Monday, February 05, 2007
The Novel - Discussion #2
The strong underlying force of this novel is the relationship between Amir and Hassan. Discuss their friendship. Why is Amir afraid to be Hassan's true friend? Why does Amir constantly test Hassan's loyalty? Why does he resent Hassan? After the kite running tournament, why does Amir no longer want to be Hassan's friend?
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The friendship between Amir and Hassan is one fraught with rules imposed by their culture and accepted by the boys. Amir(the master by proxy), lords his position over Hassan; Sometimes unintentionally, but almost always with the intent to humble the already huble Hassan. Amir is jealous of Hassan's atheletic prowess, and of the love Baba exhibits towards Hassan, juxtaposed by his contempt of Amir's "un-manly" behaviour and skills. Hassan, the loyal servant, is ever grateful of Amir's tolerance of him, constantly apoligizing for his ignorance and lauding his friends literary skill. Brave and steadfast, Hassan endures horrific trials for Amir's sake, and believes that Amir will reciprocate the behaviour. Amir, however, is a spiteful, pampered coward within the duration of their friendship. Raised in close proximity, the boys develop a brotherly, albeit unbalanced, bond. While they do care for each other, Hassan is the one who loves without reservation. Amir's growing jealousy and deteriorating relationshp with Baba eventually end the friendship(on Amir's part). The final blow to the friendship occurs shortly after the climax of the first half of the story. The break is not due to Amir's inaction during the raping of Hassan, but due to his unwillingness to expose, and take responsibility for his inaction, which is excacerbated by his rejection of Hassan. Hassan became the symbol of Amir's greatest folly; Amir, unable to bear the shame of his inaction and Hassan's continual love for him, coupled with Hassan's understandable depression, drives Amir to dissolve the friendnship.
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Amir and Hassan have a relationship most uncommon in Afganistan. Amir being the son of the man of the house, and Hassan the son of a servent. The two grow up together as brothers, without knowing the real truth of there heritage. Amir wants to be Hassan's "friend" but can't becuase he is already treated like a son from his father. Amir doesn't have all the characteristics his father wished he had, that Hassan has. Even though Hassan constantly sticks up for Amir, Amir tests Hassan's loyalty to him. He does this because he knows Hassan loves him like a brother, and Amir is jealous. Amir resents Hassan because Baba treats Hassan like a son, and seems in someways to exclude Amir from those feelings. With the last words from Hassan before running the kite for Amir, changed Amir's life forever. When Amir goes looking for Hassan, he finds Hassan being raped. As this accurs Amir finds himself frozen to the spot, and with all his selfishness he walks away. Forever in his mind that very moment, when he turned his back on his most loyal friend, just so he wouldn't get hurt. From then on, Amir becomes distant and enraged with anger becuase even though something horrable happened, Hassan still loved him, and was still unconditionally loyal to him.
Because Amir and Hassan belong to different religious branches of Islam and different social classes, there is a certain rift between them that is always there. Since the reader only gets Amir's perspective of their relationship, we cannot be quite sure whether Hassan's loyalty and admiration for Amir is true. Amir has been indoctrinated in school to believe that Hassan and his people are bad; therefore, there are certain points in the novel where he feels like he needs to test Hassan's loyalty in order to be sure that his servant's devotion toward him is genuine.
Hassan and Amir have similar characteristics despite their different backgrounds. This is why Amir likes Hassan but does not trust him.
From what Amir shares at the beginning of the novel, Hassan seems to be some sort of a fratenal figure to him. Though they are not blood-related, their joined up-bringing is reflected through Amir's description and knowledge about Hassan's life. Their connection is also reflected through Amir's choice of details about Hassan's treatment towards him.
The friendship that Amir and Hassan have is strange, Hassan is from a lower social class and Amir belongs to a higher social class, even thoug they were raised together, Amir treats Hassan as an inferior.
