Review Of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist

While the way that we deal with our problems can keep our emotional state stable conflicts and tragedies play a big role in the development of societies throughout and the world. As it surrounds afghan history and impacts Amir’s character, he has been trying to get his father’s approval all along the novel, and as we continue exploring how the political and religious tensions had an impact, we also see the way tragedy has changed him.

As Amir is going through his childhood, there was always this weird tension between him and his father. “He’s always buried in those books or shuffling around the house like he’s lost in some dream…I wasn’t like that. ” (Hosseini, The Kite Runner, page 23). Amir’s dad also says “If I hadn’t seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I’d never believe he’s my son”

(Hosseini, The Kite Runner, page 25). Baba was really pissed that his son was nothing like him because he wants him to carry on his reputation and legacy. Amir tries so hard to create a bond between himself and his father, but Baba puts no effort whatsoever in return. This conflict creates a type of hate and jealousy toward Hassan. He expresses his enviousness by stating “I wished I too had some kind of scar that would beget Baba’s sympathy. It wasn’t fair. Hassan hadn’t done anything to ear Baba’s affections; he’d just been born with that stupid harelip. ” ( Hosseini, The Kite Runner, page 50) And ‘I’d change my mind and ask for a bigger and fancier kite, Baba would buy it for me – but then he’d buy it for Hassan too. Sometimes I wish he wouldn’t do that. I wish he’d let me be the favorite. ‘

( Hosseini, The Kite Runner, page 45). According to those quotes, we can clearly see the jealousy that Amir possesses toward Hassan. Baba does feel like his servant son is more like him, and actually favorises him instead of Amir. This inequality shown from the father to his sons pushes Amir to envy Hassan and not treat him like he should’ve been treated.

Amir found life in America a happy one, after they were forced to flee their home country during a period of time in which the Russians had invaded it. He grows up, graduates from college and gets married, but he still can’t escape his guilt for betraying Hassan in that alley way. Although it’s causing him nightmares and insomnia, Baba now has his full attention on Amir and has sacrificed everything for him. He was given a second chance at life, a chance to start all over again. “For me, America was a place to bury my memories. For Baba, a place to mourn his” (Hosseini, The Kite runner, page 129). A while after they moved to the states, Amir and his father seemed to get along. Baba and his son realized that they were more alike than they originally thought. America shaped Amir into the man he became, maybe if they had never left Afghanistan, this tension between them would’ve never faded away.

Furthermore, Hassan’s rape was more than just the fact that he didn’t want to hand over the kite to Assef, it was more than just sex, it was about revenge, power and humiliation. He considered the young Hazara boy beneath him due to his ethnicity, which pushed him even more to commit this horrific act. It becomes easier to victimise someone when you don’t see them as your equal. This subsequently but indirectly led to Amir’s guilt and self hatred. His shame and destructive behavior only worsened over time. So as we can see that Assef’s attraction toward younger children wasn’t the only factor that pushed him into committing the rape.

SOURCE