Reading information from different sites concerning the Hazara people has given me the chance to understand what it is exactly about these people/ this particular ethnic group that deserves the hatred/dislike/contempt of the Pashtuns and other ethnic majorities.
The Hazaras "appear" to be descendants from Mongolia (though their bloodline traces back to the original population in Pakistan, includes varying regional ethnicities, as well as travelers who passed along the Silk Route.), the first Pashtuns (the original, the first Pashtun civilization) were conquered by the Mongols, as Afghanistan was once a part of the Mongol Empire.
There are other reasons the Hazara people are disliked, their different religious beliefs, as well as separate economic and political roots. Their religion and the Pashtun's religion are from two different branches of Islam.
The Pashtuns are traditionally pastoral nomads, meaning that they migrated with their animals to where ever there was grass for grazing. They are divided into 1.)clans 2.)subclans 3.)patriarchal families. In the family, the father is the head; when his sons marry, they bring their wives to live with them in their father's house. When a daughter marries, she moves into the house of her husband and his family.
They abide by an honor code by the name of Pashtunwali. This includes the concepts of milmastia (hospitality), tureh (Courage), Badal (revenge), and ghayrat (the protecting of one's honor). When I learned of these beliefs about hospitality, courage, revenge, etc., I understood who Baba was. He was rooted in courage, respect, hospitality, and the concept of honor.
"Do you always have to be the hero? I thought, my heart fluttering. Can't you just let it go for once? But I knew he couldn't- it wasn't in his nature." Amir is referring to the incident with the German soldier that happened when he and Baba were fleeing the country with other refugees. One of the soldiers wanted to rape one of the refugees (she was, in fact, married and her husband was with her). Baba stood up to that soldier and protected the woman. Not only for the sake of protecting the woman's honor and purity, but also to show others that they needn't be intimidated by the Germen.
In general, when you know some background information or the backstory to a particular book, movie, etc., it is more enjoyable because you understand the context. Conducting research on who the Hazara and Pashtun people are helped me to see and appreciate the characters Amir and Hassan, as well as the intricacies of their servant/master relationship. I believe one major theme of The Kite Runner (Superior/Inferior; Persecution/Persecuted) is embodied by the Hazara/Pashtun relationship and how Hassan and Ali are treated by others in the community.
http://www.minorityrights.org/5440/afghanistan/hazaras.html
http://fensti.freehostia.com/Engl180/KiteRunner/Tribes.html
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Pashtun_people
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/glossaryps/g/Who-Are-The-Pashtun.htm
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
The Kite Runner Betrayal
BETRAYAL! It's an intense word and isn't used very often today. "You betrayed me/your country/etc." It's mostly heard in movies and read in drama/crime novels. A person is more likely to say "you lied to me" or "I can't trust you anymore." There are no real levels of betrayal because everyone views their situation differently, and betrayal can mean different things to different people.
Something as small as forgetting to pick up the dry cleaning can be interpreted in different ways; the forgetful person will probably make a mountain out of a molehill because it was them who forgot. Likewise, the other person could feel lied to and cheated because they specifically asked said person, to do this particular errand and might have stressed to them how important it was.
You could say there are levels of deceit/betrayal if you are looking at the transgressions in a more political/lawful way. For example, one might classify "white lies" and forgetfulness as a first-degree betrayal; intentionally lying/ omitting certain truths would certainly be second-degree; third-degree would probably cover what that betrayal looks like, such as cheating, adultery, stealing, espionage, etc.
In The Kite Runner, there are many instances of betrayal; some "big" and some "small". The earliest incident of betrayal occurs between Amir and Hassan. It is a cold December day after the Kite Running contest. Hassan has left to "run" the last kite. Amir desperately wants it, for not only has he won, but this blue kite is a symbol of Baba's love. As the hours grow late, Amir begins to worry about Hassan. After racing through the bazaar and countless vendor stalls, he comes upon an alley. Hassan is there, but he is not alone. Assef is set on payback, for Hassan humiliated him in front of his peers.
At first, Assef seems "reasonable" enough; he asks Hassan for the blue kite, and when Hassan repeatedly refuses, he gets violent. Amir later recalls that in school he learned a word that described Assef: psychopath.By this point, Amir is at the alley wall, hiding from view. An inner debate begins: should he step in and defend, most likely losing the blue kite, and "the key [his] father's heart" Or, he could let the events unfold and live with the outcome.
