Amir?
Discuss your initial thoughts on Amir, our narrator, so far in the story. Describe him as a young boy. In addition, discuss how he views his father and how he views and treats Hassan?
Main Message
At this point in the novel (through chapter 20), several issues and themes on life have been portrayed and explored. Of the following, which theme (themes) would you consider to be most important/most explored? Explain why, citing evidence from the text itself. 1. Role of books, literacy 2. Friendship, guilt, & redemption 3. Relationship between Fathers & Sons 4. Coming of Age (becoming an adult/"man") 5. Resiliency of the human spirit 6. Man's inhumanity towards man 7. Discrimination, prejudice, bigotry, class structure
As a young boy, Amir liked to read books and write poems which is the complete opposite of what his dad did at that age. He also played with Hassan everyday because Hassan was a brother to Amir. Personally, I think Amir is jealous of Hassan because of the way Amir’s dad talks about Hassan. Amir thinks his dad hates him because Amir’s mom died giving birth to him, and because Amir is nothing like his father. Amir heard his father say, “If I didn’t see the doctor pull him out of his mother with my own eyes, I’d never believe he’s my kid.” This made Amir mad and kind of resent Hassan.
ReplyDeleteHugh Molony
Mike Trumm
ReplyDeleteThoughts on Amir
My initial thoughts on Amir is that he is a scared and helpless kid. He doesn’t stand up for himself and in nothing like his father. He is a smart kid who does well in school, but his father dislikes him because of how different he is to when Baba was a kid. Amir sees his father as a great man who does things that others say he cannot do. He treats Hassan as his brother because they were both raised in the same house when they were young. They both don’t have a mother, so Amir understands how Hassan feels without a mother to love him. Amir and Hassan always hang out and are friends who both need each other to survive.
Jessica Kremer
ReplyDeleteI think that Amir is very different from his father when he was a kid. Amir loves to read books and write stories. He views his father almost as like a hero like he can do anything. When he is around others he seems to want to treat Hassan differently as he was only just his servant. When the bullies come up Amir has a lot of different thoughts going through is head about how he should be treating Hassan. Hassan and Amir are alike due to their moms both not there and Amir would see Hassan as a brother to him, they would play outside and do things together. I sometimes think that Amir gets jealous of Hassan in some situations and can kind of be selfish, as well as not knowing what to do/say in some situations.
Amir is, in my opinion a jerk and a loser. Amir grows up with Hassan and is always hanging out with him yet, he still thinks of him as a servant. Amir never stands up for himself or Hassan, even when that kid pulled out brass knuckles he just stood there. He has never tried to understand his father or Hassan and always assumed he knew them best. His father is distant because he doesn’t know how to act around Amir, but Amir assumes that he hates him and maybe wishes for his death a bit. Amir is a brat who is stuck in his own head and hurts others because of this.
ReplyDeleteTrevor Thein
As a young boy Amir enjoyed writing poems, reading his mothers literature, and spending time with his friend Hassan. Although he still enjoys spending time with Hassan through chapter 5, Amir is starting to feel pressured to not be so close to him. Amir and Hassan are different religions of the muslim faith, but Amir sees Hassan as more of a brother than a freind. Amir runs into a lot of bullies because he hangs around Hassan so much and the last run in with Assef I think changed how Amir will handle things with Hassan moving forward. At the beginning of the book Hassan loves his father and is very proud just to be his son. Amir wants people to know that he is the son of Baba, for he is the best business man. Although, towards the end of the chapter, Amir wishes that Rahim Khan was his father, not Baba. Amir is so angry at his father because he didn’t ask to read his work and feels like his father belittles him.
ReplyDeleteI think that Amir can relate to many other young boys in the fact that he too seeks for his father's acceptance and respect. It's a common problem with many boys and their fathers. Amir wishes to make his father proud but Amir is too much like his deceased mother. I believe that not only is Baba disappointed with the fact that Amir isn't masculine or brave like him, but that every time he sees his son he is reminded of his wife. Amir, being a fan of stories and writing, can't help but try his hardest in the worst ways to earn his father's approval. He writes him stories and tries to show off with his reading capabilities, but his father is never impressed. There are only two others that see this talent for how special it is, Hassan and Rahim. Rahim is kind of like the uncle/father figure for Amir and Hassan is a sort of brother to Amir. There is a bit of a superiority complex with Amir due to the Hazaras being inferior beings compared to the Pashtuns. This doesn't stop Amir from having a slight envy toward Hassan for the way that Baba treats the boy and respects him. Otherwise, I think the two are close and good friends, despite Amir's natural distaste for the other boy when other Pashtun boys are around.
