Perhaps, too, Rahim Khan helps expand Amir's understanding of ethnicity. Lets get to know him better. He protects Baba's honor by not revealing his relationship with Sanaubar (Hassan's mother, who was Hazara; Baba would have been looked down upon by society). Baba's great sin is committing adultery with Ali 's wife, and he is Hassan 's real father. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, tells the story of a boy named Amir and his story and journey throughout his life. However, as an adult, Amir shows his love for Hassan by adopting his son, Sohrab. Assef is the example of complete devilish cruelty. Amir, hiding around the corner, chooses not to intervene or protect Hassan because, in a moment of selfishness, the kite is more important. The defining event in his life is his betrayal of his closest friend, Hassan. Amir 's father, a larger-than-life figure with wild hair and a loud voice, who works hard and succeeds at all of his endeavors, but stands by his strict moral principles. on 50-99 accounts. Amir, not being the physical specimen his father was when he was younger, cannot live up to his fathers expectations. Honor is one of the most important things a man can have. And that, I believe, is what true redemption is, Amir Jan, when guilt leads to good. Rahim Khans letter to Amir (p302), Understanding - AmirBut I hope you will heed this: A man who has no conscience, no goodness, does not suffer -Rahim Khans letter to Amir (p301), Manipulative - AmirI have a wife in America, a home, a career, and a family. Fortunately, he survives, and Amir takes him to the US with Sorayas help. Explain with details from. She proves a grandmother to Sohrab by the end. They convey the authors ideas and beliefs about and relationships with the world and other people. What do other characters say about Rahim? He returns to Afghanistan at the age of thirty-eight and ends up adopting Hassan's orphaned son, Sohrab. Finally, after revealing Hassan's parentage and giving Amir Hassan's letters, Rahim Khan manipulates Amir into thinking that an American couple will take Sohrab (Hassan's son and Amir's nephew) after Amir rescues the child from an Afghan orphanage. Well EducatedBeing Baba's business associate and from the way he speaks, it is clear that Rahim Khan has been well educated, and as a result, he is both eloquent and has a wide vocabulary. Often, Amir is jealous of the way Baba treats Hassan, although Amir realizes that Hassan socially has a lower place in society. All rights reserved. He reveals that Hassan, now dead at the hands of the Taliban, was Baba's illegitimate son all along, and, therefore, Amir's half-brother. The Afghan man who drives Amir from Peshawar to Kabul and ends up helping him throughout his journey. Baba builds an orphanage, while Amir. However, Baba does not realize that Amir is jealous of the affection that Hassan receives from Baba. Hassan's mother. Amir. He is an imposing, strong figure, full of bluster and strong opinions. According to Amir, Rahim Khan ''was the only person I knew who could get away with saying something like that to Baba. Ali is killed by a land mine when Hassan is already grown. Please wait while we process your payment. Many years later, the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist movement , seized power in Afghanistan. Rahim Khan is a minor but important character in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. He's also the father-figure to Amir. SupportiveWhen Rahim Khan does speak, it is usually out of the need/want to help someone, either defending Amir, congratulating/praising someone, or giving advice. Baba is rewarding his son for what he has accomplished and he is very pleased. Characters make up the skeleton of a story. His father was a diplomat, and the family lived in Paris when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Amirs selfish tendencies are a result of the lack of affection that is given to him by Baba, a man who wants to, but struggles to find similarities between himself and Amir. Make sure to answer the questions thoroughly and in complete sentences. He is a former general who prefers collecting welfare to lowering himself to a blue collar job. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. He's also a figure of the true father to Amir; he always tried to fill in that hole which Amir has after years of cold attention from Baba, his real father. Serving as a father figure to the main character Amir, Rahim Khan is also the best friend and business partner of Amir's biological father, Baba. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! Hassan is illiterate but smart and stands up for others. Amir reflects on Rahim Khans words spoken over the phone. In the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Amirs character has been shaped and heavily influenced by Baba, for shaping him into the man he is, also Hassan for showing him that forgiving is important and Sohrab for helping him redeem himself. Furthermore, Rahim Khan's father, after learning about the romantic relationship between his son and a woman he believes is unsuitable, sends the woman away. Amir, furious, condemns Rahim Khan and Baba for hiding the truth, most likely because Amir would never have betrayed his brother. He knows that no amount of repentance can now bring him happiness. Wed love to have you back! copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. 