Power In The Kite Runner

The Source of Power The 16th century Spanish novelist, Miguel de Cervantes, stated, “Valor lies halfway between rashness and cowardice.” In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, the protagonist Amir makes many rash decisions that are formed as a result of his cowardice. Amir faces many situations in which he displays intense moments of cowardice regarding the people in his life as a result of his lack of understanding the value and feelings of of others. In The Kite Runner, it is clear that Amir is driven out of action due to the lack of confidence in himself, and Hassan is driven into action due to him being complacent with events in his life. The Kite Runner takes the reader into the life of a young boy who lives a luxurious lifestyle in

As a lover of poetry, a boy who avoids sports because of physical weakness, and a young man who demonstrates the inability to stand up for himself, Amir does not fit his father’s mold of a perfect son. In contrast, Hassan is athletic, brave, resourceful; Baba feels a strong connection to this servant-boy who must rely on respect earned from his actions, which is difficult to attain due to his social status. Amir, on the other hand, has friends and people who want to be close to him due to his family's wealth. His sense of powerlessness results from his own personal characteristics not being up to the standards his well renowned father wants them to be. When Amir’s father Baba was talking to Rahim Khan

Everything in his life has been earned, not given, unlike Amir. Hassan’s substantial work ranges from cleaning the house, buying groceries, and washing clothes, to working rigorously for those he truly cares about. The understanding of what it means to do something for others instead of personal benefit, and the ability to suffer in silence is what truly distinguishes Hassan from Amir. Despite their age, the only similarities the boys share is that they both have grown up without the presence of a mother. Hassan’s ability to aid others proves useful when him and Amir enter a kite flying contest in an attempt to win Baba’s love. Hassan and Amir win the contest, but when Hassan tracks down the kite that was defeated by Amir so he could show it to Baba, he is trapped by Assaf and other boys who want revenge on Hassan and Amir. When Amir finds Hassan surrounded by the boys in the alley, his initial instinct was not to save his friend Hassan; however, he thought only about the kite which he described as the key to his father's heart. As Hassan is defending Amir to the boys, despite his own predicament, Assaf asks Hassan, “But before you sacrifice yourself for him, think about this; Would he do the same for you? Have you ever wondered why he never includes you in games when he has guests? Why he only plays with you when no one else is around?” (72). Hassan