Pride In The Kite Runner Essay

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“Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery. Bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice. The spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love” (Morihei Ueshiba). The Kite Runner, by New York Times Bestseller author, Khaled Hosseini, is a true story about a boy’s journey through life with the obstacles of sacrifice, loyalty, guilt, discrimination, pride, and betrayal. A boy named Amir growing up in Kabul, Afghanistan during the 1970’s learns much about the importance of loyalty and friendship as him and his childhood friend’s separation causes ripple effects that follow Amir into the future. After fleeing Kabul due to invasions of the Soviets, Amir and his father realize the struggles of living in America as immigrants. Following many …show more content…
While pride might not be as prominent as loyalty in the course of the Kite Runner’s story, it still presents various key effects that drive the story onward. For example, after working minimum wage in America for quiet sometime, Baba is generously presented with food stamps by a lady at the welfare office when abruptly, Baba drops the stack of food stamps on her desk and exclaims, “’…Thank you but I don 't want, I work always. In Afghanistan I work, in America I work. Thank you very much, Mrs. Dobbins, but I don 't like it free money”’ (Hosseini 130). Because of Baba’s strong pride in himself and his Pashtun Afghani descent, he often proves ignorant and stubborn when matters concerning help of any kind are offered to Baba. Therefore, Baba is a prime example of being blinded by his pride just so he can be looked at and recognized as an alfa male. Furthermore, after Baba has an unexpected seizure while working in the flea market, Amir quickly tends to his suffering father as they wait for an ambulance to arrive. Upon arriving at the hospital, Amir’s worst fears are yet becoming far too real as it seems that Baba may have cancer. The doctor comfortingly reassures Baba of the treatments that can be taken to prolong the cancerous effect. When the doctor mentions to Baba that chemotherapy is an option in prolonging the cancer, He exclaims ignorantly, “’…Thank you for that but no chemo medication for me”’ (Hosseini 156). Upon hearing this, Amir almost losses it as he can no longer tolerate his father’s stubborn pride over his health. However, when questioning his father’s choice, Baba abruptly puts an end to the conversion as he utters, “’…Don’t you challenge me in public, Amir. Ever. Who do you think you are?”’ (Hosseini 156). Because of Baba’s pride, his mentality

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