ReplyDeleteColson Cruciani
My initial thoughts on Amir would be that he desperately wants his father's approval and attention. All of his goals are to prove himself to his father, and to try to make him proud in his eyes. However, due to Amir's interests aligning with his mother's more than his father's, Baba isn't exactly impressed with who Amir is as a person. In regards to Hassan, Amir treats him rather poorly, whenever it means he might get more attention from his father than Hassan. Baba seems to view Hassan in a higher regard than Amir, considering their differing personalities.
ReplyDelete-Joey Shannon
Amir, as a young boy really enjoyed to read and write poem and books and which his father says is the opposite of what he did. Amir wants to make his father proud of him but he had to much of his mother in him and that is why Amir thinks he wont get the approval of his father. Amir, to me is jealous of Hassan because of how Hassan and his father's relationship is, that Baba likes Hassan more because he is more like him. Amir also heard his father make the comment that if I didnt see his birth I wouldn't believe that he is my child and that made Amir kind of disappointed and mad.
ReplyDeleteLuke Miller
Amir is eighteen years old and is a brave, selflessness, smart young man. Amir enjoys reading books and does well in school which is the opposite of his dad when he was younger. His father is a very good businessman in Kabul. Amir respects his father, but he just doesn’t do anything his father likes. Amir really likes Hassan and sees him like a brother. They grew up together in the same home and they both did not have a mom growing up, so they have that in common with each other.
ReplyDeleteColby Holmes
I personally believe that as Amir being the narrator and the protagonist is a good person in his own way. Amir is a sensitive, intelligent son that believes he is a well businessman in Kabul. So far in the story it shows us that Amir is a young child that has a best friend as Hassan, he has built a strong relationship with Hassan which has helped to show his real self. Amir and Hassan relate because both of there mothers died at birth and both decided to live with Sanaubar. He treats Hassan very inconsistent on his treatment, sometimes he is a friend, abuses him, and sometimes treat him like less because Amir has the superior class. As a young boy all kids have different relationships with there fathers and Amir's is significant because he wants the respect and relationship that you dream up and lives up to obeying his father.
ReplyDeleteChloe Geerts
Amir was a kid who like to be by himself. he was a trouble maker and played with the only friend he knew. Even tho he was brought up in the privileged life. his mother died giving birth to him. he uses what he knows to make it in his new life. HE has tried to forget his past when you can tell he wants to hold on to it as long as he can.~Denise Brady
ReplyDeleteAmir is what one would classify as an intellectual. In particular he has an interest in literature one of his favorite things to do being to read and write. It is apparent to me that he is very much like his mother who taught at very prominent university and loved poetry. He hates his father because they have different interests and his father dosen't give him attention. Amir has a two sided relationship with Hassan who he is good friends with but also mistreats on several occasions. Amir is angry with his father and often takes it out on Hassan who can't stand up for himself because he is of a lower class. I think Amir's treatment of Hassan is wrong but I also understand that Amir dosen't know any better because he has spent his whole life as a impressionable boy in a society that preeches that Hazzara's are lesser. I find Amir relatable because I also come from a family with radically different interests than mine but both me and my family have tried to accommodate each other and didn't have the same malice as seen between Amir and his father.
ReplyDeleteAmir is insecure because he thinks his father, Baba, doesn’t like him and he thinks it is his fault that his mother died. Amir overhears his father state that he is concerned because Amir likes to read instead of playing soccer or enjoy watching the game of chapandaz, a competition of skilled horsemen.
ReplyDeleteAmir doesn’t like Hassan to protect him because he then lies to his father that Hassan receives the scratches from a fall. He loves Hassan liked a friend at home, but he won't admit that they are friends in public. Also, Amir is kind of jealous of Hassan because his father, Baba, seems to really love and admire all the things Hassan is good at.
