‘This novel explores what it means to belong to a country and a culture.’
In the light of this statement, explore the ways Hosseini presents Afghanistan and America in the novel.
In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors.
The contrasting presentation of America and Afghanistan in the years 1975-2004 effectively highlights the cultural, social, and political differences – all of which have contributed to much of the narrative in this novel. Hosseini weaves these differences into his novel and parallels the settings to the situations of his characters , particularly Baba and Amir. He explores on how drastic of a change one can experience when moving to a different country, essentially describing “what it means to belong to a country and a culture”.
The move to America, one of the pivotal points in the novel, provides a tonal shift in the narrative that begs the question as to where Amir truly belongs. Due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Baba and Amir had to flee. Their escape marks the physical leaving and end of “a way of life”. Hosseini parallels this to Amir’s escape from guilt and regret, as moving to America was a chance for him to be fully liberated from the past that had been haunting him for the entirety of his childhood. America was a place where he could “let his sins drown to the bottom”. By detaching himself from Afghanistan, Amir takes this opportunity to rediscover himself and build up a new life. The transition into America plays greatly in Amir’s favour, as he was able to study literature and finally fit in with the people and culture surrounding him. He turns a blind eye to his past and adapts swiftly to the lifestyle offered in America. Furthermore, the bond between his father and himself flourishes after the move. Their roles are reversed, as Amir becomes the leading/parental figure for his father. The significance of this character development is also later noted by Farid when he tells Amir that Amir has “always been a tourist here, [he] just didn’t know it”. Despite having spent his whole life in Kabul before the journey, Amir thrives more successfully in the communities of America.
Baba symbolises a character who’s truly attached and deeply rooted in with his country and culture. Contrastingly to Amir, the move to America reduced Baba’s powerful and respectful status to being an ordinary immigrant with a mundane job at a local gas station. Whilst America was “a place to bury [Amir’s] memories”, for Baba, it was a “place to mourn his”. Prior to the events or the journey, Baba had “loved the idea of America” as “in Afghanistan, owning anything American […] was a sign of wealth”. Baba had owned a “Black Ford Mustang” and was one of the wealthiest businessmen in Kabul. Despite this, “it was living in America that gave him an ulcer”. From this point on in the novel, his health and position deteriorates drastically, and because he’s kept faithful to his country’s culture and tradition and how own moral codes, he became even more of an outsider in America; “Baba was the lone republic in our building”. His heart and values belong back in Kabul, making him stand out and be rather sensitive to the new lifestyle he was forced into. From being a dominant figure back in Afghanistan and being able to “mold the world around him”, Baba becomes a submissive, passive character in America, relying heavily on his son to guide him. Hosseini crafts these differences between Baba and Amir to emphasise on the cultural background of the two, and the sense of belonging to their own countries.
Hosseini reiterates on the importance of being a part of a culture through Amir’s character and the relationships he has with those around him. From the very beginning of the novel, we are shown the differences between Hassan and Amir and how that symbolises the state/stance of culture for the rest of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a place rich in culture, and their ideologies are strictly enforced all around their country. Its ethnic hierarchy, imbalance of wealth and power are integrated into the novel and most explicitly shown by Amir and Baba, and Ali and Hassan. Early on, however, we are also shown how the western world was influencing Afghanistan, as Hassan and Amir spent their weekends going to watch films like “Bullit” in the theatres. This was the very root of the journey of Amir’s westernisation. Hosseini emphasises on the interconnectedness of the two countries, while also contrasting them in their virtues and beliefs. Amir’s relationship with Hassan, who is of an ethnic minority (Hazara), differentiates greatly to the relationship he has with those in America. Furthermore, the leitmotif like the kite as both a cultural symbol and a symbol of Amir’s downfall illuminates on the importance of memories and the sense of belonging to a culture/country that it brings.
The representation of generalised groups of people, like men and women, and the religions they believe in also highlights the differences between the two countries. Male to female relationships are much more mutual in America, as represented by Soraya’s relationship with Amirm contrary to the “low voices” and how the women were always seen as subservient to men in Afghanistan. Soraya’s had the chance to work and study, going against the Afghan customs of being only usually used for marriage. Hosseini implies here that perhaps there is a flaw in the Afghan culture and that it should be fair for people to leave in order to gain better opportunities in the world. America “infused [people] with the optimism that made her so great”, while the “Afghanistan of [Amir and Hassan’s] youth is long dead”. Religion is significantly more strict in Afghanistan, as it is woven into everyday life like how people address each other: “Agha”. Unlike Afghanistan, America is presented as a place of freedom from oppression and a place of equality. These stark differences act as a backdrop for how each of the characters begin to shape themselves.
Hosseini sheds light onto the importance of going back to one’s roots and culture again when Amir travels back to Kabul in search for Sohrab on Rahim Khan’s request. Upon his arrival, he was faced by “Rubble[s] and beggars”. This signifies the impact that the war/chaos and the Talibans had on the formerly peaceful Afghanistan. The Talibans came into power not long after the war in the 1980s, bringing “fear […] everywhere in the streets”, as mentioned by Hassan. The customs and traditions of Kabul were destroyed; The Talibans banned traditional activities like kite-fighting. Despite the changes made to his hometown, Amir “felt healed. Healed at last”. He was on a mission to “be good again” and was returning to where he inherently belongs, albeit the fact he “felt like a tourist here”. To add onto this, despite the changes, the land was still “thick with the scent of lamb kabobs”. This elucidates on how a country will never truly lose its essence or cultural history, no matter the situation.
To conclude, Hosseini presents AMerica and Afghanistan rather contrastingly, with underlying interconnectedness between the two to show how we would never truly lose touch on our roots or cultural history. By having Amir return to Kabul after decades, he implies of the sense of belonging one will have associated with their country of birth, and “nothing was ever going to change that”.
coffee and literature 