The relationship between father and son

842 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Types of parenting styles argument

The relationship between a father and a son prepares a boy for adulthood. Khaled Hosseini uses the complex and emotional bond between fathers and sons in The Kite Runner to show the need of a compassionate fatherly figure in a child’s life. He proves the way Baba. Hassan, and Amir act as fathers and form relationships throughout the novel. The father-son relationship between Amir and Sohrab reflect a combination of the contrasting parenting styles between Baba and Hassan.
Family plays a significant role in a child’s life (Childers 4). As The Kite Runner begins, Amir has nothing but his father to call his family; therefore, it is up to Baba to develop his son into the person he wants him to be. However, it turns out that Amir is nothing like his father. “He’s always buried in those books or shuffling around the house like he’s lost in some dream…I wasn’t like that.’ Baba sounded frustrated, almost angry” (Hosseini 23). Baba uses his son’s contrasting interests as an excuse from providing Amir with the fatherly bond he needs in his childhood. This does not mean that Baba is a bad person, he is simply unable to accept his son’s different interests at first.
One of the few moments that Baba and Amir connect as a family is when Baba explains that the only sin to commit is theft. He says, “Every other form of sin is a variation of theft” (Hosseini 19). Although they are connecting, what Baba says is ironic because he steals Amir’s right to having a father by neglecting him and his contrasting interests. “At this age, a son wants so much to please his father and receive his approval and acceptance” (Williams). Growing up, Amir constantly seeks for his father’s approval, but hardly finds it. Baba’s failure to be comp...

... middle of paper ...

...he true meaning of being a compassionate fatherly figure from both experiences.

Works Cited

Childers, Lauren B. Parental Bonding in Father-Son Relationships. digitalcommons.liberty.edu. N.p., 2010. Web. 3 Apr. 2014.
Hart, Joeseh. "Father and Son." Experience Life. ©2014 LIFE TIME FITNESS, INC., Sept. 2006. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead, 2003. Print.
Pittman, Frank. "Fathers and Sons." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Sussex Publishers, LLC, 01 Sept. 1993. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
Shaw, Jon A. "Andrew Wyeth And N.C. Wyeth: A Psychodynamic Perspective On Father And Son." Psychiatry: Interpersonal & Biological Processes 76.3 (2013): 187-202. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Apr. 2014
Williams, Charles D., PH.D. "THE LIFE CYCLE OF FATHER-SON RELATIONSHIPS."Dads. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Brad Manning’s Arm Wrestling With My Father and Itabari Njeri’s When Morpheus Held Him

    678 Words  | 2 Pages

    The relationship between a father and son stems from an unspoken competition in many countries. Whether it is a physical or mental rivalry the superior role slowly transcends on to the son as he grows into a man. In Brad Manning’s short story “Arm Wrestling With My Father,” and Itabari Njeri’s “When Morpheus Held Him,” both contain admiring sons and impassive fathers. Despite both stories similarities in unspoken emotions they differ in the aspect of their physical relationships. This unrequited bond between a father and son in these stories portray various types of love.

    Read More

  • Baba's Guilty In 'The Kite Runner'

    190 Words  | 1 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Kite Runner Amir Dangerous Quotes

    466 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout Amir’s journey to absolve himself from the internal and distressing pain he has felt ever since witnessing the devastating altercation in the alley, trying to reach a standard his father, Baba, would approve of also took a toll on his childhood. Baba often speaks of how he cannot fathom the fact that Amir is a part of his bloodline. (quotes quotes quotes) Trying to achieve the perfect son status that Baba wanted Amir to be clouded his mind so greatly that, during the moment, Amir did not show compassion towards Hassan’s troubling moment of need. What matter most was retrieving the last fallen kite to his father to prove he was not a mistake that Baba made Amir believe he was. Even after Baba’s death, his actions brought more despair and uncertainty to Amir’s complicated life. The secrets and lies that were kept from Amir and even Hassan could have altered the fate of both men. (quote quote quote) Throughout the novel, Amir could arguably be considered as selfish, rude and mean toward his half-brother Hassan. However, since Baba never told the two about their true relationship Amir grew up disliking Hassan because he did not know that they shared blood. Knowing their true identities possibly could