My thoughts on Amir are that I think that he should treat Hassan like he is treated. I don’t think his father enjoys his time with him because he doesn’t feel like Amir will be like he wants him to be; like himself. Amir has more of his mother’s traits than Baba’s.
I think that Amir is a very smart kid he really enjoys his time reading and writing. Amir is the kid that never stands up for himself. His life has always been hard when he lost his mother at birth and his father hasn't been happy with Amir since then. Hassan and Amir are very similar because they grew up in the same house and both without a mother, they both need each other to survive. Amir treats Hassan with respect and treats him like a brother. On the other hand, Amir dad, Baba does not like Amir because he is nothing like his father. When Amir father is around Hassan he treats Hassan better than we would with Amir.
ReplyDeleteWill Potter
I think Amir is a helpless kid and he is not ready to stand up for himself because he is way different then his father. Amir played with Hassan because they grew up with each other when they were small, and Amir was nice to play games with Hassan. Amir thinks that his father doesn’t like him because he is nothing like his father when he was a little kid.
ReplyDeleteJose Nava
So far in my opinion Amir is alright. When he was young, he liked reading books and poems. He was considered kind of a looser because he wasn't like the other kids in his neighborhood. The other kids would go outside and play soccer. Amir in the other hand he would stay inside and read poems and books. Personally, I thought he was going to be some savage little kid, but he ended up being a nerd. Second, I respect him because he treats Hassan with a lot of respect and takes good care of him. They treat each other like brothers which is nice because he is disabled. Also, Amir has a lot of respect for his father because he’s a successful man. Amir describes him like he's a black bear because he is six-five and muscular. Amir also says how he's the best worker. However, Amir respects his father and Hassan.
ReplyDeleteAmir, as a young boy, enjoys spending time with his friend, Hassen. He also likes to read and write poems. He also wants his father's respect and acceptance. He wants to make his father proud but is depressed by the death of his mother. He believes that it is his fault that his mother is dead. I believe that Baba is not only disappointed by the fact that Amir isn't brave or as masculine as his father but that every time Baba looks at Amir, he is reminded by his dead wife. Since Amir is a fan of stories and writing so he can't help but try to earn his father's approval and writes his father stories to show his reading capabilities, but Baba never gets impressed. There are only two people that are impressed, and they are Hassan and Rahim. Rahim is like an uncle/father to Amir. Hassan is like a brother to Amir and treats him like a brother. The problem is that Amir is a Hazara and Hassan is a Pashtun. Hazara's are a majority unlike Pashtun's which are a minority group but that doesn't stop them from being friends and hanging out.
ReplyDeleteCharles Bruns
As I started reading this book, my thoughts on Amir is he is jealous of his dad and his friend, Hassan. Amir’s dad was athlete and Amir could never get into sports, but he loved reading books and poems. As a young boy, his dad took him to soccer games to get more into the sport, but he never took interest in it. Amir doesn’t get along with his father because his father doesn’t know what to do with him. In the book, Amir hears his dad talking to his friend about Amir and how he just wants to read books and poems and Amir gets upset about it. Hassan is Amir’s friend and I think Amir is jealous about him because Hassan plays sports and is very good at what he does. Amir likes to keep things in and don’t tell anyone and he takes it out on Hassan.
ReplyDeleteMichael Droeszler
i think that Amir cant relate with other boys because he is different like in fact he lives in a different environment than other boys he lived were there was a lot of war and destruction. Amir is way different than his father because he didn't do what his father did for example his father used to played soccer and a lot more stuff but Amir like to read books and write poems. Amir and Hassan grew up together and they played together all the time, and also they both grew up without their mothers so they are basically brothers. Rogelio Nunez
ReplyDeleteMy first thoughts of Amir are that he is weak and is spoiled. Amir writes stories and poems which disappoints Baba as that is not what Baba did at Amir’s age. I am also disappointed, similar to Baba, when Amir can’t stand up for himself and Hassan has to step in and take care of the bullies. I think Amir is spoiled because his father is a rich merchant and doesn’t force Amir to work, while Hassan does chores that should be done by Amir. Amir is also spoiled beacsue he gets to live in a mansion while Hassan and Ali live in a dirt hut. A thing about Amir is that he admires talking to his father, but he becomes jealous of Hassan and the attention Hassan receives from Amir’s father.