Paralyzed with fear, Amir stands by while Assef sexually assaults Hassan brutally. "I had this last chance to make a decision. One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into that alley, stand up for Hassan- the way he'd stood up for me all those times in the past- and accept whatever would happen to me. Or I could run. In the end, I ran.....Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba. Was it a fair price? The answer floated to my conscience mind before I could thwart it: He was just a Hazara, wasn't he?"
Over the next several months, Amir is plagued with guilt; he hardly sleeps or eats and avoids Hassan at all costs. He buries himself in books in an effort to forget what he had done. Eventually, Amir cannot take it anymore. "Either way, this much was clear: one of us has to go" And so Amir sets a plan in motion: frame Hassan by putting money and the new watch under his mattress. Hassan does not deny the accusation; Amir realizes the sacrifice Hassan is making for him. "I loved him in that moment. loved him more than I'd ever loved anyone, and I wanted to tell them all that I was the snake in the grass, the monster in the lake. I wasn't worthy of this sacrifice; I was a liar, a cheat, and a thief. And I would have told, except that a part of me was glad. Glad that this would all be over soon."
Another instance of betrayal occurs late on in Amir's life when he returns to Iran to visit a dying Rahim Kahn. He learns that he and Hassan are half brothers. It seems that Baba had an affair with Sanaubar, Ali's wife. Everyone (Baba, Ali, Rahim Kahn) knew about this. When Amir learns of it after all of these years he is outraged. "I felt like a man sliding down a steep cliff, clutching at shrubs and tangles of brambles and coming up empty-handed. The room was swooping up and down, swaying side to side. 'Did Hassan know?' I said through lips that didn't feel like my own. Rahim Khan closed his eyes. Shook his head."
While taking a walk to clear his mind, Amir ponders about what life would've been like if he had know Hassan was his half-brother, and vice versa. Would he have betrayed him on that cold December evening? Would he have treated Hassan as an equal? Would Hassan and his wife have been killed at the hands of the Taliban? "Maybe Hassan would have had a home of his own now, a job, a family, a life in a country where no one cared that he was a Hazara, where most people didn't even know what a Hazara was. Maybe not. But maybe so."
The last significant moment of betrayal was caused by Amir going back on his promise to Sohrab. When Amir first learns of Sohrab, he's informed that he was living at an orphanage. That combined with his stay with the Talib and being assaulted by Assef on a regular basis, Sohrab is terrified of orphanages and anything/everything associated with them. Once they are safe, and Amir has had a chance to propose the idea of Sohrab coming home with him, he promises Sohrab that he will not be put in an orphanage ever again.
After battling with immigration officials and being close to losing hope, Amir is informed by his immigration lawyer that in order for Sohrab to come home with Amir, he will have to live in an orphanage for a certain period of time. When Amir tells this to Sohrab, and tries to reassure him that it will only be temporary and that he and his wife can visit Sohrab anytime, Sohrab is, understandably, very upset.
"'Please! Please, no!' he croaked. 'I'm scared of that place. They'll hurt me! I don't want to go!'.....'Yes, they will [hurt me]. They always say they won't, but they lie. They lie, Please, God!'"
As a result of this betrayal, Sohrab attempts to take his life by cutting his arms and lying in wait in a water-filled bathtub for the bliss of death. Thankfully, Amir finds him, and Sohrab is rushed to the nearest hospital. During the hours of anxiety, regret, and guilt, Amir makes a prayer rug and prays incessantly.
Finally, a doctor speaks to him; Sohrab is alive, but he lost a lot of blood. Sohrab remains in the hospital for some time. Eventually, he and Amir fly back to America to Soraya. He doesn't talk or really do anything except sleep and eat.
If Amir had not gone back on his promise, much pain, suffering, and grief could have been avoided. The book ends, in my opinion, on a hopeful note. Though the change in Sohrab is small, progress gives hope.
Something as small as forgetting to pick up the dry cleaning can be interpreted in different ways; the forgetful person will probably make a mountain out of a molehill because it was them who forgot. Likewise, the other person could feel lied to and cheated because they specifically asked said person, to do this particular errand and might have stressed to them how important it was.
You could say there are levels of deceit/betrayal if you are looking at the transgressions in a more political/lawful way. For example, one might classify "white lies" and forgetfulness as a first-degree betrayal; intentionally lying/ omitting certain truths would certainly be second-degree; third-degree would probably cover what that betrayal looks like, such as cheating, adultery, stealing, espionage, etc.