Amir and Hassan's relationship is something that is instilled from birth, and even though Amir has a unfaltering understanding that Hassan is supposedly of less importance, and that he is a servant.While Hassan feels that they are friends, and believes that Amir would do the right thing as he would do. Hassan does not question Amir's actions and defends him without hestitation, unlike Amir who abandons Hassan. Amir is also blinded by his need of his fathers acceptance, and it seems that Amir isn't recognized as much as Hassan is by his father. The difference with their sides of the friendship is that Hassan's devotion and loyalty is unconditional, and his character is of a higher caliber. This is despite the eduacation that he is lacking and Amir becomes discreetly jealous of Hassan for all the small qualitites that Amir is lacking. Amir tests Hassan's loyalty to the point that it almost seems as though he waits for Hassan to show a character flaw that he does not possess. This is not to say that Amir does not care for Hassan but his feelings cloud what he should do, and he allows his flaws to dominate his actions, and he does not try to rectify his already made mistakes.
i think that amir is afraid to be hassans friend, because hassan is the servants son. he constantly test hassans loyalty do to him being a servant, so he wants to see if in any given time amir needs him to step up, he would do it or not. he resents hassan because his father would like for amir to be more like hassan. amir no longer wants to be hassan friend because despite all the bad things that amir does to hassan, hassan still has unconditional love for him and is still true and loyal to him.
Amir and Hassan are not really considered to be friends. Since the two boys have been brought up with different cultures and beliefs, they tend to run into their differences and do not understand each other. However, Hassan, for being such a loyal servant, has gone through many trials and tribulations for Amir. Amir is still envious of Hassan and because of their up bringings, has somewhat of despite towards him. With no consideration towards Hassan, even when finding him being raped, Amir still has anger towards him becuase of the simple fact Hassan loved him despite of the horrible actions that had taken place. because of this, Amir finds himself in anger and in his own self pitty.
Amir is afarid to be Hassan true friend because of their religious beliefs. Amir resents Hassan because he feels that Baba has greater love for him and he sees the the way that Baba treats Hassan. Amir continues to test Hassan loyalty because he is really afaird to losing him. On numerous occasions Hassan has been Amir protection and has provided for him as a servant as well.
Amir is afraid to be Hassan's friend because he knows that Hassan is his servant and that's why he doesn't invite him to his parties..because Hassan is serving. Amir is always testing Hassan's loyalty I believe in sort of admiration of his nobleness, in a way he can't believe how good Hassan is compared to him. After the kite running tornament Amir couldn't bare to look at Hassan, he felt guilty for letting Hassan get abused.
Amir and Hassans friendship is something they seem to cherish through the first few chapters of the story and some what uncommon in the worl they live in. Hassan being Amirs servant, and Amir constantly questioning everything that has to do with Hassan. We only get persepective from Amir, and Amir goes throough the first parts with a strange feeling of envy and admiration. Hassan always seemed to have the answer, Hassan was athletic and street smart and Amir was none of these things. Amirs life long purpose at the young age of twelve was to please his father, whom would have been prouder to have a son like Hassan. Hassan was almost a threat to Amir, yet he was loyal. Besides being witty and strong in most aspects created in the story he is true and loyal, or at least that is the impression we get from Amir. Amir in some remote part of his mind did love Hassan, after all they had grown up together, fed from the same breast, they were brothers. Amir is constantly poking fun at him and questioning his loyalty because it makes him feel superior. He was the one that went to school, he was one that could read and write, so why then is Hassan the one that always had the answer? Amir later witness Hassan being raped by Assef. And that was a life altering moment, he could speak and say something, the way he knew Hassan would have done for him. But he ran. He ran and so after that it was just a question of avoiding Hassan, the boy he lived and grew up with he now spent the days thinking of ways to avoid him.
Amir and Hassen friendship may be disturbing for one of Amir social class. Amir is the wealth boy and Hassen is a servant. The irony of this friendship is that Amir wants to be friend with Hassen. Hassen being the servant. Amir is debating if Hassen can be trustworthy. Amir is resent with Hassan because Amir’s father theat him better because of his skills.