ReplyDeleteWyatt Lynch
My initial thoughts on Amir, is young and naive, but he will learn about his family history and I think that will play a big part in this book. Amir, he is curious about his father's past, but his doesn't want to share.so Amir goes to a family friend to get the truth. I think Amir fears but respect his father, he only fears him becasue is reluctant to say anything about his past.
ReplyDeleteAnna Finzel
At the beginning of the story, Amir likes to read and write, like his mother and the opposite of his father. He wants to get his father’s approval but he doesn’t think he can because he thinks he has too much of his mother in him. He looks up to his father and wishes to be like him but doesn’t think he ever will. It seems that Hassan does everything for him and Amir seems very lazy. It says that Hassan prepares his breakfast and gets all ready by himself before Hassan even gets out of bed. And then while Hassan eats and complains about homework, Hassan makes Amir’s bed, polishes his shoes, and packed his books. He even thinks of Hassan as his servant for a little bit which is very selfish. Other than that stuff though, they had a good relationship growing up and were very close and seemed like brothers.
ReplyDeleteAmir is generally a good kid. He enjoys literature and being a young boy. He wants to do good, but not being fully accepted by his father gets to him. His father wishes that Amir was more like him as a kid, tougher and more courageous. Amir really admires and loves his father, but he starts to resent him. Amir wishes that Rahim Khan was his father instead, because Rahim Khan is genuinely nice to Amir. Amir and Hassaf’s relationship is different and interesting. Although he is a servant, Hassan is Amir's best friend. Even though Amir will only hang around Hassan when he has no one else to do something with. Amir treats Hassan differently often, sometimes he views and treats him as his brother. Other times he thinks of him as a servant and nothing else.
ReplyDeleteAmir is quite different compared to Hassan who is thought to be lesser than him. It's the exact opposite though. Hassan is more athletic, tougher, and smarter than Amir which disappoints Amir’s father. Amir is more into reading poetry and writing which his father disapproves of. Amir also refers to Hassan as more of his brother than just a friend. This doesn’t stop Amir from still treating him like a servant and on occasion mocking him for not knowing a certain word or thing about the world. Amir also feels as if he is living in Hassan’s shadow because Amir’s father always makes sure both boys are treated equally. This results in Amir having mixed feelings about his father.
ReplyDeleteJarett Connolly
ReplyDeleteI think Amir just wants to live up to his father’s expectations and make him proud, but Amir’s dad Baba isn’t impressed with him. Amir has more of him mom in him than his dad and Amir likes to read his mothers writings. Amir tried making his father proud by playing soccer, but he wasn’t very good at. Amir overheard his dad say if he wouldn’t have seen Amir born, he wouldn’t believe he was his son and this made Amir feel sad. I feel bad for Amir because he can’t make his dad proud and that he overheard his dad.
Amir likes to read and write. He thinks his dad dosent like him and he wants to mke him proud. He wants to live up to his fathers excpetation. Amir and Hassan are best friends but when other people are around Amir dosent treat him good.
ReplyDeleteIzzy
i think that Amir is not very athletic and that he's kind of nerdy and doesn’t have many friends. I think he's not a very good friend to Hassan because all these people look at Hazzaras as servants and talk down to them. So, because a lot of people talk down to them Amir thinks that its ok to talk down to Hassan. Hassan is a very good friend but it's sad that Amir wouldn’t do the same for Hassan. Hassan does a lot of things for Amir no matter the cost. Amir views his father as like his Idol he will do anything to get his father's approval no matter the cost. He believes that his father favors Hassan over him.
ReplyDeleteAmir the narrator of this novel is a bright young who has a life that he likes goes through things in this story is what I can tell from what I have read. Amir being the young boy he is dose a lot of things that normal young boys do play out side flying kits, loving his father all things that young boys do. The way he views his father is like every other boy he was to live up to be what his dad wants him to be he dose not want to let his dad down he want to do every thing and more for his father. The way his father treats Hassan tho Amir gets a little upset because Amir always wants to be the favorite but his father treats them equal.
ReplyDelete~Rylan Crowley