Response on chptrs. 1-8

Dear reader,

             An important quote that I would agree with is when Baba is talking to Rahim Khan about Amir and says, “A boy who won’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.”(Hosseini 22). Amir is very much unlike Baba in that Amir spends his days with books, rather than things like soccer balls. Amir never stands up for himself when other boys pick on him and Baba is very concerned about that. I agree with this quote; if you cannot stand up for yourself how are you ever going to stand up for anything you believe in? Being able to present yourself as who you are to the world is just as important as the things you see around you. Baba sees this and tries to explain that to Rahim Khan also.

            Another significant quote that stood out to me was after the gunfire when Amir, Hassan, and Ali were all huddled together and Amir says, “Huddled together in the dining room and waiting for the sun to rise, none of us had any notion that a way of life had ended. If not quite yet, at least it is the beginning of the end.”(Hosseini 36).  In that moment, Mir knew that everything just changed and that their way of life had just ended or was about to. They then find out the monarchy in Afghanistan had just ended, and the start of a republic. I find that this quote shows that in a second the world can change and it could be the end of what you’re used to in a split second; I agree that that can happen. In one instant the way their government had been for the past 40 years, under the rule of  Zahir Shah, was now over.  The republic government under the rule of Doud Khan had started and is about to change their lives, so in a second everything was different. I feel that that things like that are possible and unexpected, don’t you think so?

            Another important quote that stood out to me was when Amir was debating whether or not to help Hassan when he was getting raped by Assef, he said, “I had one last chance to make a decision. One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into the alley, stand up for Hassan-the way he’d stood up for me all those times in the past - and accept whatever could happen to me. Or I could run.” (Hosseini 77) This was a big internal conflict for him which I feel relates to the first important quote. Amir is still unable to stand up and fight for himself, so he was also unable to stand up and fight for Hassan, his best friend. This is showing that, so far, Amir has not grown much and still has a lot to learn about life and is in a way a true child. He ran away from the fight and waited for Hassan’s return.  Amir was not able to look at Hassan the same way, knowing that what he had done was wrong and he should have helped him. I consider being able to stand up for yourself and others is very important. Being able to help yourself and the people and things that are important to you is a big factor, and something that can change your life, don’t you agree?