4. Explain why you chose each trait. GradeSaver, 29 September 2007 Web. In Hassan's letter, he says: " Soon he will be able to read from the book himself. Rahim Khan is Baba's best friend and business partner. I feel like its a lifeline. Rahim Khan wants to convince Amir to forgive his father, to release the anger he has felt after learning how Baba betrayed a friend. General Taheri in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Character & Analysis. Most Hazaras worked for Pashtuns, in this case, Amir is a Pashtun and Hassan is a Hazara that works for him and his father. He is one of the few people who knows Hassan's real identity and about his rape. The idea that people tend to draw conclusions based on other peoples decisions and character remains as one of the many underlying themes in literature. They fanned her and looked at me as if I had slit her throat. You don't get to fill them with your favorite colors.''. In Amir's early years, Rahim Khan is a father figure to Amir. Brief Summary. Copyright 2023 Literary Devices. However, as an adult, Amir shows his love for Hassan by adopting his son, Sohrab. Rahim Khan is one of the only people in the novel who knows all of the secrets; however, he carefully guards this information and protects each individual. He draws a comparison between Hassan and the lamb sacrificed during the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Adha to commemorate Abraham's near sacrifice of his son to God. The difficulties of the past have faded and they have a special bond now, a father and son bond. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Sometimes, I think everything he did, feeding the poor on the streets, building the orphanage, giving money to friends in need, it was all his way of redeeming himself. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Amir constantly lets him down in this regard, and he has trouble showing affection toward his son. You Are One Click Away From Getting Your Work Done. In this novel, the author demonstrates the journey of one boy through his struggles with. In conclusion, Rahim Khan is an important yet minor character within The Kite Runner. flashcard sets. Rahim Khan symbolizes the journey toward redemption and goodness. Furthermore, when Rahim Khan counsels Amir not to be too hard on himself, he is referring to Amir's betrayal of Hassan (the servant, best friend, and unknown half-brother to Amir), encouraging Amir to seek forgiveness. He insults Hassan every chance he gets. Because he is the only person who knows people's secrets, Rahim Khan carefully navigates his relationships with the various characters. Hassan is Amir's playmate and servant and is a Hazara and Shi'a Muslim. In Baba's home, a framed photograph shows Rahim Khan with Baba, who is holding the baby Amir. In essence, humans are always searching for something on their journey through life. However, when Amir fails to protect Hassan and then further betrays him, Rahim Khan calls upon the adult Amir to make amends and seek forgiveness, even if he is only able to forgive himself. I wonder, is that what you've become?''. Chapter four opens with the story of how Ali became a part of Baba's family. All that a man had back then, all that he was, was his honor, his name, and if people talked We couldn't tell anyone, surely you can see that. Chapter 25 Quotes. Eventually, Amir and Soraya bring him to America and adopt him. He also knows, however, that real good came out of the guilt both felt over their actions. How has Rahim Khan impacted Amir? Not as described! Purchasing As an adult, Amir travels to Pakistan to see Rahim Khan, where they discuss his relationship with Hassan. The next time I saw him smile unabashedly like that was twenty-six years later, in a faded Polaroid photograph. However, he hides the fact that he has had a childHassanwith a Hazara woman, an act of shame for an ethnic Pashtun at that time. He uses the endearment ''jan'', which is important given that Amir, in four chapters, realizes that he never heard from Baba. Farid's brother. Rahim Khan is referred to several times throughout the story by other characters and plays a large part in the latter half of the novel when he calls Amir back to Afghanistan. This website helped me pass! Then he is a sex slave to Assef until Amir rescues him. And Rahim is the voice of moral answers. Amir, too, tries to repay him m by hiding some money under the bed to help him out of his poverty. It's no accident that Rahim Khan is the one who offers Amir this chance 'to be good again.' My sisters splashed her face with water. However, he feels betrayed when bullies attack him and rape him, and Amir merely watches from a distance without coming to his aid. Ross shows that searching for answers can cause bad things to happen and in order to get through them, humans search for forgiveness. Explain with details from. These words, written by Rahim Khan in his final letter to Amir, reflect one of the central themes of the book: the power of grace. '', To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. May 2, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Amir, although living a luxurious life feels something is missing, and its his