In The Kite Runner, there are many instances of betrayal; some "big" and some "small". The earliest incident of betrayal occurs between Amir and Hassan. It is a cold December day after the Kite Running contest. Hassan has left to "run" the last kite. Amir desperately wants it, for not only has he won, but this blue kite is a symbol of Baba's love. As the hours grow late, Amir begins to worry about Hassan. After racing through the bazaar and countless vendor stalls, he comes upon an alley. Hassan is there, but he is not alone. Assef is set on payback, for Hassan humiliated him in front of his peers.
At first, Assef seems "reasonable" enough; he asks Hassan for the blue kite, and when Hassan repeatedly refuses, he gets violent. Amir later recalls that in school he learned a word that described Assef: psychopath.By this point, Amir is at the alley wall, hiding from view. An inner debate begins: should he step in and defend, most likely losing the blue kite, and "the key [his] father's heart" Or, he could let the events unfold and live with the outcome.
Paralyzed with fear, Amir stands by while Assef sexually assaults Hassan brutally. "I had this last chance to make a decision. One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into that alley, stand up for Hassan- the way he'd stood up for me all those times in the past- and accept whatever would happen to me. Or I could run. In the end, I ran.....Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba. Was it a fair price? The answer floated to my conscience mind before I could thwart it: He was just a Hazara, wasn't he?"
Over the next several months, Amir is plagued with guilt; he hardly sleeps or eats and avoids Hassan at all costs. He buries himself in books in an effort to forget what he had done. Eventually, Amir cannot take it anymore. "Either way, this much was clear: one of us has to go" And so Amir sets a plan in motion: frame Hassan by putting money and the new watch under his mattress. Hassan does not deny the accusation; Amir realizes the sacrifice Hassan is making for him. "I loved him in that moment. loved him more than I'd ever loved anyone, and I wanted to tell them all that I was the snake in the grass, the monster in the lake. I wasn't worthy of this sacrifice; I was a liar, a cheat, and a thief. And I would have told, except that a part of me was glad. Glad that this would all be over soon."
Another instance of betrayal occurs late on in Amir's life when he returns to Iran to visit a dying Rahim Kahn. He learns that he and Hassan are half brothers. It seems that Baba had an affair with Sanaubar, Ali's wife. Everyone (Baba, Ali, Rahim Kahn) knew about this. When Amir learns of it after all of these years he is outraged. "I felt like a man sliding down a steep cliff, clutching at shrubs and tangles of brambles and coming up empty-handed. The room was swooping up and down, swaying side to side. 'Did Hassan know?' I said through lips that didn't feel like my own. Rahim Khan closed his eyes. Shook his head."
While taking a walk to clear his mind, Amir ponders about what life would've been like if he had know Hassan was his half-brother, and vice versa. Would he have betrayed him on that cold December evening? Would he have treated Hassan as an equal? Would Hassan and his wife have been killed at the hands of the Taliban? "Maybe Hassan would have had a home of his own now, a job, a family, a life in a country where no one cared that he was a Hazara, where most people didn't even know what a Hazara was. Maybe not. But maybe so."
The last significant moment of betrayal was caused by Amir going back on his promise to Sohrab. When Amir first learns of Sohrab, he's informed that he was living at an orphanage. That combined with his stay with the Talib and being assaulted by Assef on a regular basis, Sohrab is terrified of orphanages and anything/everything associated with them. Once they are safe, and Amir has had a chance to propose the idea of Sohrab coming home with him, he promises Sohrab that he will not be put in an orphanage ever again.
After battling with immigration officials and being close to losing hope, Amir is informed by his immigration lawyer that in order for Sohrab to come home with Amir, he will have to live in an orphanage for a certain period of time. When Amir tells this to Sohrab, and tries to reassure him that it will only be temporary and that he and his wife can visit Sohrab anytime, Sohrab is, understandably, very upset.
"'Please! Please, no!' he croaked. 'I'm scared of that place. They'll hurt me! I don't want to go!'.....'Yes, they will [hurt me]. They always say they won't, but they lie. They lie, Please, God!'"
As a result of this betrayal, Sohrab attempts to take his life by cutting his arms and lying in wait in a water-filled bathtub for the bliss of death. Thankfully, Amir finds him, and Sohrab is rushed to the nearest hospital. During the hours of anxiety, regret, and guilt, Amir makes a prayer rug and prays incessantly.
Finally, a doctor speaks to him; Sohrab is alive, but he lost a lot of blood. Sohrab remains in the hospital for some time. Eventually, he and Amir fly back to America to Soraya. He doesn't talk or really do anything except sleep and eat.
