Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. How has Rahim Khan impacted Amir? "Sohrab, I can't give you your old life back, I wish to God I could. Next. Also, if the question asks for specific details from the text, make sure to include that information in your response. (Amir's mother would be the other someone.) Hassan is illiterate but smart and stands up for others. '', To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. In conclusion, Rahim Khan is an important yet minor character within The Kite Runner. Hassan is an excellent kite runner, and is naturally intelligent, but illiterate because of his social class. He has tried his best to instill the same qualities in his son, Amir. The difficulties of the past have faded and they have a special bond now, a father and son bond. Explain. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. DK (author) from London on December 23, 2011: Beata Stasak from Western Australia on December 22, 2011: Loved the book and the movie as well:)thanks for sharing:). Leaving Amir money and trying his best to look after Baba's house in his absence also shows just how caring Rahim Khan is for his friends. He balances Baba's dismissal with the words about his door always being open to Amir. Baba and Amir both grew up wealthy as they are Pashtuns. People in our life can influence us in many ways. Rahim Khan is Baba's best friend and business partner. Rahim Khan wants to convince Amir to forgive his father, to release the anger he has felt after learning how Baba betrayed a friend. The recurring theme of sacrifice for the ones you love is presented all throughout the novel through Hassan, Baba, and Amir. He is one of not a big amount of people about Hassans real inner world and his physical abuse. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Rahim is able to stand up to Baba and has earned his respect. aving developed his own ethical framework. Betrayal Theme in The Kite Runner | LitCharts Proving a true friend to Amir, he even confronts Baba, who trusts him more than anybody else in the city of Kabul. Summary and Analysis Chapter 16. The Betrayal and Loyalty in Macbeth and Kite Runner - Phdessay Tucked within the novel's first chapter, Rahim Khan says this to the adult Amir who had left Afghanistan decades earlier. Understanding - Baba"I loved him because he was my friend, but also because he was a good man, maybe even a great man. Rahim Khan is a foil to Baba He is Amir's father's best friend and business partner. My sisters splashed her face with water. Unfortunately, his father sent her away to prevent the marriage. When showing courtesy, Rahim Khan strives to treat people better than himself. | Rahim reminds Amir that Baba always said that one is not a man if he doesnt stand up to anything. Amir Character Analysis in The Kite Runner | LitCharts The Pashtuns are the upper class and the Hazaras were much lower than them. Sanaubar in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Who is Sanaubar? Hassan is loyal to Amir even though in their childhood Amir was not a good friend. He then assumes the role of Sohrabs father, adopts him, and takes him to America. Rahim Khan asks Amir to rescue Sohrab, Hassans son, from Kabul. Character Analysis - CliffsNotes He then becomes a focus of the plot when he comes across Assef and Amir, who we learn is actually his uncle. List three or more character traits for Rahim Khan. When Sohrab enters his life, he becomes an antidote to Amirs pain. Amir in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Who is Amir? For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! He reached in his coat pocket and handed me a set of keys. Amir in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Who is Amir? The Kite Runner: Rahim Khan Quotes | SparkNotes I wonder, is that what you've become?''. He is an Afghan man who had a privileged childhood in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood of Kabul. Baba foreshadows Amir's betrayal of Hassan, and Rahim Khan reflects on Baba's statement, showing the adult Amir that he has fulfilled Baba's unhappy prediction. Purchasing Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Amir, furious, condemns Rahim Khan and Baba for hiding the truth, most likely because Amir would never have betrayed his brother. Also, if the question asks for specific details from the text, make sure to include that information in your response. Only their five-year-old son, Ali, survived. Farzana and Sohrab share similar traits, both quiet, polite and intelligent. ''My door is and always will be open to you, Amir jan. They fanned her and looked at me as if I had slit her throat. An error occurred trying to load this video. We learn nothing about him here, as the chapter instead sets up an extended flashback to Amir's youth in Afghanistan. In this, the relationship between Rahim and Amir demonstrates qualities and traits in the exposition of the novel that will help to play a formative role throughout it. He calls Amir in California and flat-out says: "There is a way to be good again" (1.3). 