fathers approval, he would do anything for it. Why or why not? However, Assef, the neighborhood bully, traps Hassan in an alley and rapes Hassan. aving developed his own ethical framework. Baba kept pushing Amir to graduate high school and when he did, Baba was very proud. Even though Hassan knows that Amir is lying, Hassan confesses to the crime before he and Ali, the man everyone believes was Hassan's father, leave. . For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Rahim, now old and sick, attempts to clean the slate and bring some long-buried truths into the light of day. Furthermore, Rahim Khan serves as Amir's moral compass. For this activity, you will be answering discussion questions to further your understanding of Rahim Khan, a character from The Kite Runner. Also, if the question asks for specific details from the text, make sure to include that information in your response. Provide at least one specific example. 110 lessons A wealthy and secular liberal, Babas first reaction toward everything is whether it is right or not. Historical Context Essay: The Kite Runner and The Taliban, Literary Context Essay: Coming-of-Age Stories, Khaled Hosseini and The Kite Runner Background. Amir (speaker), Hassan (speaker) Related Themes: Their fates are contrasted in this meeting, as Rahim Khan is sick and dying, and Amir is a successful novelist and married man now. He is always loyal to Amir, even when Amir betrays him. Soraya's father. Years later, she returns to Wazir Akbar Khan to beg forgiveness from Hassan and ends up helping raise Sohrab. Additionally, Rahim Khan is utilizing this story to try and manipulate Amir into confessing his betrayal. Rahim Khan's significant character traits include courtesy, empathy, calmness, and manipulation. In flashback, Chapter 2 starts identifying characters and telling the story of the narrator and his relationships to the names mentioned in the previous chapter. She earned her Masters in Arts from Longwood University in 1997 and has also earned her National Board Certification in addition to the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition and Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition endorsements. He confesses that hes covetous of his babas regard and love for Hassan. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. At the end of Chapter Four, Amir presents his first story to Baba, who ignores him and dismisses the accomplishment. Amir in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Who is Amir? He then becomes a focus of the plot when he comes across Assef and Amir, who we learn is actually his uncle. The time when Amir triumphed the competition, Hassan run after the last losing kite for. Ali is lame in one leg and walks with a limp; this physical deformity makes him the butt of jokes from the street boys. Why did Baba lie about Hassan being his son? Receiving asylum, the family moved to America, where Hosseini, like Amir, graduated high school and attended university. And honestly, that is completely okay. As a Hazara and a Shia Muslim, he is an outcast in Kabul; despite this, Baba treats him with love and kindness. | 2 How does Rahim directly impact the plot of the story? Below are examples of how to answer these questions. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. Sohrab in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Character & Traits, Hassan in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Analysis & Significance, Soraya in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Character & Analysis, Baba Quotes in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Context & Analysis, Forgiveness in The Kite Runner: Quotes & Examples, Amir & Hassan in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Relationship & Key Events, Ali & Baba's Relationship in The Kite Runner, Religion in The Kite Runner: Influence & Quotes, Assef in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Quotes & Analysis, Amir & Baba in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Relationship & Analysis, The Kite Runner: Friendship & Loyalty Quotes, Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl Study Guide, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Study Guide, Create an account to start this course today. Baba is always doing things for others and always seems to expect more from his son. Baba thinks that a person should have the courage of his conviction to the point of laying down his life for it. | 2 (Amir's mother would be the other someone.) Hassan eventually marries Farzana, and has a son named Sohrab. Rahim Khan is Baba's best friend and business partner. Rahim Khan is in favor of Amir. Baba and Amir both grew up wealthy as they are Pashtuns. Erin has taught college level English courses and has a master's degree in English. You dont get to fill them with your favorite colors. Rahim Khan (p21), You should have seen the look on my fathers face when I told him. It takes three times for Rahim to convince Amir to go through with the rescue. All rights reserved. However, it also gives courage and critical thinking when living in an orthodox society. Hassan is an ethnic Hazara boy and is raised as the son of Baba and Amirs servant, Ali. His father gives him an essential gift so he can get there. Rahim also knows that when it