Amir and Hassan have a weird friendship.They are like brothers almost but because of their religion they have to have a delicate balance on how far their friendship goes. Since Hassan is Hazara and Hazaras are known not to be loyal according to Baba.Amir is always testing him to see if he is indeed a loyal person because he believes that he is. Hassan always proves to be loyal when Amir tries him out.Proving that just because of his religion he shouldn't be profiled. Amir doesn't want to be his friend anymore because how he ran into seeing him getting raped. He walked away because he did not want to get hurt. He feels weird and mad that Hassan still wants to be his friend even though he left him alone in that position.
The relationship that Amir and Hassan have is like brothers. Even though Amir is the master's son and Hassan is the servant. They still seem to comunicate. Hassan really cares for Amir, yet Amir still feels jealous. Due to the fact that Hassan at times has a better relationship with Amir's father then what he does.
Amir and Hassan differ in many areas leading them to not understand each other. Different cultures and beliefs are the base for their problems. Hassan was always a trustworthy servant and has gone through many troubles for Amir. Jealousy and envy stirs up inside Amir whenever associating with Hassan. Amir creates his own self pitty when wondering why Hassan still loves him despite Amir's negative attention.
Amir and Hassan are friends in a world were they were meant to be enemies. Thier social and religios differences makes there frienship a unique one in that it is not easaly found. Admir test hassan's loyalty because he wants to be certain of his frienship being true and unspoiled. Although Hassan has constanly showen loyalty toward Amir. He is also spiteful of the fact that hassan is more atheletic then him. After the kite tournament Amir dose not want to be Hassans friendship because of the knowledge of Hassan bieng raped.
The friendship between Amir and Hasaan is very complicated. They are friends, but because of society's expectations, their assocation is looked down upon. Amir, a Pashtun, was born into a wealthy home with a very well-known father (Baba), while Hasaan, a Hazara, was born into servanthood. Amir is afraid to be Hasaan's friend for this reason. Amir is a coward and many times succumbs to what society believes is best. When his wealthy friends come over, Amir doesn't include Hasaan in their games. Amir also constantly tests Hasaan's loyalty. This is probably because Hasaan has never wavered in his dedication to Amir. Also, Amir isn't always so nice to Hasaan. He ridicules Hasaan for not knowing big words, and takes advantage of the fact that Hasaan is illiterate. No matter what, Hasaan remained true to Amir. Even though Amir has an education and a lot of money, he resents Hasaan. If for no other reason, this is because Amir has struggled to win Baba's affections and Hasaan won them instantly. After the kite running tournament, Amir no longer wants to be Amir's friend because he can't live with the guilt of seeing Hasaan getting raped by Assef. He ran away when he could have at least tried to protect Hasaan. The guilt became so difficult for Amir to handle, and slowly, their friendship deteriorates.
The friendship between Amir and Hassan is quite complex due to their diverse backgrounds. Amir is a Pashtun, and the son of Baba, an affluent and well-known man. Hassan is a Hazara and the son of Ali, the servant of the house. The boys come from different cultures and social status', which is the main reason why Amir never truly has a normal relationship with Hassan. Amir likes Hassan because he sees similarities in him that remind him of himself, but for that reason he doesnt trust him either. Amir constantly tests Hassan's loyalty, almost as if to assure the fact that Hassan is a servant and he knows his place. It's also clear to see that Amir resents him becuase he is jealous of the relationship and affection Baba (Amir's father) towards Hassan. After the competiton, Amir doesnt want to be Hassan's friend anymore because he selfishly watched Hassan be raped and did absolutely nothing about it, he just walked away. The guilt he carrys with him is too much.
hassan and amir have a connection that is far different than any normal school yard relationship. These two boys see something special in eachother and amir shows that in his writing. Constantly refering to Hassan in all aspects of his life. In many ways the two boys are each others only means on happiness. Though Hassan is of lower social standing Amir at times puts that aside. Though Amir does things that aren't very nice to Hassan he still finds a strong bond with his friend. I believe the reason Amir puts hassan down is because he sometimes feels inferior to his friend so he has to show who is of higher class.
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