Amir’s relationship with Baba at the start of the story is a very non mutual relationship in that Baba didn’t love Amir the way he wanted him to. On page 49, Amir describes his admiration for wintertime and kite flying in Kabul: “As the trees froze and ice sheathed the roads, the chill between Baba and I thawed a little. And the reason for that was the kites.” Evidently, in the beginning of the story, Amir is constantly fighting to thaw this “ice” that he construes which illustrates his distance from Baba. Amir’s path to redemption is to be where Baba was, and melt the ice himself to provide two-way relationship for someone else rather than himself to give the love to someone else that needs it.
Towards the end of the novel, Amir is a grown man and has adopted Hassan’s son, Sohrab. After Amir makes Sohrab finally smile after years, Amir believes in his journey to restitution: “Because when spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I just witnessed the first flake melting”(371). Clearly, Amir finally thaws the ice he needed to.
In my opinion, this quote is very moving because it made me feel as if I had lived through Amir’s life. It wraps up Amir’s whole life’s journey by ultimately using his actions to compensate for his sins. It shows both a “light” side from the atonement Amir receives and, in my opinion, a melancholy side due to the end of his life’s journey. But most importantly, the journey Amir embarks on is one that is very real. For example, the roles him and Baba have switch. When Amir was young Baba took care of him but when Amir grew up, Baba suddenly became a weak and tired man that Amir had to protect.
127 our experts are availableright now
The concept of the role switch seen is one that I already feel today with my family and is also one that reminds me of the fragility and old age I will bear one day. It makes me think about when Hassan dies and when Amir’s realizes that “Now everyone in that room was either dead or dying. Except me,”(219). I know the time that I can relate to Amir in that moment is far away, but one day it will come for me. This quote that I chose reminds me of this day which I am terrified of. That’s what time does, it’s inevitable.
I made my kite one that is frozen with ice described by Amir in the beginning of the story. But, a spot in the kite will be thawed and bright red to represent the closeness to Sohrab and strength that he develops. It will have a heart in the center to show the driving force of his motive which was the love for his family, and more importantly, his love for Hassan. But, due to the handful of emotions that this quote gives me, I also incorporated a dried leaf on the tail of the kite to show the deterioration of life that everyone has to go through and the eventual end of one’s journey.
The design of my kite was made to show two sides of the end of Amir’s story. One is the happiness, seen with the heart, that he will have with Sohrab and the final restoration that Amir facilitates. The other side is the somber effect of Amir’s quest, seen by the leaf, which is that although one may finally achieve a purpose they see in themselves, there is the inevitable departure of those close to them, because time goes on, and it has to be appreciated in the moment. The story of Amir, as a result, influences me to appreciate my family and the love I am given while I can. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of paying it forward to love others that need it, and to be the strong and selfless one in a relationship.
