parent/child relationship in the kite runner

892 Words4 Pages
“The handling of the father-son relationship, with all its frustrations and misunderstandings, nevertheless rings true with tenderness and truth. In the sense that Amir, the narrator, is the one who struggles to master his fatal flaw, he is the hero of the book” is how this highly acclaimed novel has been described. Khaled Hosseini gifts us with a very honest portrayal of a parent-child relationship; the development and believability of these relationships, which we are introduced to right at the beginning through Baba and Amir, have many characteristics. Along with the sad love-hate tensions between Baba and Amir, some of these relationships include Ali and Hassan, the complicated, cautious affection Baba has for Hassan and how Rahim Khan takes on a fatherly role to Amir. The connection between parent and child is not one that is easily broken and it is not something that can be taken for granted, just like the connection between Baba and Amir. Amir is the complete opposite of his father and their relationship is not that of a ‘family’. Baba does not give Amir the essential necessities a father should always provide; a roof, food, and bed, but Baba does not give out the fatherly love that Amir truly needs. Amir is proud to have a father like Baba, “Baba wet his hair and combed it back. I helped him in a clean white shirt and knotted his tie for him, noting the two inches of empty space between the collar button and Baba’s neck. I thought of all the empty spaces Baba would leave behind when he was gone, and I made myself think of something else”. This shows Amir’s feelings towards Baba, how he looks up to him as a man, and how he would be devastated if Baba was to ever leave Amir’s side. However there are moments in the novel where Amir feels segregated or alone, “We actually deceived ourselves into thinking that a toy made of tissue paper, glue, and bamboo could
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