happened, Amir was young and being driven by forces he wasnt mature enough to fully understand. He is persuasive because he convinces Amir to travel to Pakistan and adopt Sohrab. Understanding - Baba"I loved him because he was my friend, but also because he was a good man, maybe even a great man. One feels guilty when there is a feeling of responsibility for an action one regrets. Then he smiled his Hassan smile and disappeared around the corner. The main characters are: Amir . A man of compassion, Rahim Khan, is the first adult to encourage Amir when he discovers his talent and passion for writing. In conclusion, Rahim Khan is an important yet minor character within The Kite Runner. Heather Lustig-Curran has been teaching English for twenty-eight years. The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini, is a novel about a young boy named Amir and how he grows up in the Afghan war and how life was during the war. Free trial is available to new customers only. Chapter 7 Quotes He stopped, turned. But Baba never told Amir or Hassan about it. Stephanie Das from Miami, US on December 27, 2011: Loved the book, and I have yet to watch the movie! flashcard sets. - Analysis & Quotes, Sanaubar in The Kite Runner: Analysis, Redemption & Quotes, Relationship Between Amir & Sohrab in The Kite Runner, Relationship Between Amir & Hassan in The Kite Runner, Relationship Between Amir & Baba in The Kite Runner, 12th Grade English: Homeschool Curriculum, AP English Literature: Homeschool Curriculum, NYSTCE English Language Arts (003): Practice and Study Guide, Comprehensive English: Overview & Practice, CLEP American Literature: Study Guide & Test Prep Course, 10th Grade English: Homework Help Resource, Child of God by Cormac McCarthy: Summary & Quotes, Child of God by Cormac McCarthy: Theme & Analysis, Blood Meridian: Quotes & Character Analysis, No Country for Old Men: Book Summary & Quotes, Dr. Samuel Johnson: Life, Works & Dictionary, Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Biography, Books & Short Stories, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera: Summary & Analysis, A Separate Peace by John Knowles: Summary & Analysis, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith: Summary & Analysis, Annie Dillard: Biography, Poems, Essays & Books, Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather: Summary & Themes, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. The narrator identifies Hassan as a childhood playmate and emphasizes, quite pointedly, Hassan's cleft lip. Amir's driver and friend. Out of hatred for Hazaras, he tries to hurt Hassan, who threatens to use his slingshot to gouge out Assefs eyes. Assef is a Kabul bully who ends up joining the Taliban. People like our family, friends or close relatives can influence us. He cannot see Amir's other strengths. DK (author) from London on December 23, 2011: Beata Stasak from Western Australia on December 22, 2011: Loved the book and the movie as well:)thanks for sharing:). The role of a father-figure, shared by Baba and Rahim Khan is a complex relationship that heavily impacts Amirs actions and emotions. Amir notices that Baba prefer to favor Hassan. 5. He thinks that his Baba has never pardoned him for this. It was obvious in the expression on his face. Rahim Khan encourages Amir's writing, takes care of Baba's house, brings Hassan back to Kabul, and brings Amir back to Afghanistan. Hassan is an excellent kite runner, and is naturally intelligent, but illiterate because of his social class. However, Rahim Khan takes the story, reads it, and offers feedback to Amir, inspiring him further. Baba wishes Amir were braver and stronger and that he could openly express his love for Hassan. One of the only people in the novel to know everyone's secrets (Baba being Hassan's father, Hassan having been raped, Amir having betrayed Hassan), Rahim Khan works toward helping Amir redeem himself. Rahim Khan's statement ''There is a way to be good again.'' Use examples from the story to support your answer. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. As we have said, some characters arent tich and fully-developed. Rahim Khan's character is consistently proven to be loyal and caring. He is as devoted and loyal as his son. Unlike Baba who prefers physicality, Rahim Khan is calmer and more reserved. Rahim wants Amir to ultimately own his actions, but he also wants Amir to show himself compassion and let the guilt go. However, Rahim Khan takes the story, reads it, and returns it to Amir with feedback and a note praising him. His obsession and guilty conscience, along with his adult perspective looking back on childhood events, render him a usually reliable yet simultaneously potentially suspect storyteller. Farid in The Kite Runner: Analysis & Quotes, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, The Kite Runner Cultural & Historical Context, The Kite Runner Character List & Flashcards, Amir in The Kite Runner: Description, Character Analysis & Development, Hassan in The Kite Runner: Description & Character Analysis, Sohrab in The Kite Runner: Analysis & Character Traits, Ali in The Kite Runner: Description & Character Analysis, Soraya in The Kite Runner: Description & Character Analysis, Rahim Khan in The Kite Runner: Character Analysis & Quotes, Who is General