A Better Understanding

A lot of people have to rely on other people to understand themselves.  It is like they need someone there to let them know who they really are.  Those people are usually the ones that have more than others.  But there are more people that do not need anyone else in order to understand themselves.  Amir and Hassan are two perfect examples of each.  Amir needs someone to tell him who he is to understand himself better.  Hassan on the other hand does everything on his own and does not need anyone in order to understand himself.

Amir is a perfect example of someone that needs others in order to understand himself.  He always had Baba there to support him with every little thing.  He also had Hassan, his servant, save him a couple of times against the older kids in the story.  And as the taxi driver said “You are a tourist here in your own country”.  Amir always had everything he wanted.  He lived high class while he was living in Kabul with servants and a nice house.  Amir never had to work for something he wanted.  He always got what he wanted either through his servants or Baba.  Without Baba, Hassan, and Rahim Khan, Amir would have never been able to understand who he really was.  Those were the people that he relied on the most.  While in America Amir changes and starts to make it on his own.  He graduates from high school and published two books on his own.  What possibly changed Amir was witnessing his father die because his father was the one he looked up too and he earned everything on his own.

Hassan did not need anyone to prove who he really was.  But also Hassan did not really have anybody there for him like Amir did.  Hassan had to earn everything on his own throughout the story.  He was an excellent servant that did exactly what he was told to do.  Hassan was a hard worker and never complained or asked for too much.  He respected Amir and Baba and always seemed to impress them.  As a man, Hassan was just as hard working as he was when he was a child.  He provided for his wife and child and he was an excellent father and husband to them.  Earning everything on his own really shows that Hassan grew up not needing any others to understand who he really is.

The Kite Runner shows great differences between Hassan and Amir.  They both are very interesting characters in the story.  Hassan had nothing and Amir had everything.  Amir could read and write but Hassan unfortunately could not.  When Hassan was older in the story he learns how to read and write.  That was a perfect example of dedication and hard work from someone who had nothing,  With only a little help, Hassan managed to learn how to read and write.  People should not have to rely on others in order to better understand themselves.  But even the most hard working people need a little help now and then.       

Forgiveness

There was a great deal of forgiveness in these past few chapters.  Hassan had forgiven Amir after so much time had passed by and also he had forgiven Sanaubar, his mother.  It is easier to forgive someone after so much time has gone by because everyone slowly forgets about what happened to us when we were younger as we get older.  Now sometimes there are some situations where forgiveness is just impossible.  Forgiveness takes a great deal of time for certain things, but overall I feel that with time everyone will learn to forgive and forget about what has happened to them. 

Amir and Hassan had a connection that seemed almost impossible to break.  After so many years together there came a time where they both went their separate ways.  It had been almost ten years since Hassan’s rape and it seemed he had forgiven Amir.  I would not have been able to forgive Amir for what he had done.  After all that time that had passed by, I personally would not have been as mad at Amir.  But one thing I would have never done was call him my friend after what he had done. 

In chapter 17 Hassan’s mother made a return in his life.  Hassan took her in, and treated her as if nothing had happened since she left when he was just a baby.  Hassan’s mother should not have been forgiven that easily after what she had done.  She missed so many years of Hassan’s life.  Hassan didn’t forgive her, but more of just forgot about what she had done.  I think that was the best thing Hassan could have done because his mother later dies in his presence and I do feel it is better to forgive someone before it is too late.  I still would not have been able to forgive my mother if she would have left me when I was a baby.  Walking out on your child is one of the worst things a person can do.  I am also still young and I wouldn’t know how I would feel if I was older towards this situation but at this age I could not forgive my mother if she had done that to me.          

Pride

Pride is being very proud of yourself and having a high opinion about your dignity.  I personally define pride as having a very high self-esteem.  Being prideful is not letting yourself fall below your standards you make for yourself.   Having pride is actually a very good trait to have, but having too much pride can be a very bad thing and could have consequences in the end.    

Baba is very prideful in the Kite Runner.  His pride is sometimes a good thing and sometimes it hurts him more than it does help him.  A scene in the Kite Runner where his pride is helpful is when he stands up for the afghan lady when the Russian Officer wanted to rape her.  Luckily, another officer stepped up and calmed the Russian down.  Regardless of the gun that was pointing to his head by the Russian, he stood his ground and did not let the Russian take the Afghan lady away from her husband.  This was a rather tough decision to make.  Baba could have sat back and not have said anything and let the Russian take the lady.  The Russian could have shot Baba and ended his life right then and there.  His pride, as I mentioned earlier, helped him out more than it hurt him. 

Sometimes Baba has too much pride for his own good.  In the Kite Runner I learn that Baba has Oat Cell Carcinoma which is cancer.  He visits a doctor and the doctor offered the best treatment which is doing the chemotherapy.  Baba’s pride came into play here and he denied the chemotherapy.  His ego was so big that he would rather fight the cancer himself than to have treatment for it.  Later on in the story Baba dies of cancer.  This could have been prevented by simply doing the chemotherapy, and as I stated earlier, sometimes having too much pride can hurt you in the long run more than help you.