Amirs desire to have his babas attention and acceptance is powerful. SupportiveWhen Rahim Khan does speak, it is usually out of the need/want to help someone, either defending Amir, congratulating/praising someone, or giving advice. 57-63) Rahim Khan tells Amir about Baba's betrayal of him, Hassan, and Ali. The Kite Runner is purported to be one of the first Afghan novels to be written in English. These appear in Chapter 1, framing the rest of the story and giving us one of the central themes, restoring goodness. He has an uncanny way of knowing what people are thinking and how to speak to them. Few dare to cross him, but Rahim has a special relationship with Baba. Eventually, Amir and Soraya bring him to America and adopt him. Receiving asylum, the family moved to America, where Hosseini, like Amir, graduated high school and attended university. Although her role, like the role of all Afghan women under the Taliban, is minor from a plot perspective, the importance that she has on Amir's character development is immense. She refused to even hold Hassan when he was born. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Baba thinks that a person should have the courage of his conviction to the point of laying down his life for it. Is Rahim Khan a major or minor character? It was a shameful situation. We first learn of Rahim Khan in Chapter 1, when he places a phone call from Pakistan to his friend Amir in America. He and Amir were nursed by the same woman and, unbeknownst to them both, they are half-brothers. His comment to Amir about being good again catalyzes Amir to return to the Middle East and begin his journey toward goodness. (one code per order). Amir notices that even though he is in Baba's arms, ''it's Rahim Khan's pinky my fingers are curled around.'' For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. For Amir, he serves a father figure, often giving Amir the attention he craves and filling the holes left by Baba's emotional distance. However, he hides the fact that he has had a childHassanwith a Hazara woman, an act of shame for an ethnic Pashtun at that time. Heather Lustig-Curran has been teaching English for twenty-eight years. He is an Afghan man who had a privileged childhood in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood of Kabul. 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:). Rahim Khan, Baba's best friend and business partner, also serves as a father figure to Amir , the main character, encouraging Amir to write. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. And this is what I want you to understand, that good, real good, was born out of your fathers remorse. Early in the novel, he is Baba's close friend and business partner and a father figure to Amir. "For you a thousand times over!" he said. It's Rahim Khan who encourages Amir's writing. Hassan considers Amir his friend, although Amir never consciously considers Hassan as such. He knows that no amount of repentance can now bring him happiness. Sohrab is another major character of the novel, The Kite Runner. These words are from Rahim Khan's final letter to Amir. Rahim Khan shows that he understands the difficult relationship between Amir and Baba and that Amir is willing to do anything to win Baba's approval, even if that means sacrificing Hassan. He manipulates Amir to ensure that Sohrab will be saved and to force Amir to amend his past actions. Farid. Despite failing to recognize Hassan as his son, Baba showers him with affection, setting the stage for Amirs jealousy of Hassan. In Baba's home, a framed photograph shows Rahim Khan with Baba, who is holding the baby Amir. Why does Amir ask Baba if he has seen Amirs new watch? Kabul is a dangerous place, you know that, and youd have me risk everything for I stopped.You know," Rahim Khan said, one time, when you werent around, your father and I were talking. All Rights Reserved. I remember he said to me, 'Rahim, a boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything.' Amir in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Who is Amir? Amir's most loyal and devoted servant, who is born with a clept lip. Furthermore, his statement about becoming good again propels the adult Amir to return to the Middle East to begin his physical and emotional journey toward goodness and redemption. Hassans mother and Alis wife, Sanauber, abandons Hassan after he is born. In conclusion, Rahim Khan is an important yet minor character within The Kite Runner. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Amir is, in essence, a morally ambiguous character, a trait he shares with his father. 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. How did Ali become a part of baba's family? They fanned her and looked at me as if I had slit her throat. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. She returns to Hassan after she has passed her prime with the dancers. Rahim Khan giving Amir his much-loved leather notebook on his birthday. Rahim Khan is Baba's best friend and business partner. A bully to the core, he carries steel brass knuckles to fix the boys who do not fall in line with him. Below are examples of how to answer these questions. for a customized plan. Additionally, Rahim Khan is utilizing this story to try and manipulate Amir into confessing his betrayal. What do other characters say about Rahim? 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. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Don't forget to include text details when prompted. Create your account. She earned her Masters in Arts from Longwood University in 1997 and has also earned her National Board Certification in addition to the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition and Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition endorsements. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. This is the man who follows his conscience and summons Amir back to the Middle East to try to make things right. Amir's driver and friend. Hassan and Ali are in the land of bright power, shining with moral purity. Even though he has excellent intentions, Rahim Khan can also be manipulative, as demonstrated through his deceptive statement that an American couple in Pakistan was going to take in Sohrab, who is Hassan's son and Amir's nephew. Historical Context Essay: The Kite Runner and The Taliban, Literary Context Essay: Coming-of-Age Stories, Khaled Hosseini and The Kite Runner Background. What are Ali and Hassan's distinct physical characteristics? Whereas Baba seems to be one ruled by passion and brute force (he has scars on his back from wrestling a bear and was almost killed while protecting a woman's honor when fleeing Afghanistan), Rahim Khan is one whose calm demeanor defuses toxic situations. Friend of Baba and Amir. Baba and Amir both grew up wealthy as they are Pashtuns. 