as, “…a towering Pashtun specimen with a thick beard, a way ward crop of curly brown hair…” (Page 12), was way different compared to the way he described Ali, a Hazara. Amir did not realize that he was describing the Pashtuns as they were better than the Hazara’s, also when Amir mentioned Hassan he said how he did not call him his friend because Hassan was a Hazara and he was his servant. Although he did say they were like brothers because they grew up together but never did he say friends. The tragedy that happened in the novel when Hassan was rape, sometimes it can be seen as a betrayal because Amir did not help Hassan, Pashtun betraying a Hazara.
Baba is overtly masculine, often described as a “bear of a man.” He is physically powerful with broad shoulders and exude. He exudes this energy to come across more powerful and assertive. Rahim Khan, appears wise and softer, in comparison to the rough Baba. To Amir, this represents a positive vs. negative battle in his life. Rahim Khan is the light, and Baba the dark. Amir, who desperately seeks Baba’s attention, is conflicted between following his dreams and making Baba proud. This contrast is highlighted by their opposite behaviors and mannerism. This good vs. evil resonates throughout the book. When it is revealed that Baba had “stolen the
Amir's mother passes away during his birth, and his left with the suspicion that his father blames him for her death. Amir longes for his father's attention and approval, but does not receive any affection as a son. He grows up with his Hazara best friend, Hassan. In Afghanistan culture, Hazaras are considered lower class and inferiors in society. Amir describes his friendship with Hassan saying, “then he would remind us that there was a brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that not even time could break."
Baba is a very high standing man in Kabul, but seems to be extremely harsh to Amir when he was a child. He is a very large, tough man who was very well known in the town and as Amir stated in the novel, “Lore has it my father once wrestled a black bear in Baluchistan with his bare hands” (Hosseini 12). This small detail of Baba makes it known to the reader that Baba is a man of great courage and strength. Some may think that an honorable man is one with no flaws, but many disagree. Every human being makes mistakes, including Baba. When Amir grows up and goes back to visit Rahim Khan in Afghanistan, he finds out that his father lied to him his entire life about Hassan being his half-brother. He also finds out from Rahim Khan that all Baba had back then “was his honor, his name” (Hosseini 223). He did not tell Amir and Hassan that they were brothers because they had a different mother and that would have made their entire family be looked down upon in the town. He did it for their own good, and wanted for them both to grow up as honorable men, like himself. There is a difference in making mistakes and trying to do what’s best to fix them, rather than making the same mistakes over and over again, which is what Amir seemed to do in the novel. Amir was the exact opposite of his father, which made it very hard for them to have a
Much like Amir has a friend who is as loyal as Hassan, Baba actually has a friend who is just as loyal to him and his name is Rahim Khan. Rahim Khan is Baba’s best friend and has been with Baba for as long as he can remember and one can see that he values their friendship through his loyalty to Baba through his word. One example is when Rahim Khan finally tells Amir the truth about the relationship between Hassan and Baba where we see Rahim’s Khans true loyalty. Rahim states, “Please think, Ami Jan. It was a shameful situation people would talk. All that a man had back then, all that he was, was his honour, his name, if people talked… we couldn’t tell anyone, surely you can see that” (Hosseini 233). Rahim Khan shows his loyalty to Baba by not proclaiming Baba’s misfortunate actions to the public. Rahim knew that if people were to find out about what Baba had done, all that he has worked for would be of no use anymore. The Orphanage, Baba’s name and the respect he receives from the people of Afghanistan would be worthless. A second example to present Rahim Khan’s loyalty is when Baba “sells” the house to Rahim Khan before him and Amir leave for Pakistan and eventually to America. Here Amir narrates, “Baba had ‘sold’ the house to Rahim Khan shortly before he and I fled Kabul… So he’d given the house to Rahim Khan to keep watch over until that day”
What kind of Muslims were in Central Asia before the Soviet Union? Were they integrated in the Muslim world or were they on the sidelines of the mainstream events? How much did they contribute to Muslim heritage? How hard was it for the soviet houses of culture to influence the Muslims of Central Asia? This paper attempts to explore these questions and these aspects of the history of Central Asia.
Prior to the battle on 8 January, the British had already lost a few hundred men to smaller skirmishes with American troops. The losses caused Pakenham to lose confidence is an immediate retaliation against the U.S. forces, giving MG Jackson and his men time to set up a defense and rest. Going into the Battle of New Orleans, the British forces consisted of a main force of 5,300 soldiers under the command of Pakenham, and a smaller force of approximately 700 men under Colonel William Thornton, who was to attack General Morgan and his men. Pakenham split his main force into two larger formations and one smaller unit. The first half of the force was composed of 2,600 soldiers from the 93rd Highlanders and 95th Rifles, while the other main force
While Baba attempts to live his life according to the Afghan saying, “Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end.crisis or catharsis, moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis [nomads]” (Hosseini 356), Amir strays from this traditional perspective. Baba chose to continue his life unmindful of his past, while Amir, eventually decides to confront him. Although both Baba and Amir have acted immorally, the choices they make find redemption affect the success of their individual attempts. In the novel, Amir’s quest for atonement is more effective than Baba’s because he acts virtuously, while his father, acts selfishly. Ultimately, Amir is the more successful of the two because, in opposition to Baba, he seeks holistic atonement and is willing to make sacrifices to achieve redemption.