    Read More

  • Redemption In Khaled Hossei's 'The Kite Runner'

    1875 Words  | 4 Pages

    To atone for his past sins, he embarks on a journey back to Afghanistan to redeem himself to Hassan for not treating him the way he was treated. He redeems himself by saving Sohrab and giving him a safer and enjoyable life in the Untied States. Amir tyres to attain redemption to baba for being the cause of his mother’s death as he believes. Gaining his fathers love and care will make him feel redeemed from all of the resentment and lack of care that his father shows to him. He must prove to Baba that he is worthy of spending time with everyday because he feels the hatred that his father shows to him. One way how he gets redemption from his father is by winning the kite running tournament to prove to him that he is worthy of being his son. Amir’s path of redemption is not only directed to other people but personal redemption for himself. He attempts to redeem himself by building an orphanage with his wife Soraya and giving Sohrab the childhood that is safer and more suitable for a young boy to grow up in. Amir has to realize that the past doesn’t define who someone is although you can’t forget the past, the actions that they decide to do to redeem themselves from the past mistakes defines who someone is. If Amir’s mother did not die at birth would he be resented from his father greatly and have to make great

    Read More

  • The Kite Runner Shame Analysis

    1541 Words  | 4 Pages

    Though some may rise from the shame they acquire in their lives, many become trapped in its vicious cycle. Written by Khlaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner describes the struggles of Amir, his father Baba, and his nephew Sohrab as they each fall victim to this shameful desolation. One repercussion of Baba hiding his sinful adultery from Amir is that Amir betrays Hassan for his father’s stringent approval. Sohrab’s dirty childhood also traumatizes him through his transition to America. Consequently, shame is a destructive force in The Kite Runner. Throughout the course of the novel, Baba’s shameful affair, Amir’s selfish betrayal, and Sohrab’s graphic childhood destroy their lives.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Redemption In Rahim Khan's The Kite Runner

    1038 Words  | 3 Pages

    Over the course of the novel, Baba implies that he is not proud of Amir and the only reason he knows Amir is his son, is because he witnessed Amir 's birth. He states to Rahim Khan that he thinks Amir needs to stand up for himself more often. Countless times during the novel, Amir feels like he has to fight for his affection, that he has to earn Baba’s love. In order to prove himself worthy of affection and to redeem himself for not being a son Baba could be proud of, Amir yearns to win the kite runner competition. He reminisces on a memory, when all “I saw was the blue kite. All I smelled was victory. Salvation. Redemption” (65). In the aftermath of Hassan’s rape, Amir got rid of Hassan so he would not have to face the cause of his guilt on a daily basis. Amir buries the secret of the rape deep within him, where he hopes that it will not come back to haunt him, which is not the case. “We had both sinned and betrayed. But Baba had found a way to create good out of his remorse. What had I done, other than take my guilt out on the very same people I had betrayed, and then try to forget it all? What had I done, other than become an insomniac? What had I ever done to right things?” (303). As mentioned earlier, Amir is not one who stands up for himself. In order for Amir to redeem himself for betraying Hassan, and not standing up for him earlier,

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Amir And Baba In The Kite Runner

    832 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fathers have a remarkable influence on their children. Every son looks up to their dad, and dreams of becoming a man just like them. In the novel Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Ali and Baba play a tremendous role in their sons lives: Hassan and Amir. Both boys strive to become the man their father is, and would go to any measures to mirror their fathers. All children need a father figure in their lives, and even though Ali and Baba raised their children differently, they were both loved unconditionally.

    Read More

  • The Kite Runner: A Journey Towards Atonement

    1939 Words  | 4 Pages

    “It's wrong what they say about the past, I've learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out” (Hosseini). In The Kite Runner, Hosseini shares Amir’s journey to atonement. As Amir states, he was unable to bury his past, similar to his father, Baba, who spent the majority of his life haunted by his sins. While both father and son are consumed by guilt, the way in which they atone for their iniquities is dissimilar. 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 his. 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.

    Read More

  • Perfect Heroes In The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

    1866 Words  | 4 Pages

    In The Kite Runner, Amir and his father, Baba, display lives of contradictions while Hassan and Rahim Khan live lives of purity. Baba is displayed as an immoral man while at home because he is not loving 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 father figure in the first part of the book, once they leave their home, Baba seems to care a lot more about Amir.

