The Kite Runner: Character Sketch

My first impression of Amir was that he was a very privileged boy, with a loyal servant as a best friend. You would think that one would appreciate living in a caring house hold surrounded by people that love you. But, Amir was always craving the spot light in his dad's life. Of course, there was a good explanation for this behavior. His dad never seemed to be proud of Amir's accomplishments and he always wanted more. His father, whom Amir calls Baba, pressured Amir to get into sports, specifically soccer. Although Amir tried to embrace athleticism, nothing could top his interests in books. He always tried to capture Baba's attention, even if it meant hurting his best friend Hassan in the process. He reminds me of Kay, from The Sword in the Stone, because he is always yearning for attention. He is always trying to find some way to better than everyone else in one way or another. He soon realizes that Hassan has more wisdom and depth than he does. Instead of learning from him, he makes fun of the fact that Hassan is functionally illiterate and eventually his overbearing pride will cause his own unhappiness. In the first line of the book he says, "I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975." Since that day he has to live with the guilt of his choice. The choice to sit and watch his brother get raped, while sitting and watching. As he goes through life, he always has to wonder whether he deserves his own happiness, whether things would be different if he had stood up for Hassan. Everything would be different and he knew it. Amir's guilt puts up a shield between everyone he loves. He can't let go of his past, because his past is what made his future.