Taheri in The Kite Runner? JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. They are similar because they are father and son and share similar characterises. Rahim Khan is a counter-balance to Baba's gruffness. He is one of the only people who knows everyone's secrets (Baba having fathered Hassan, Amir having betrayed Hassan, Hassan having been raped), and he protects each individual by remaining silent. But other than that I thought they did well with the characters and staying true to the story etc. ''Children aren't coloring books. Another form of courtesy Rahim Khan shows is his respect for other people's privacy. succeed. A lawyer who counsels Amir that his best chance is to place Sohrab in an orphanage temporarily. She refused to even hold Hassan when he was born. Manage Settings He encourages Amir to be a writer by giving him a notebook and it is he who summons Amir back to Afghanistan to atone for his and Baba's sins. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. He is the son of Hassan and Farzana. The author puts a lot of moral ambitious character in the story the Kite Runner. Later, Rahim is the character who orchestrates Amir's path back toward goodness, giving him the opportunity to atone for his past and redeem himself. I feel like its a lifeline. I am moftakhir, Amir, he said. I've got to catch it before netflix takes it off of streaming :) Nice review. He thinks that if a person can do good things in his childhood, he can do good things for himself. Rahim is encouraging because he inspires Amir to continue writing. He grew up alongside Baba just as Hassan did alongside Amir. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Ali has a crippled leg and paralysis in his lower face muscles and the neighborhood children ridicule him. Rahim Khan is trying to show Amir that he understands that holding secrets can be destructive. Amir is the villain of The Kite Runner because he is greedy for Babas love, this leads to his disloyalty to Hassan and demonstrates his cowards because of his feelings of his guilt. That being said shame is both the greatest motivator and the greatest deterrent, a lot of people build their lives around forces like shame. Next. Why does Amir Hate Baba? In Afghanistan there are two major ethnic groups. This is because those parts that he does intervene in Amir's life are vital for his transition from boy to man. is first quoted in the opening chapter of Khaled Hosseini's 2003 novel The Kite Runner and immediately creates the theme of the journey toward goodness. Sohrab in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Character & Traits, Hassan in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Analysis & Significance, Soraya in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Character & Analysis, Baba Quotes in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Context & Analysis, Forgiveness in The Kite Runner: Quotes & Examples, Amir & Hassan in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Relationship & Key Events, Ali & Baba's Relationship in The Kite Runner, Religion in The Kite Runner: Influence & Quotes, Assef in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Quotes & Analysis, Amir & Baba in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Relationship & Analysis, The Kite Runner: Friendship & Loyalty Quotes, Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl Study Guide, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Study Guide, Create an account to start this course today. How has Rahim Khan impacted Amir? There, he said, pointing to the car in front of usa (Hosseini 140). Despite failing to recognize Hassan as his son, Baba showers him with affection, setting the stage for Amirs jealousy of Hassan. The role of a father-figure, shared by Baba and Rahim Khan is a complex relationship that heavily impacts Amir's actions and emotions. Hassan Quotes in The Kite Runner Rahim Khan, Baba's best friend and business partner, also serves as a father figure to Amir , the main character, encouraging Amir to write. Some scenes were a little unemotional I found too, like when Amir runs back with the kite to see Baba, but I suppose that's because the mind imagines things with emotion, not subtly haha. In this, the relationship between Rahim and Amir demonstrates qualities and traits in the exposition of the novel that will help to play a formative role throughout it. His comment to Amir about being good again catalyzes Amir to return to the Middle East and begin his journey toward goodness. Farid. As a result, he often has difficulty relating to his son, leading him to think that there is something missing in [Amir], because he is not like himself (Hosseini 24). As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 His best friend is Hassan, and he goes back and forth between acting as a loyal friend and attacking Hassan out of jealousy whenever Hassan receives Baba's affection. Rahim Khan is Baba's closest confidant, and the one man who knows all of Baba's secrets. Let's review. . A conflicted character, Amir struggles between the logical and emotional sides of his being. If Hassan and Ali are off in the land of bright, shining moral purity, and Assef is in depths of devilish cruelty, and Amir and Baba are .
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