Changing Relationships

Up until this last section of reading, The Kite Runner has been chronologically progressing through the significant events of Amir's childhood.  In the last couple chapters we have seen a major shift in time.  Chapter ten ends with Amir and Baba struggling to smuggle themselves out of Afghanistan, while chapter eleven begins with them settling into their new lives in America.  I can only guess that the reason that Amir chose not share that part of his journey was that the experience was too unpleasant to recall upon.  Or perhaps it simply was not important towards the message the author is trying to convey in the novel.  We can only find out through reading further.
Predictably, Amir adjusts to American life much easier than Baba.  He is a young intelligent boy whom now has a world of opportunity open to him, while Baba has gone from a wealthy respected man to a gas station attendant.  Despite this social status change, Baba is still as dignified, generous, and hard-working as he was in Kabul.  The major change in Baba is how Amir's view of him is shifting.  His father, whom he once placed on a pedestal like a divine hero, is finally showing that he is human.  The laborious work and stress begins to show and Baba ages.  Amir recalls his high school graduation looking at Baba and thinking, "...hadn't he been taller in Kabul?"(131).  Though Baba's decline distresses Amir, he now seems to be less insecure of himself no longer seeing Baba as a paragon of strength and power.  While in Kabul, Baba always made it clear that he cared for his son, but the two never really bonded with each other.  In America their relationship changes, becoming more sentimental.  The first truly tender exchange they have is when Baba gives Amir his first car.  This tenderness goes on further when Baba teases Amir for his interest in Soraya.  By the time Baba gets sick their relationship has completely transformed to one that was once characterized by shame and embarrassment to one where the two now openly love and understand each other.  Baba's last gift of love to Amir is helping him ask for Soraya's hand in marriage.  When Baba dies his relationship with Amir was in a much better place than I would have expected possible.  Although Amir never confesses to him what he did to Hassan, their relationship had an important sense of closure.  Amir watched his father lose his independence and die a demeaning slow death, yet he is still able to admire him saying, "But even then, he had lost on his own terms." (174)  After all that has happened and changed, Amir still has unwavering respect and love for his father.