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 . These words, written by Rahim Khan in his final letter to Amir, reflect one of the central themes of the book: the power of grace. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Rahim Khan said that Amir only lacked a mean streak, but later, Amir, who took babas conception of his shortcomings to heart, took his hurt feelings out on Hassan and noted to himself that Rahim Khan was incorrect about the mean streak thing (23). Baba's closest friend and Amir and Hassan's confidant. Hassan. While his father is represented as a physically imposing man, a bear wrestler in fact, as well as an important male in his community and land, Amir is calm and apparently without courage and determination. Why doesnt Amir help Hassan in the alley? Why does Amir want Hassan to leave Babas household? "Sohrab, I can't give you your old life back, I wish to God I could. Rahim Khan is encouraging, persuasive, and wise. He saves Amir by taking him to a hospital in Pakistan. It is during the birthday party, while Amir is guiltily hiding away from his guests, that Rahim Khan tells Amir not to be too hard on himself, referring to Amir's betrayal of Hassan and trying to help Amir mend the destroyed relationship. Amir is an example of a moral ambitious character. Rahim Khan's significant character traits include courtesy, empathy, calmness, and manipulation. Someone with conscientious traits acts carefully and takes purposeful action. Intro: Critically acclaimed author and psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross once said Consciously or not, we are all on a quest for answers, trying to learn the lessons of life. But I can take you . Next. Explain with details from. He is the son of Hassan and Farzana. He reached in his coat pocket and handed me a set of keys. is first quoted in the opening chapter of Khaled Hosseini's 2003 novel The Kite Runner and immediately creates the theme of the journey toward goodness. This website helped me pass! Rahim Khan is trying to show Amir that he understands that holding secrets can be destructive. Is Rahim Khan a flat or dynamic character? As a Hazara and a Shia Muslim, he is an outcast in Kabul; despite this, Baba treats him with love and kindness. Rahim Khan is Baba's closest confidant, and the one man who knows all of Baba's secrets. When showing courtesy, Rahim Khan strives to treat people better than himself. We seek to discover who we are and how we can become truly happy. This is a powerful quote explaining that humans are often searching for something in life, whethter they know it or not. In the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Amirs character has been shaped and heavily influenced by Baba, for shaping him into the man he is, also Hassan for showing him that forgiving is important and Sohrab for helping him redeem himself. The next time I saw him smile unabashedly like that was twenty-six years later, in a faded Polaroid photograph. We grapple with fear and guilt. 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. It is delineated by natural inclination that people sympathize with others who undergo an unfortunate circumstance or event. How does Rahim directly impact the plot of the story? Baba's father was How does Baba see the world in Black and White Use examples from the book. 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. To support Amir, Hassan wished to be his kite runner since he had a good instinct to run after a kite by sensing the blowing wind. Farid in The Kite Runner: Analysis & Quotes, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, The Kite Runner Cultural & Historical Context, The Kite Runner Character List & Flashcards, Amir in The Kite Runner: Description, Character Analysis & Development, Hassan in The Kite Runner: Description & Character Analysis, Sohrab in The Kite Runner: Analysis & Character Traits, Ali in The Kite Runner: Description & Character Analysis, Soraya in The Kite Runner: Description & Character Analysis, Rahim Khan in The Kite Runner: Character Analysis & Quotes, Who is General Taheri in The Kite Runner? Finally, after revealing Hassan's parentage and giving Amir Hassan's letters, Rahim Khan manipulates Amir into thinking that an American couple will take Sohrab (Hassan's son and Amir's nephew) after Amir rescues the child from an Afghan orphanage. At Amir's thirteenth birthday party, Rahim Khan gives Amir a leather-bound notebook to use for his writing. DK (author) from London on December 29, 2011: I really do agree, but it's usually like that I guess, there are just so many parts omitted from in the movie, so after the book it seems a little fast paced, and a little empty. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Baba sacrifices his life in Afghanistan for Amir to have an education in America. He thinks that if a person can do good things in his childhood, he can do good things for himself. Moreover, Rahim Khan shows his openness and acceptance of Amir and this newfound talent. He then assumes the role of Sohrabs father, adopts him, and takes him to America. It was Homaira and me against the world. Furthermore, Hassan had a son, Sohrab, who is in an orphanage in Kabul. As we have said, some characters arent tich and fully-developed. Soraya's mother. aving developed his own ethical framework. Write between 50-100 words in response to each question. 15 Top Character Traits With Definitions and Examples . Why or why not? Make sure to answer the questions thoroughly and in complete sentences. Rahim Khan is Amir's father's best friend and business partner. However, he feels emotionally detached from his father, and he always lets Baba down when it comes to showing courage in the face of trivial confrontations, including protecting his friend and servant, Hassan. '', To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Baba in The Kite Runner: Description & Character Analysis, Assef in The Kite Runner: Character Description & Analysis. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Rahim wants Amir to ultimately own his actions, but he also wants Amir to show himself compassion and let the guilt go. Below are examples of how to answer these questions. Need Custom Character Analysis Sample With Quotes or Maybe Help With Editing? Rahim Khan, we think, serves as the novel's moral center. 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