1990- Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a parent and a son or daughter. Write an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work
Throughout the novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, evidence of an internal conflict between the father and son proclaims to be quite prominent as far as factors behind motivation, and the occurrences by which this story was built upon. This notion of emotional disengagement between these two particular characters is attributed towards a life of secrecy and a quest for redemption in which both the father and son experience in their lives together.
When Amir, the son, was born, his mother died shortly after due to hemorrhage, leaving his father, Baba, to raise him alone. Since this occurrence, Amir has always felt as if his father never truly forgave him for the death of his mother, and in a way, blamed him for stealing her life away so that he could instead exist. For the affections and approval of his father, Amir would move mountains. All Amir ever wanted in life was for his father to be proud of him, and to show him that he loved Amir as much as Amir loved his father. We are able to see the desperation that Amir experiences for the attention of his father as he is discussing his reasoning behind wanting to win the kite tournament for his father when he states that if he won he would, “run that last kite. Then I’d bring it home and show it to Baba. Show him once and for all that his son was worthy. Then maybe my life as a ghost in this house would finally be over…And maybe, just maybe, I would finally be pardoned for killing my mother.” (p 56) Amir’s yearn to win the kite tournament in order to please his father ensued further events that would permanently affect their relationship for years to come, as well as the issues that Baba was facing as well. In order to win and seek the approval of Baba, Amir witnessed the rape of his friend Hassan, and also falsely accused Hassan of theft in hopes that his father would dismiss his “friend” from their lives, so that he and his father could spend more time together without Hassan constantly being invited to come along. With this, it is evident that Amir is extremely jealous of Hassan, as well as others, who tend to “steal” away his time alone with his father, and as well experience his appreciation and acknowledgement that Amir appeared to lack. However, until the end of the novel, Amir was not aware that his father’s affections towards Hassan further reflected his father’s personal issues towards bonding with his son, or sons, as Hassan would soon learn.
Baba had always been known to be hard on Amir, never truly letting him know how much he loved him, and always bringing him down and telling him that he is not “man” enough to be his legitimate son. Amir, of course, was hurt by his father’s actions, but his father felt as if he had to go about treating Amir this way because he felt guilty for making his other son, Hassan, who was only known as his servant at the time, live in a small shack and work for them while Amir did nothing of the sort. And so, to secretly display his affections for Hassan, his secret son, Baba would invite him to come along with he and Amir when they would go out, and always saw to it that Amir treated Hassan with respect, whether he was their servant or not. This angered Amir many times, but for Baba, this was an internal conflict in which he felt that he had to sacrifice his love and affections for Amir, so that his other son could somehow see that he cared for him as well, and to sort of redeem himself from the secrets in which he kept from those he loved concerning this issue. Baba kept this a secret for as long as he lived in order to preserve the relationships with his two sons, no matter what they are, but in the end, the ultimately shattered them through his own pain and suffering, as well as theirs.
Amir’s relationship with his father, as well as Baba’s with his two sons was greatly severed as a cause to their pursuits for redemption from one another in which their secrets lay, never to be fully unveiled. Amir did not learn of his father’s secrets until after Baba had passed away, and was never able to truly redeem himself to his father and truly grow to know and understand his reasoning behind the way that he chose to go about his less than loving relationship with Amir, his son. Baba was also never truly given the opportunity to tell both of his sons the truth, and to treat them with the upmost care and affections as he had longed to do so throughout their lives together, sequentially putting a strain upon their father-son relationship that never truly was, or would have the opportunity to heal. As a result, the underlying conflicts existing between father and son affected their lives in way that was less than fortunate, and was the basis behind the plot of the novel, and the actions in which the characters decided to act upon; ultimately changing life as they knew it, forever.
Throughout the novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, evidence of an internal conflict between the father and son proclaims to be quite prominent as far as factors behind motivation, and the occurrences by which this story was built upon. This notion of emotional disengagement between these two particular characters is attributed towards a life of secrecy and a quest for redemption in which both the father and son experience in their lives together.
When Amir, the son, was born, his mother died shortly after due to hemorrhage, leaving his father, Baba, to raise him alone. Since this occurrence, Amir has always felt as if his father never truly forgave him for the death of his mother, and in a way, blamed him for stealing her life away so that he could instead exist. For the affections and approval of his father, Amir would move mountains. All Amir ever wanted in life was for his father to be proud of him, and to show him that he loved Amir as much as Amir loved his father. We are able to see the desperation that Amir experiences for the attention of his father as he is discussing his reasoning behind wanting to win the kite tournament for his father when he states that if he won he would, “run that last kite. Then I’d bring it home and show it to Baba. Show him once and for all that his son was worthy. Then maybe my life as a ghost in this house would finally be over…And maybe, just maybe, I would finally be pardoned for killing my mother.” (p 56) Amir’s yearn to win the kite tournament in order to please his father ensued further events that would permanently affect their relationship for years to come, as well as the issues that Baba was facing as well. In order to win and seek the approval of Baba, Amir witnessed the rape of his friend Hassan, and also falsely accused Hassan of theft in hopes that his father would dismiss his “friend” from their lives, so that he and his father could spend more time together without Hassan constantly being invited to come along. With this, it is evident that Amir is extremely jealous of Hassan, as well as others, who tend to “steal” away his time alone with his father, and as well experience his appreciation and acknowledgement that Amir appeared to lack. However, until the end of the novel, Amir was not aware that his father’s affections towards Hassan further reflected his father’s personal issues towards bonding with his son, or sons, as Hassan would soon learn.
Baba had always been known to be hard on Amir, never truly letting him know how much he loved him, and always bringing him down and telling him that he is not “man” enough to be his legitimate son. Amir, of course, was hurt by his father’s actions, but his father felt as if he had to go about treating Amir this way because he felt guilty for making his other son, Hassan, who was only known as his servant at the time, live in a small shack and work for them while Amir did nothing of the sort. And so, to secretly display his affections for Hassan, his secret son, Baba would invite him to come along with he and Amir when they would go out, and always saw to it that Amir treated Hassan with respect, whether he was their servant or not. This angered Amir many times, but for Baba, this was an internal conflict in which he felt that he had to sacrifice his love and affections for Amir, so that his other son could somehow see that he cared for him as well, and to sort of redeem himself from the secrets in which he kept from those he loved concerning this issue. Baba kept this a secret for as long as he lived in order to preserve the relationships with his two sons, no matter what they are, but in the end, the ultimately shattered them through his own pain and suffering, as well as theirs.
Amir’s relationship with his father, as well as Baba’s with his two sons was greatly severed as a cause to their pursuits for redemption from one another in which their secrets lay, never to be fully unveiled. Amir did not learn of his father’s secrets until after Baba had passed away, and was never able to truly redeem himself to his father and truly grow to know and understand his reasoning behind the way that he chose to go about his less than loving relationship with Amir, his son. Baba was also never truly given the opportunity to tell both of his sons the truth, and to treat them with the upmost care and affections as he had longed to do so throughout their lives together, sequentially putting a strain upon their father-son relationship that never truly was, or would have the opportunity to heal. As a result, the underlying conflicts existing between father and son affected their lives in way that was less than fortunate, and was the basis behind the plot of the novel, and the actions in which the characters decided to act upon; ultimately changing life as they knew it, forever.
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