If Amir had not gone back on his promise, much pain, suffering, and grief could have been avoided. The book ends, in my opinion, on a hopeful note. Though the change in Sohrab is small, progress gives hope.
Monday, July 20, 2015
The Kite Runner: Loyalty
Hassan and his father, Ali, are both fiercely loyal to Amir and Baba. Ali and Baba grew up together as master and servant, so to speak. This relationship continues through Amir and Hassan. Many times throughout the book, Amir grows impatient and/or disgusted with the amount of loyalty Hassan shows him. The main reason for this is because Amir knows he doesn't deserve such loyalty.
Amir also resents Hassan because of how much smarter he seems to be; with regards to solving riddles and such, though Hassan is illiterate. He relies on Amir for story-telling and blindly trusts his interpretations. That in itself shows how trusting, loyal, and naive Hassan is. As Amir remarks, "Hassan [was] so pure."
In regards to products/marketing, there are 4 levels of loyalty: Not yet Purchased, Trialist, Repeat Purchase, and Brand Insistence. When it comes to relationships, the four levels described above can be translated to different types/levels of personal loyalty.
The first step is equivalent to meeting that person and getting to know them in the most basic of ways; step 2, you are willing to be friends with that person, but are still cautious as to their character and scruples; step 3, you are now friends with that person and will stick up for them, but only in certain situations (i.e. minor disagreements); step 4, unwavering loyalty and a constant effort to strengthen the relationship and build trust.
"Why did I only play with Hassan when no one else was around?" Amir questions his friendship with Hassan and whether or not he is ashamed to be seen with Hassan.
"And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does, too." Hassan's truthful nature and his belief that no one would lie to him allows Amir to take advantage of their friendship.
The mere fact that Hassan does not tell anyone about what happened to him in the alley on that cold December day, and that he didn't confront Amir about being there when it happened and not taking action, proves how loyal, forgiving, and humble Hassan is. Amir stashes money and his new watch under Hassan's mattress, in order to drive Ali and Hassan out of the house for he cannot deal with the guilt and self-loathing that he's been enduring since he betrayed Hassan; when push comes to shove, Hassan does not tell Baba the truth, but accepts the consequences.
"I'll never really know why, but I could imagine the two of them in that dim little hut, weeping. Hassan pleading him not to give me away. But I couldn't imagine the restraint it must have taken Ali to keep that promise." Hassan finally tells his father about what happened, and they both decide that the only way to resolve the situation is for them to leave Baba's service.
Amir knew, deep down, that he never deserved Hassan and Ali's loyalty.
Towards the end of the book, we see that Sohrab, Hassan's son, has inherited his father's loyalty. When Amir goes to visit the Talib, it turns out that Assef, an old childhood bully, is their leader. As payback for a past grievance, Assef beats Amir within an inch of his life and would've killed him had not Sohrab interceded.
"[Sohrab's] hand was cocked over his shoulder, holding the cup of the slingshot at the end of the elastic band which was pulled all the way back. There was something in the cup, something shiny and yellow. I blinked the blood from my eyes and saw it was one of the brass balls from the ring in the table base. Sohrab had the slingshot pointed at Assef's face...The slingshot made a thwiiiiiit sound when Sohrab released the cup. Then Assef was screaming. He put his hand where his left eye had been just a moment ago. Blood oozed between his fingers."
This act of Sohrab mirrors what his father did some 20 years ago. He was protecting Amir from Assef and his two cohorts. "In the cup was a rock the size of a walnut. Hassan held the slingshot pointed directly at Assef's face. His hands trembled with the strain of the pulled elastic band and beads of sweat had erupted on his brow."
As will be discussed in my next blog post about Betrayal, Amir does nothing throughout his pre-teen years to adult years that earns the trust of either of the boys. After a haunting experience of betrayal on Amir's part, Sohrab is given the loyalty of Amir with the simple line:
"'For you, a thousand times over,' I heard myself say."
Amir also resents Hassan because of how much smarter he seems to be; with regards to solving riddles and such, though Hassan is illiterate. He relies on Amir for story-telling and blindly trusts his interpretations. That in itself shows how trusting, loyal, and naive Hassan is. As Amir remarks, "Hassan [was] so pure."
In regards to products/marketing, there are 4 levels of loyalty: Not yet Purchased, Trialist, Repeat Purchase, and Brand Insistence. When it comes to relationships, the four levels described above can be translated to different types/levels of personal loyalty.
