Monday, January 8, 2007

Baba and Amir in the US

During their argument about his career path, Amir thinks to himself: "I would stand my ground, I decided. I didn't want to sacrifice for Baba anymore. The last time I had done that, I had damned myself." Why is Baba disappointed by Amir's decision to become a writer? What has Amir sacrificed for Baba? How has Amir "damned himself"?

9 comments:

Stephanie said...

Baba is disappointed that Amir wants to be a writer, because it is not a laborous job. Becoming a writer does mean getting your hands dirty like Baba did when he became a manager at a gas station. There is not garentee that money will come in and I don't think that Baba liked gambling a four year degree over a small chance of getting noticed.
Amir sarcificed his friendship in a away. He was always jealous of Hassan and Baba's closer relationship. He would put himself up against his friend to get Baba to notice him. And Amir "damned himself" by allowing himself to become greedy over the kite for a trophy for Baba. And when he choose to run away from Hassan in his time of need, he damned self to a guilty life.

~Amina~ said...

First of all Baba was dissapointed in Amir's decision to become a writer because he wanted him to become a doctor or a lawyer and be very succesfull. I feel like I can totally relate to what Amir is going through. My parents can be the same way , they really want us to be succesful and have enough money to support our family. Being a writer is really a gamble because not everybody has the best seller all the time. I think Baba is just trying to look out for his son like any parent.
I also feel like Amir has sacrificed himself for Baba by ruining what he had with Hasan in order to be the favorite in his father's eyes. I agree with what Stephanie said about that. I believe that Amir had "damned himself" because he has always felt bad for what happened to Hassan and his relationship. He has these thoughts about Hassan all the time. He let the guilt really take over and I feel like now he blames his dad for making Hassan and Ali leave.
I also have a feeling that Amir has always not been himself in front of his father. He has always felt guilty for taking his mother away and I think that this has maybe damned him because of the fact that he could never do anything he liked and always followed what his dad told him.

McNugget said...

From the beginning of the book, Amir seemed to be sacraficing himself for Baba alot. When it came to Hassan, he would sacrafice loyalty, trust and friendship just to get Baba's attention. When it came to Amir, himself, he sacraficed being who he truly was. Amir was never athletic, but he participated in the sports Baba wanted him to participate in, and he always acted so guilty about having writing as a talent, as if to say writing was wrong.
The last time he "dammed himself" was a life changing experience.The alley scene is what I am talking about. He felt the guilt of that forever, and held it in his heart forever just for Baba's acceptance of a son, and I think he is finally tired of it.

Unknown said...

I agree with all of the comments before me in some way. I think that Stephanie and Amina have a good point about why Baba is disappointed in Amir’s career choice. I think since Baba is viewed as a great man in everyone’s eyes, he would like his son to be viewed the same way. Just like Amir tries to impress his father with the things he does, like participate in kite running even though he is not athletic, just like “mcnugget” stated above, Baba wants to impress his community with a hard working son. Being a write in not viewed as hard work like Stephanie said. I feel as if Amir is sacrificing who he is just to impress his father. He ruined his life-long friendship just to become someone Baba would be proud of. Not only did he “damn himself” by trying to be someone he is not, but also by betraying the one person who thought the world of him.

Unknown said...

I think that the statement Amir is thinking to himself is definitely true. I can relate to how Amir feels because my parents have been the same towards me at times, just not as bad as Amir's father is towards him. His father has a good point about the careers he wished Amir would pursue, but he doesn't seem to understand that Amir has love for writing. Baba is disappointed in Amir's decision because it is not the type of job that is guaranteed to be successful. He is saying that Amir may write a book and it could turn out to not sell anything. It seems to me that his father doesn't care much about what you love to do; it’s all about making the money. When Amir said "The last time I had done that, I had damned myself," he is talking about the part when they lived in Afghanistan and he did everything his father wanted him to do just so his Baba would like him more than Hassan. He is saying he sacrificed the strong friendship Hassan and he had so that he could prove to Baba that he was better than Hassan, which he now realizes was wrong.

nicole said...

Baba is dissapointed in Amir because of what he diecided to do as a career. He doesn't think that Amir will be discovered i think because he doesn't really believe in him to be good enough. He wants Amir to get a "real" job. One that makes him work harder.
Amir sacrificed a lot for Baba. First he sacrificed his friendship in two ways. One is to society when Amir denied being friends with Hassan and that he was their servant. The second time was when he tried to become noticed by Baba and made Hassan look like the bad guy. I think that also Amir sacrificed himself. He became a whole different person than who he really was. He didn't want to be the person his father wanted him to be, but tried to be in order to be good enough for Baba.

Gunther said...

Baba, is a very diverse person. He wants what is best for his child, but he never really shows it until Amir does something great. Like graduating of winning the kite competition. I think that Baba the argument was because Baba wants Amir to join a career path destin to make him money. Amir feels that he shoud finally do what he wants in life, because last time he sacrificed for Baba, Hassan had to pay the price. and because of Amir's actions in the past for Baba he feels guilty, so therefor he will no longer do what he feels is in the best interest for his father.

Big Dub said...

Amir likes to write. It is, how you say, his passion? Baba likes to work. It is his passion? Baba wishes for Amir to go on a career path that makes money, mula, the big change, if i may.

Anonymous said...

Amir wants to be his own man now. I say now because when he didn't stand up for hassan and when he framed him, it was in order to win and there fore win Baba's heart. This is how he damned himself by letting Hassan suffer in order to recceive love from his father. Baba is dissapointed in the fact that Amir will not be come a doctor or lawyer in the sense that he will not be making money and he won't be helping people in his everyday line of work. Amir by betraying Hassan sacrificed his "frienship".