    Read More

  • Role Of Father In Huckleberry Finn

    1090 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fathers have the tendency to have a greater influence on the child than the mother. When children know that they have someone that genuinely loves them, they tend to be happier and more easily satisfied in life. When children do not feel the love from their parents, they become aggressive and unstable emotionally. Without parents or their support, children begin to feel as if they are not good enough and that nobody wants them. But when it comes to rejection from a father, “Delinquency, depression, and substance abuse are all more closely linked to dad’s rejection”(Pappas), which shows how much more a father is needed in a child’s life. Research shows that “fathers who are most effective are those who listen to their children, have a close relationship, set appropriate rules, but also grant appropriate freedom”(Pappas), which was lacked in Fences and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. A father’s presence is important because, if someone has a son or daughter and is not there for his children or if they are there and they are doing bad things in front of them, that makes the son believe it is fine to have children and not come around or it is all right to abuse

    Read More

  • Becoming A Man In The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

    1259 Words  | 3 Pages

    His father was a role model in the way that he was always looking out for others. When they are escaping Afghanistan, Baba stands up for the lady in the truck at the possible cost of his own life. “Tell him I’ll take a thousand of his bullets before I let this indecency take place” (pg.116). Amir’s conscience travels back again to the alley way. “Some hero I had been, fretting about the kite”(pg.116). Amir would never have stood up for the lady, comparable to how he never stood up for Hassan in the alleyway. Back in the alleyway Amir had been given the perfect chance to stand up for Hassan, relatable to how Hassan had stood up for Amir innumerable times before. Instead, in a time that he could have proven to his father that he was a man, he was a boy. Not necessarily as a result of not been taught to stand up for others, but by cause that the idea of proving himself to Baba was more appealing than sacrificing the kite. “Sometimes, I too wondered if I was really Baba’s son.” (pg.116). Both Amir and Baba cannot understand how they are related. Baba fits his nickname“Toophan agha, or “Mr. Hurricane”...my father was a force of nature, a towering pushton specimen” (pg. 12) vs. Amir, a shy scrawny child who cannot stand up for himself, let alone

    Read More

  • The Collapse In Fatherhood In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

    1289 Words  | 3 Pages

    good parenting abilities are vital to maintain a viable relationship with children. The value of a father in

    Read More

  • Comparing Society: Married Childbearing Families And Society

    1085 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mothers and Fathers in childbearing families play an important role to their children’s lives. Mothers are to nurture, give guidance and discipline by showing love and compassion to both husband and child while fathers are known to give the same to their children, but in a more physical hands on direction compared to verbal interactions that mothers give. “Studies of families with fathers actively involved in both childcare and household responsibilities, reported preschoolers who showed increased cognitive competence, increased capacity for empathy, increased self-control, and a decrease in gender-stereotyped beliefs” (Weiss, Louis, Ph.D., “Fathers Role in Early Child Development” p. 2).A healthy marriage relationship between the mother and father brings a healthy social and psychological development to the child’s life. Having a healthy relationship reduces unhealthy behavior that would be caused by stress, emotional stability, and overall physical health. This gives a longer life expectancy to the family. “In fact, research suggests that the best

    Read More

  • Child Development Essay

    1785 Words  | 4 Pages

    Since the beginning of time, fathers have had a profound effect on their child’s development. Over the years, the norm for traditional family dynamics of having a father figure in the household has changed drastically, and so did the roles of the parents. It is not as common as it used to be to have a father or father figure in the home. In this day and age, women are more likely to raise children on their own and gain independence without the male assistance due to various reasons. The most significant learning experience and development of a person’s life takes place in their earlier years when they were children. There are many advantages when there is a mother and father combined in a

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Digital Communication

    1322 Words  | 3 Pages

    Digital communication has evolved in such a rapid time. Some say that it is bad, others say it is good, and other say it can be good and bad. In Gerald Graff’s and Cathy Birkenstein’s book, They Say/I say, they have a chapter that talks about digital communication. They talk about the pros and cons on it as well. Digital communication is destroying young user’s ability to communicate but it also is helping spread viral memes quickly, and bringing people together.

    Read More

More about The relationship between father and son

Open Document