Amir Stands as a Man – Question 13 (2, 14)

Baba recognizes Amir’s cowardice as a young boy in Afghanistan. In conversation between Rahim Khan and Baba overheard by Amir, Baba expressed his frustrations with his son to Rahim (21-22). “I wasn’t like that at all, they push him around. There is something missing in that boy” (22). As a boy, Amir often relied on his position as Baba’s son and Hassan’s fortitude to protect him from harm. It seemed he was incapable of standing up for himself. When confronted by the neighborhood bullies led by Assef, it was Hassan and his slingshot there to defend Amir. Hassan’s defense breaks down though. In the infamous back-alley scene, Amir recognizes Hassan is overpowered by Assef, Kamal and Wali. He knew he did not stand a chance in returning the favor to Hassan by warding off the hoodlums. Besides, he had to get his blue kite to Baba. When Amir did attempt to stand his own ground, the boy just did not have what it takes. He made a feeble attempt to stand toe to toe in the first encounter with Assef, quickly he was put in his chair. He does appear to hold firm with Hassan from time to time, with his educated tongue and the mere fact Hassan was willing to do most anything Amir desired. “For you, a thousand times over!” Hassan says to Amir (67). He would run the kite a thousand times over for Amir, winning Baba’s heart, not knowing the lamb he would become. Sacrificing Hassan haunted Amir for a lifetime, but it also forced Amir to become a man, in search of righting his childhood wrongs, if such a thing were even possible. It wasn’t until Amir and Baba had made a new life in America that Amir found the strength to stand up for himself. The first stand he makes is with Baba, who does not favor an English degree for his son. Amir decides his degree plan is where he will stand his ground with Baba. “But I would stand my ground, I decided. I didn’t want to sacrifice for Baba anymore. The last time I had done that, I damned myself”(135). Amir could not carry the burden and guilt in slaying another lamb for Baba. Amir carried the guilt knowing Hassan had been split from the rear, robbed of his dignity, and he was responsible. But, finally, Amir learned to be a man.