Taylor Johnson
The Kite Runner by: Khaled Hosseini.

In the Kite Runner I came across many different themes but one that really stood out the most and provided strong literary devices was the theme of living up to parents’ expectations. Through the novel Amir’s most deeply felt desire is to win father’s approval, in any way that he can and trying to be the son his father wants.

The first example of Baba’s and Amir’s father and son relationship and how Amir strives to live up to his fathers expectations falls in the fourth chapter with the passage, "Most days I worshiped Baba with an intensity approaching the religious."(pg 32) This quote came about when Amir wanted to read the short story to his father and wanting him to be proud and excited for something he had created and put effort into but only to be shot down as he said nothing more than that it was good. And this action broke his heart. In this quote it is described by Amir that he strived to be like his father so much his father seemed like a god, someone to worship, crave, need, or someone to follow. He observed, attempted to copy, and felt disappointment when he could not find the same courage, strength, or passion for masculine activities as his father had. Something I feel like the author was trying to show was how often people look beyond admiration in others. Sometimes we not only look up to them as role models but we try to be just like them, change for them, and feel as though we can no longer function with out certain people or the feeling they give us, which is a growing part of society and reflects that we attach to people way too much.

The second example takes place at the city’s winter kite battle, which provides him with his first and strongest opportunity to win his father’s pride and recognition of his son. With the help of Hassan they win the kite battle and he seems to finally win his father over. "We won! We won!" was all I could say. This ... Baba on that roof, proud of me at last.” (pg.60) This was probably the happiest moment of Amir’s life watching his father cheer for him was a feeling most people get from their parent’s say at a graduation, sports meet, or a good grade, nothing he has ever felt because what was important to Amir his father didn’t approve and what was important to Baba Amir just couldn’t or didn’t like to do. This was a place where a father and son could relate, something most children and parents look for within their relationship. They had something to build a conversation on, something they were good at, and most of all a way to break down the wall and enter into his father’s heart.

And the final example was Amir’s strong devotion to his father. Now, this was seen in many different places through the novel, and it is truly heartbreaking to witness how much effort and time Amir put into pleasing Baba, when nothing was considered good enough or worth recognizing. “Upstairs was my bedroom, Baba's room, and his study, also ... hour, sometimes two, listening to their laughter, their chatter.” (pg.4 ) This quote accurately shows his devotion to his fathers approval, all he wanted was to get to know his father more and to spend time with him, but Baba never seemed to have time for his son. And because of his father’s political and economic status he felt more and more pressure to be high on his priority list. This father and son relationship was carried out by Amir but never returned by his father.

This heart wrenching tale of living up to parent’s expectations provided not only a theme or something the author is trying to explain about society, but an exceptional story and entertainment that makes you ponder about the values of society and people and how they go about achieving them.