110 lessons An Analysis of Rahim Khan in "The Kite Runner" - Owlcation from your Reading List will also remove any The Kite Runner study guide contains a biography of Khaled Hosseini, 100 quiz questions, a list of major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. - Analysis & Quotes, Sanaubar in The Kite Runner: Analysis, Redemption & Quotes, Relationship Between Amir & Sohrab in The Kite Runner, Relationship Between Amir & Hassan in The Kite Runner, Relationship Between Amir & Baba in The Kite Runner, 12th Grade English: Homeschool Curriculum, AP English Literature: Homeschool Curriculum, NYSTCE English Language Arts (003): Practice and Study Guide, Comprehensive English: Overview & Practice, CLEP American Literature: Study Guide & Test Prep Course, 10th Grade English: Homework Help Resource, Child of God by Cormac McCarthy: Summary & Quotes, Child of God by Cormac McCarthy: Theme & Analysis, Blood Meridian: Quotes & Character Analysis, No Country for Old Men: Book Summary & Quotes, Dr. Samuel Johnson: Life, Works & Dictionary, Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Biography, Books & Short Stories, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera: Summary & Analysis, A Separate Peace by John Knowles: Summary & Analysis, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith: Summary & Analysis, Annie Dillard: Biography, Poems, Essays & Books, Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather: Summary & Themes, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Amir lives in San Francisco from the age of eighteen. While Amir prepares for school in the morning, Hassan readies Amir . Please wait while we process your payment. Lets get to know him better. Rahim wants Amir to come home. Serving as a father figure to the main character Amir, Rahim Khan is also the best friend and business partner of Amir's biological father, Baba. The Kite Runner Character Analysis | LitCharts In the past, Rahim Khan had defended Amir's passivity, suggesting that Amir would change but only at his own pace, which frustrates Baba. Is Rahim Khan a flat or dynamic character? However, it also gives courage and critical thinking when living in an orthodox society. Amir 's childhood playmate and companion, a Hazara boy with a cleft lip. Whilst Baba is the biological father and role model of Amir, it is Rahim Khan who is the one to provide emotional support, and stability. Furthermore, Hassan had a son, Sohrab, who is in an orphanage in Kabul. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. He also knows, however, that real good came out of the guilt both felt over their actions. Later, Amir tries to send him to an orphanage while arranging the legalities of adoption. Hassan Quotes in The Kite Runner Below are examples of how to answer these questions. Without honor, a man was an outcast in Afghanistan culture. Baba and Amir's foil is shown throughout the novel, but you can already identify many differences at the beginning of the book when they lived in Kabul. Manage Settings Amir constantly lets him down in this regard, and he has trouble showing affection toward his son. Include at least two quotations from different characters and explain each quotation. The role of a father-figure, shared by Baba and Rahim Khan is a complex relationship that heavily impacts Amir's actions and emotions. Amir is an example of a moral ambitious character. The narrator identifies Hassan as a childhood playmate and emphasizes, quite pointedly, Hassan's cleft lip. He keeps Sohrab as a sex slave until Amir comes to rescue him. Rahim wants Amir to ultimately own his actions, but he also wants Amir to show himself compassion and let the guilt go. Explain with specific details from the story. ("As always, it was Rahim Khan who rescued me" (3.43).) (Powell)It can be described as a bothered conscience or a feeling of culpability for offences. Compare and contrast Baba and Rahim Khan in The Kite Runner? 9 chapters | - Analysis & Quotes, Sanaubar in The Kite Runner: Analysis, Redemption & Quotes, Relationship Between Amir & Sohrab in The Kite Runner, Relationship Between Amir & Hassan in The Kite Runner, Relationship Between Amir & Baba in The Kite Runner, CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Literature: Study Guide & Test Prep Course, Technical Writing Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans, American Literature Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans, Study.com SAT Reading Test Section: Review & Practice, AP English Literature Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans, Study.com SAT Writing & Language Test Section: Review & Practice, 11th Grade English Curriculum Resource & Lesson Plans, 12th Grade Assignment - Plot Analysis in Short Stories, 12th Grade Assignment - Essay on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, 12th Grade Assignment - Writing the Opening Scene for an Original Play, 12th Grade Assignment - Extended Analysis of Poetry, 12th Grade Assignment - Satirical Response to a Political Speech, 12th Grade Assignment - Television Series Analysis, 12th Grade Assignment - Evaluation of a Political Debate, 12th Grade Assignment - Technical Writing, 12th Grade Assignment - Brainstorming & Writing Narrative Essays, 12th Grade Assignment - Writing an Original Short Story, 12th Grade Assignment - Self-Created Field Trip, 12th Grade Assignment - Outlining an Original Novel, 12th Grade Assignment - Graduation Speech, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. 