The first step is equivalent to meeting that person and getting to know them in the most basic of ways; step 2, you are willing to be friends with that person, but are still cautious as to their character and scruples; step 3, you are now friends with that person and will stick up for them, but only in certain situations (i.e. minor disagreements); step 4, unwavering loyalty and a constant effort to strengthen the relationship and build trust.
"Why did I only play with Hassan when no one else was around?" Amir questions his friendship with Hassan and whether or not he is ashamed to be seen with Hassan.
"And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does, too." Hassan's truthful nature and his belief that no one would lie to him allows Amir to take advantage of their friendship.
The mere fact that Hassan does not tell anyone about what happened to him in the alley on that cold December day, and that he didn't confront Amir about being there when it happened and not taking action, proves how loyal, forgiving, and humble Hassan is. Amir stashes money and his new watch under Hassan's mattress, in order to drive Ali and Hassan out of the house for he cannot deal with the guilt and self-loathing that he's been enduring since he betrayed Hassan; when push comes to shove, Hassan does not tell Baba the truth, but accepts the consequences.
"I'll never really know why, but I could imagine the two of them in that dim little hut, weeping. Hassan pleading him not to give me away. But I couldn't imagine the restraint it must have taken Ali to keep that promise." Hassan finally tells his father about what happened, and they both decide that the only way to resolve the situation is for them to leave Baba's service.
Amir knew, deep down, that he never deserved Hassan and Ali's loyalty.
Towards the end of the book, we see that Sohrab, Hassan's son, has inherited his father's loyalty. When Amir goes to visit the Talib, it turns out that Assef, an old childhood bully, is their leader. As payback for a past grievance, Assef beats Amir within an inch of his life and would've killed him had not Sohrab interceded.
"[Sohrab's] hand was cocked over his shoulder, holding the cup of the slingshot at the end of the elastic band which was pulled all the way back. There was something in the cup, something shiny and yellow. I blinked the blood from my eyes and saw it was one of the brass balls from the ring in the table base. Sohrab had the slingshot pointed at Assef's face...The slingshot made a thwiiiiiit sound when Sohrab released the cup. Then Assef was screaming. He put his hand where his left eye had been just a moment ago. Blood oozed between his fingers."
This act of Sohrab mirrors what his father did some 20 years ago. He was protecting Amir from Assef and his two cohorts. "In the cup was a rock the size of a walnut. Hassan held the slingshot pointed directly at Assef's face. His hands trembled with the strain of the pulled elastic band and beads of sweat had erupted on his brow."
As will be discussed in my next blog post about Betrayal, Amir does nothing throughout his pre-teen years to adult years that earns the trust of either of the boys. After a haunting experience of betrayal on Amir's part, Sohrab is given the loyalty of Amir with the simple line:
"'For you, a thousand times over,' I heard myself say."
Kite Runner: Introduction
The Kite Runner was written by Khaled Hosseini, published in 2003. It follows the life of Amir, recording his conflicting feelings of love and hatred for his father, the struggles of making right choices amidst a world of prejudice and cruelty, and the path that Amir takes that stems from a single incident in his youth.
The most apparent theme of this book is Loyalty/Betrayal. Others include hate/love, persecution/ the inflicting of pain, and cowardice/bravery. One thing I love about The Kite Runner, is that because of the length of time the narrative covers, there is no clear antagonist; this role changes players based on what is happening, when it is happening, and the consequences thereof.
This series of blog posts is about The Kite Runner and the theme of Loyalty vs. Betrayal. The last entry will be focusing on a cultural/historical theme from the book. I will be researching the Hazara vs. Pashtun history. Our main character, Amir, is Pashtun, while his servant/friend, Hassan, is Hazara. Understanding the conflicts and differences of faith between these two groups will allow me to better understand the nature of Amir and Hassan's relationship.
The most apparent theme of this book is Loyalty/Betrayal. Others include hate/love, persecution/ the inflicting of pain, and cowardice/bravery. One thing I love about The Kite Runner, is that because of the length of time the narrative covers, there is no clear antagonist; this role changes players based on what is happening, when it is happening, and the consequences thereof.
This series of blog posts is about The Kite Runner and the theme of Loyalty vs. Betrayal. The last entry will be focusing on a cultural/historical theme from the book. I will be researching the Hazara vs. Pashtun history. Our main character, Amir, is Pashtun, while his servant/friend, Hassan, is Hazara. Understanding the conflicts and differences of faith between these two groups will allow me to better understand the nature of Amir and Hassan's relationship.
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