“We Actually Deceived Ourselves Into Thinking That a Toy Made of Tissue Paper, Glue, and Bamboo Could Somehow Close the Chasm Between Us.” Discuss the Significance of This Passage.
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- Date Submitted: 01/29/2010 01:42 AM
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The relationship between Amir and Baba becomes so broken that any connection is essential to salvage it. Baba is a good person but a hard, discouraging father at the beginning of the novel. He is a single parent whose wife died while she was giving birth to Amir, a circumstance that Amir connects with Baba’s detachment and lack of interest in him.
Baba raises Amir alone, “With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking.” Baba successfully influences and changes his life to suit him but he cannot change Amir, no matter how noticeably he tries.
Amir felt that Baba was not giving him the attention he needed. Anytime Amir wanted to be alone with his father, Baba asked Hassan to join them. Further into the novel we discover the reason for Baba’s intentions, simply wanting to spend time with both his sons. For Amir, who knows nothing of his illegitimate half brother, this gesture is hard to except and becomes more determined to win Baba’s love. “I lied and told him Hassan had the runs. I wanted Baba all to myself”
The sibling rivalry between Amir and Hassan, which they are oblivious to being involved in, is apparent within the beginning of the novel. It is a one sided battle consisting of Amir constantly struggling to find a way to become close to his father, the way that Hassan is with Ali. “Ali pulled him close, clutched him with tenderness. Later I would tell myself I hadn’t felt envious of Hassan.” It is clear that Amir is jealous of their relationship and this is what he wants to be able to do with Baba. “Sometimes I wish he wouldn’t do that. Wished he’d let me be the favourite” Amir struggles when Baba treats the two boys equally, in his eyes he should be treated better seeing as he is his son. Amir is jealous of the affection that Baba gives Hassan, as a young boy he is greatly confused by this and immediately assumes he has done something wrong. “I had killed his beloved wife, his beautiful princess”
Amir and...
Baba raises Amir alone, “With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking.” Baba successfully influences and changes his life to suit him but he cannot change Amir, no matter how noticeably he tries.
Amir felt that Baba was not giving him the attention he needed. Anytime Amir wanted to be alone with his father, Baba asked Hassan to join them. Further into the novel we discover the reason for Baba’s intentions, simply wanting to spend time with both his sons. For Amir, who knows nothing of his illegitimate half brother, this gesture is hard to except and becomes more determined to win Baba’s love. “I lied and told him Hassan had the runs. I wanted Baba all to myself”
The sibling rivalry between Amir and Hassan, which they are oblivious to being involved in, is apparent within the beginning of the novel. It is a one sided battle consisting of Amir constantly struggling to find a way to become close to his father, the way that Hassan is with Ali. “Ali pulled him close, clutched him with tenderness. Later I would tell myself I hadn’t felt envious of Hassan.” It is clear that Amir is jealous of their relationship and this is what he wants to be able to do with Baba. “Sometimes I wish he wouldn’t do that. Wished he’d let me be the favourite” Amir struggles when Baba treats the two boys equally, in his eyes he should be treated better seeing as he is his son. Amir is jealous of the affection that Baba gives Hassan, as a young boy he is greatly confused by this and immediately assumes he has done something wrong. “I had killed his beloved wife, his beautiful princess”
Amir and...