4. Even trivial items-such as the construction of the orphanage-have the power to provoke. Sometimes, I think everything he did, feeding the poor on the streets, building the orphanage, giving money to friends in need, it was all his way of redeeming himself. Explain. Make sure to get rid of the space before the com? What are three character traits of - eNotes.com Analyze Rahim Khan from The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. There is a slight bit of hope when, in the end, he chases a kite-like his father Hassan and smiles for the first time in a long time. He's also the son of Ali. He is evil in the beginning of the story, but as he matures and grows up as an adult. Sometimes it can end up there. for a group? She was a professor of literature at the university and her books inspire Amir to become a writer. It happened like this: After Rahim Khan hears of Baba's death, he drives to Hazarajat to search for Hassan and asks him to move to Kabul with him. He and Amir were nursed by the same woman and, unbeknownst to them both, they are half-brothers. He thinks that if a person can do good things in his childhood, he can do good things for himself. For this activity, you will be answering discussion questions to further your understanding of Rahim Khan, a character from The Kite Runner. ManipulativeWhen he feels strongly about something, he is capable of lying and manipulating people in order to achieve a goal. The main. Farid. Amir risked his life for Sohrab, Hassans son, to repay the wrong he commits toward Hassan. Baba kept pushing Amir to graduate high school and when he did, Baba was very proud. Amir notices that Baba prefer to favor Hassan. For Amir, he serves a father figure, often giving Amir the attention he craves and filling the holes left by Baba's emotional distance. For this activity, you will be answering discussion questions to further your understanding of Rahim Khan, a character from The Kite Runner. He often tried to be very open to Amir, not to cause any problems to him and to try to fill that hole left by his fathers emotional distance. Another form of courtesy Rahim Khan shows is his respect for other people's privacy. Rahim Khan's Influence In The Kite Runner 1731 Words | 7 Pages. Rahim Khan's significant character traits include courtesy, empathy, calmness, and manipulation. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Amir, not being the physical specimen his father was when he was younger, cannot live up to his fathers expectations. This is the man who follows his conscience and summons Amir back to the Middle East to try to make things right. Rahim Khan is a man of compassionate honor whose empathy enables him to help guide Amir toward making better decisions. Eventually, Amir and Soraya bring him to America and adopt him. PolitenessPoliteness plays a part in Rahim Khan's speech, using the expected formalities such as Agha (title of respect), Sahib (companion or follower), Inshallah (If God wills, let it be by the will of God), Mashallah (by the grace of God, used as an expression of surprise), Jan (added to the end of the name of someone you love or hold dear - my dear, my life, my soul). Finally, he is wise because he often gives helpful and enlightening advice to Amir. com/video/mprw7kwamu54u. Rahim Khan understands Amir's pain and his need to please Baba. Rahim is encouraging because he inspires Amir to continue writing. Although not a completely sympathetic character, Amir is one for whom most readers feel compassion. He uses the endearment ''jan'', which is important given that Amir, in four chapters, realizes that he never heard from Baba. He also functions as a second parent for Amir. All rights reserved. List three or more character traits for Rahim Khan. Chapter 25 Quotes. He encourages Amir to be a writer by giving him a notebook and it is he who summons Amir back to Afghanistan to atone for his and Baba's sins. Rahim Khan admits that the primary reason he searched for Hassan was his own loneliness. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. Furthermore, Rahim Khan's father, after learning about the romantic relationship between his son and a woman he believes is unsuitable, sends the woman away. Through this single sentence, Rahim Khan shows that he knows that Amir betrayed Hassan and is offering Amir the ability to regain his inner sense of goodness. 110 lessons Why doesnt Amir help Hassan in the alley? She was Ali's notoriously beautiful first cousin and second wife, who ran off with a troupe of dancers. Daughter of a former Afghan general, Taheri, Soraya is a loyal wife for Amir. Hassan wasn't exactly the Hazara I imagined but he did look different to the rest haha! The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. A bully to the core, he carries steel brass knuckles to fix the boys who do not fall in line with him. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. That being said shame is both the greatest motivator and the greatest deterrent, a lot of people build their lives around forces like shame. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, tells the story of a boy named Amir and his story and journey throughout his life. I highly recommend you use this site! Their fates are contrasted in this meeting, as Rahim Khan is sick and dying, and Amir is a successful novelist and married man now. However, it also gives courage and critical thinking when living in an orthodox society. They are in America and times have been difficult. All he cared about was the kite he cut in the tournament, he even sacrificed his best friend just for his fathers love. Baba is rewarding his son for what he has accomplished and he is very pleased. Amir thinks he is cruel and does not understand wanting a child until the secretary tells him that Raymond Andrews's daughter committed suicide. Well, we all see that even when characters dont have many lines in the book, they can still be interesting and play a very important role. SparkNotes PLUS Look into the character of Rahim Khan with a limited analysis and quotes on the impact of his well-intentioned manipulations. Amir is reluctant, but he knows there is something deeper in Rahims invitation. Rahim Khan What is the character in the Kite Runner? He is the son of Hassan and Farzana. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Ali has a crippled leg and paralysis in his lower face muscles and the neighborhood children ridicule him. Hassan and Farzana's son. Why did Baba lie about Hassan being his son? Amir is hesitant, weighing the risks. He is persuasive because he convinces Amir to travel to Pakistan and adopt Sohrab. As an adult, he is a Taliban official who delights in killing people. Provide at least one specific example. Renews May 9, 2023 Baba in The Kite Runner: Description & Character Analysis, Assef in The Kite Runner: Character Description & Analysis. Soraya soon takes Sohrab in her fold and cares for him, just as she takes care of Baba in his last days. Often, Amir is jealous of the way Baba treats Hassan . But having shame about a certain action or event doesn't necessarily mean that you have to regret or even take back what happened because there may be justifications and sometimes you cant justify how you feel or why you feel that way. Ali is lame in one leg and walks with a limp; this physical deformity makes him the butt of jokes from the street boys. Explain with specific details from the story. DK (author) from London on December 28, 2011: Thanks Steph, It's here if you want it : http://www.novamov. Baba wishes Amir were braver and stronger and that he could openly express his love for Hassan. By the storys end, Amir and Baba become closer. A lawyer who counsels Amir that his best chance is to place Sohrab in an orphanage temporarily. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Due to the large difference in both Pashtuns and Hazaras, the idea of power plays a strong role. At Amir's birthday party, Rahim Khan's story about loving the Hazara woman reflects his empathy toward Amir and Baba. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Amir has carried a sense of shame and guilt for what he did to Hassan as a boy, and now he senses that returning to Kabul will be a way to undo the wrongs he did to Hassan. In the culture of Afghanistan, a mans betrayal of his friend is an extremely shameful situation. When Amir writes his first story and attempts to give it to Baba, Baba merely dismisses his son. Hassan and his wife are killed, and Sohrab is orphaned, setting the stage for Amir to reenter and rescue the boy. The Kite Runner is a novel by Khaled Hosseini. Is Rahim Khan a major or minor character? Amir is the narrator and protagonist of the novel and is a Pashtun and Sunni Muslim. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Soraya is Amir's wife. What are Ali and Hassan's distinct physical characteristics? Wed love to have you back! Summary. Often, Amir is jealous of the way Baba treats Hassan, although Amir realizes that Hassan socially has a lower place in society. Amir and Baba well, they are something between bad and good. 15 Top Character Traits With Definitions and Examples He's also the father-figure to Amir. He fears that his love of reading and writing, Through this event, Amir wished to get his fathers attention. Few dare to cross him, but Rahim has a special relationship with Baba. He felt himself causative for the death of his mother who passed away during childbirth. This was accompanied by intense violence and the consequences were immense. Hassan. Shame means that you feel remorse for something weather it is your actions or the actions of another. If Hassan and Ali are off in the land of bright, shining moral purity, and Assef is in depths of devilish cruelty, and Amir and Baba are somewhere in between, Rahim Khan is a voice reason standing outside this hubbub of moral questing. After the country became a republic instead of a