![]() "And they call themselves Muslims," he whispered. A low-pitched murmur spread through the crowd. "And what manner of punishment, brothers and sisters, befits the adulterer? How shall we punish those who dishonor the sanctity of marriage? How shall we deal with those who spit in the face of God? How shall we answer those who throw stones at the windows of God's house? WE SHALL THROW THE STONES BACK!" He shut off the microphone. "Every sinner must be punished in a manner befitting his sin!" the cleric repeated into the mike, lowering his voice, enunciating each word slowly, dramatically. My head was pounding and the sun felt much too hot. Those are the words of GOD!" He pointed with his free hand to the sky. Those are not my words, nor the words of my brothers. And what does God say? I ask you! WHAT DOES GOD SAY? God says that every sinner must be punished in a manner befitting his sin. We listen to what God says and we obey because we are nothing but humble, powerless creatures before God's greatness. We are here today because the will of Allah and the word of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, are alive and well here in Afghanistan, our beloved homeland. "Brothers and sisters!" he called, speaking in Farsi, his voice booming through the stadium. Such openness and warmth is a far cry from the Baba of Kabul.When the prayer was done, the cleric cleared his throat. (The ultimate irony is that Amir will come to see that his father is exactly like him: a betrayer, liar, and deeply flawed man.) In one of the more moving passages of the book, Baba warmly says to Amir, after Amir has just graduated from high school, "I am moftakhir " (11.31). It's a story about a father who kills his nemesis, who actually turns out to be his son. Amir and Hassan share a favorite story: 'Rostam and Sohrab' from the Shahnamah. He tells Hassan 'imbecile' means 'smart, intelligent' (4.20). Amir plays a few 'harmless pranks' on Hassan. Although it's never stated explicitly, perhaps the two see each other more as equals instead of as barely related. Amir reads stories to Hassan on a hill north of Baba's house. As Baba is broken by America and work, his relationship with Amir seems to blossom. In Fremont, he finally offers Amir more than cold shoulders and distant looks. Likewise, there's a softening to Baba emotionally. He's thin, pale – no longer the man who "thundered into the room" – and draws attention to himself only because he's deathly ill (3.2). Although he fights it, the disease lays waste to Baba's body. This figure of health and vitality, of power, is crushed by overwork like anyone else. More specifically, Amir sees him under the harsh fluorescent lights of the filling station after twelve-hour days. He has to work long hours at the gas station, and Amir sees him in a totally different light. Said another way: Amir sees that Baba is just like him.īaba adapts poorly to life in California. What about all those talks when Baba said there is only one sin? Baba, in Amir's eyes, is no longer a god making pronouncements, but a man who has sinned and who warns others not to make the same mistake. Baba fathered Hassan and never told Amir or Hassan they were brothers. Rahim Khan tells Amir that Baba slept with Sanaubar, Ali's wife. One the novel's major revelations forces Amir to revise his memories of Baba. Baba the ManĪs the novel progresses, Baba comes to seem more and more human. That's right: the old "I blame my father" defense. Baba's distance really affects Amir and is one of the major motivations for Amir's betrayal of Hassan. ![]() If you're aloof and A Big Deal, how are you supposed to have an intimate, caring relationship with your son? The answer is – you don't. That said, Baba doesn't offer Amir much in the way of a parent. There's a folkloric quality to this guy and he crashes through the pages like a bear in the underbrush. We see this when he spends his life savings on Amir's wedding. ![]() For example, he refuses food stamps and treatment for cancer. ![]() In America Baba has neither the financial clout nor the social standing he once had in Afghanistan. (Baba drinks and seems to generally enjoy life, but he also believes deeply in principles like nang and namoos, which, for those of you without your Dari dictionaries handy, are "honor" and "pride.") His physical presence is matched only by his moral severity. This is the man who wrestled a bear, builds an orphanage, and makes pronouncements like "there is only one sin, only one" (3.29). Needless to say, he also towers over ordinary children like Amir. At times Baba seems untouchable – unreachable – because he towers over ordinary men. Rahim Khan gives Baba his "famous nickname, Toophan agha, or 'Mr. (Click the character infographic to download.) Baba the Legend
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