Baba is displayed as an immoral man while at home because he is not loving to his son and he cheated with his friends’ wife and had a child. Even some of Baba’s good qualities such as his care for Hassan and Ali, his father, seem to have a selfish motive behind them because he wants to keep his son close to him. While Baba is never the fatherly figure in the first part of the book, once they leave their home, Baba seems to care a lot more about Amir. This may happen because he does not always have Hassan around to remind him of the terrible mistakes that he made in the past. However, even when Hassan is leaving, Baba still cares about him. Even though Hassan may be a symbol of past mistakes, he is still Baba’s son in the end and family always has a strong bond. Therefore, Baba’s character shows his moral side because instead of hating his illegitimate son, he cares for him as much as he can given the cultural standards of the two opposing religions. By healing his cleft lip and remembering Hassan’s birthday every year, Baba is able to show his caring side that is seldom seen with his relationship with
When Amir takes Baba to the doctors, the doctor suggests chemotherapy for Baba to prolong the cancer but Baba did not want any medication. Amir tells the reader, “He had the same resolved look on his face as the day he’d dropped the stack of food stamps on Mrs. Dobbins’s desk” (156). Baba did not want help even if his life was on the line. Baba also starts to take pride in Amir when he tells General Taheri, “Amir is going to ne a great writer,” Baba said. I did a double take at this” (139). Amir is starting to realize that his father who was untouchable and was a legend in Kabul was truly human. When Amir tells Baba that he wants to marry Soraya, Baba calls General Taheri to set up a meeting between the two men. As Amir dropped off Baba at the Taheri’s for the meeting, he says, “Baba was hobbling up the Taheri’s driveway for one last fatherly duty” (163). In this instance, Amir sees Baba as a true father. Amir feels Baba’s acceptance when Baba tells Amir on lafz, “It’s the happiest day of my life Amir” (166). Baba is telling Amir that through everything in his life from him marrying Sophia, to Amir winning the kite tournament, all the way to Amir graduating high school, Baba has never been prouder. After Baba’s death, Amir says, “As words from the Koran reverberated through the room, I thought of the old story of Baba wrestling a black bear in Baluchistan. Baba had
I chose to do my research on the customs and lifestyles of Pakistan and their people. It took me quite a while to get in contact with someone who lives there, but once I finally did, I made a friend for life! I was very curious how the Pakistani’s felt about Americans, and if I could get an honest answer from someone there. My friend “Hussain” assured me that although there are extremists, just as there are everywhere, who take their hatred for America, and for any other country that they feel “threatened” by, and use it to destroy innocent peoples lives. For instance, like the suicide bombers that we hear of so often, they would be considered “extremists”. As far as the “common people” as Hussain put it, they understand that our government (meaning President Bush and his administration) is doing what must be done in order to protect the citizens and/or the “common people” of America.
towards the end of the month of Muharram 7 AH. He set out of Medina
In the past ten years the Afghan Government has been dealing with a number of issues that have caused problems for the country, problems such as illegal drug trade, terrorism and violence. But nowadays they are fighting a problem that has long existed between people, and quite recently has taken a whole new aspect to it. Ethnic conflict is the destructive factor that has caused problems between people for generations, often leading to fights, outbreak of violence and grudge between different ethnicities.
In these two stories the friendship between Amir and Hassan is different from the friendship of Marianne and Michael.” Hassan and Amir’s friendship is complicated as Hassan and Amir were friends, but Amir never called Hassan his friend. ”but he’s not my friend! I almost blurted. He’s my servant! Had I really just thought that? Of course I hadn’t. I hadn’t. I treated Hassan like a friend, better even, more like a brother. But if so, then why when Baba’s friends came to visit with their kids, didn’t I ever include Hassan in our games? Why did I only play with Hassan only when no one else was around?” (Hosseini.44) on the other hand Hassan thinks differently, “Amir agha and I are friends,”(hossaini, 77) but at the same time The quotes “Hassan and I climbed its branches [Everyday] and snatched blood red pomegranates. After we’d eaten the fruit and wiped our hands on the grass, I would read to Hassan.“ “We sat for hours under that tree, sat there until the sun faded in the west.” (Hossseini , 30), “we were kids who had learned to crawl together, and no history, ethnicity, society, or religion was going to change that either. I spent most of the first twelve years of my life playing with