monarchy, the former Soviet Union invaded the country. Why does Amir want Hassan to leave Babas household? Answer the remaining questions in a similar way. $24.99 He cannot see Amir's other strengths. As a child, he is the neighborhood bully who rapes Hassan. People would talk. The Kite Runner Amir's Personality Traits, Amir was pretermitted by his Baba. If Amir's character arc is about growth, Hassan's arc is about not changing at all. This is because those parts that he does intervene in Amir's life are vital for his transition from boy to man. Baba thinks that a person should have the courage of his conviction to the point of laying down his life for it. He is as devoted and loyal as his son. Continue to start your free trial. She returns to Hassan after she has passed her prime with the dancers. Rahim Khan is trying to show Amir that he understands that holding secrets can be destructive. Amir 's father, a larger-than-life figure with wild hair and a loud voice, who works hard and succeeds at all of his endeavors, but stands by his strict moral principles. Heather Lustig-Curran has been teaching English for twenty-eight years. And you know how he always worried about you in those days. Rahim Khan is a counter-balance to Baba's gruffness. Rahim Khan symbolizes the journey toward redemption and goodness. Sohrab in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Character & Traits, Hassan in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Analysis & Significance, Soraya in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Character & Analysis, Baba Quotes in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Context & Analysis, Forgiveness in The Kite Runner: Quotes & Examples, Amir & Hassan in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Relationship & Key Events, Ali & Baba's Relationship in The Kite Runner, Religion in The Kite Runner: Influence & Quotes, Assef in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Quotes & Analysis, Amir & Baba in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Relationship & Analysis, The Kite Runner: Friendship & Loyalty Quotes, Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl Study Guide, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Study Guide, Create an account to start this course today. Rahim Khan appears in 'The Kite Runner' beginning in chapter one, standing as a minor, yet important figure in the protagonist's life. We try to understand fear, loss, and time. Hassan is brilliant, brave, trustworthy, and athletic. Honor is one of the most important things a man can have. What do other characters say about Rahim? Ross shows that searching for answers can cause bad things to happen and in order to get through them, humans search for forgiveness. I feel like its a lifeline. I am moftakhir, Amir, he said. Rahim Khan is Baba's closest confidant, and the one man who knows all of Baba's secrets. Lying about the existence of an American couple also showed understanding on Khan's part because he knew that without the couple Amir would not have gone, but that after Amir had got Sohrab, he would want to take him back to America instead. Amir is the sensitive and intelligent son of a well-to-do businessman in Kabul, and he grows up with a sense of entitlement. We grapple with fear and guilt. He calls Amir "a true Afghan.". Stephanie Das from Miami, US on December 29, 2011: Cool thank you, but just last night I watched it on streaming. Rahim Khan in The Kite Runner: Character Analysis & Quotes In essence, humans are always searching for something on their journey through life. However, he feels betrayed when bullies attack him and rape him, and Amir merely watches from a distance without coming to his aid. In conclusion, Rahim Khan is an important yet minor character within The Kite Runner. Rahim Khan is Baba's best friend and business partner. Rahim Khan, we think, serves as the novel's moral center. Ali is a Hazara whom Baba's father took in when his parents were killed. Even when confronted with horrific events and experiences, Rahim Khan chooses compassion over brute force. It takes three times for Rahim to convince Amir to go through with the rescue. Amir's most loyal and devoted servant, who is born with a clept lip. Why or why not? What are good character traits for Rahim khan in The Kite Runner? Many years later, the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist movement , seized power in Afghanistan. Baba Character Analysis in The Kite Runner | SparkNotes This sentence pushes Amir toward Afghanistan and functions as a further form of foreshadowing, predicting the future fight between Assef and Amir. Rahim Khan encourages Amir to write and gives him a leather-bound notebook at Amir's thirteenth birthday party. He wished to persuade to his father that, although he didnt want to watch soccer like his baba, choose to busy himself in reading many poetry books, never fights back again and lowered his head when his friends just bully him, it generally does not mean he didnt has any worthwhile quality a young boy had. Perhaps, too, Rahim Khan helps expand Amir's understanding of ethnicity.