Student Question
Who does Amir from The Kite Runner resemble more in A Thousand Splendid Suns, Tariq or Rasheed?
Quick answer:
Amir from The Kite Runner resembles Rasheed from A Thousand Splendid Suns more than Tariq. Both Amir and Rasheed are flawed characters who commit acts of deception and betrayal. Amir witnesses Hassan's assault and later sets him up for theft, while Rasheed manipulates Laila into marriage by fabricating news of Tariq's death. Unlike Tariq, who is portrayed as a noble figure, both Amir and Rasheed struggle with moral complexities and guilt.
Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, a Pashtun boy living in Kabul who loves to kite fight with Hassan, the Hazara son of Amir's father's servant. After an older bully by the name of Assef attempts to attack Amir, Hassan intervenes on Amir's behalf. Assef vows to get revenge, and he does--by beating and raping Hassan in an alleyway after one of the kite fights. Amir witnesses this event and yet does nothing to stop it. To alleviate the guilt he feels when he sees Hassan, Amir sets Hassan up to make it look like Hassan has stolen from Amir's father.
Thus, I would argue that Amir is more like Rasheed from A Thousand Splendid Suns than Tariq. In this novel, Rasheed is a complicated figure who possesses both great love for his son and expresses great cruelty toward the women in his life. Like...
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Amir, Rasheed commits a terrible act of deception; he sets up Laila (his future wife) by hiring a man to falsely inform her of her true love's death--a manipulative gesture which leads to their marriage. Amir does not possess the simplicity or purity of Tariq, who largely appears as a romantic figure.
Who is Amir in The Kite Runner most like in A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Thorn Birds?
It can be argued that Amir is most like Father Ralph de Bricassart in The Thorn Birds and Jalil in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Let me explain.
All three men make poor choices in their lives, which lead to grief and tragedy. For example, in The Kite Runner, Amir does nothing while his childhood friend suffers a violent sexual assault at Assef's hands. Later, Amir's besmirching of Hassan's character leads to the latter being exiled (albeit reluctantly) from Amir's family home. Amir and Hassan become estranged for the rest of their natural lives. Filled with guilt and regret in later years, Amir tries to make amends for his actions by rescuing Sohrab, Hassan's son.
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Jalil best corresponds to Amir. Although Jalil loves Mariam, he is reluctant to recognize her as his daughter during her childhood years. As a result, Mariam is forced to live with the shame of her illegitimacy. Like Amir, Jalil does nothing to protect those who put their trust in him. He (Jalil) allows his wives to decide Mariam's fate after Nana's suicide. Mariam is married off to the wicked Rasheed; she suffers grave physical and emotional abuse at Rasheed's hands for the duration of their marriage. In later years (much like Amir), Jalil tries to make amends for his cowardice. He leaves Mariam an inheritance (in a burlap sack) and writes an emotional letter to her. However, Mariam never gets to see the letter or to collect her inheritance. Like Amir with Hassan, Jalil never gets to reconcile with Mariam.
In The Thorn Birds, Father Ralph de Bricassart is most similar to Amir. Like Amir and Jalil, Father Ralph lives to regret his life choices. He chooses to pursue his ambitions in the Church rather than to recognize Meggie as his wife. Although he consummates his love for Meggie, Father Ralph is reluctant to abdicate his position in the papal hierarchy. He betrays Meggie's love and, as a result, never gets to know Dane as his son. Dane dies without knowing that the priest he admires is his father; ironically, it is Father Ralph who conducts Dane's funeral.
Hope this helps. Thanks for the question!