Rahim Khan is an influential part of Amir’s life because he gives fatherly support and advice to him. He has always been there to help Amir and advise him. Amir considered Rahim Khan his first adult friend. So, obviously, Rahim played a large part in Amir’s life as a child. In fact, he has been in Amir’s life the whole time. “I am a baby in that photograph and Baba is holding me, looking tired and grim. I’m in his arms, but its Rahim Khan’s pinky my fingers are curled around,” (Hosseini, 5). Rahim Khan was also very supportive of Amir and his desires. “As always, it was Rahim Khan who rescued me. He held out his hand and favoured me with a smile that had nothing feigned about it. ‘May I have it, Amir jan? I would very much like to read it.’” (Hosseini, 31). Whenever Baba wasn’t there for Amir, Rahim Khan was.
Rahim Khan was genuinely supportive and helpful to Amir when he decided he wanted to be a writer. Rahim Khan never told him what he can and can’t do. He showed support to Amir by buying him a notebook for his stories. He was also a parental figure when he told Amir that he had to go get Sohrab to make up for what he did and to stand up for himself. “’And why you? I think we both know why it has to be you, don’t we?’” (Hosseini, 221). From these, you can infer that the main reason Amir returned to Kabul was because of Rahim Khan. He also probably took some responsibility for Amir pursuing writing. So, he was a very large influence on Amir.
Allison Thomas
Rahim Khan was difinitley more of a father to Amir than Baba ever was. Why was it that he was so supportive of Amir? Was it because he felt sorry for Amir? Because he knew Baba's secret and pitited Amir? Maybe Rahim Khan really was trying to be the father that Amir never had.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Rahim Khan was definatly the the father figure of Amir's life. I believe too that it was that he knew Baba was living a lie, and tried to make up for Baba's sins. As the book went on I began to believe that Amir gained more courage than Baba. Baba couldn't even tell Amir that he had a half brother on his death bed. However, as Amir matured he accepted his wrong doings and even embraced it in the face-off with Assef.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely. Although Baba was consistent in being a philanthropist, he left one person out of his good deeds. That person was Amir. I feel that Rahim Khan was the replacement for Baba's neglect towards Amir. Rahim Khan was able to participate in Baba's philanthropy as a father-figure for Amir.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about Rahim Khan. Without Rahim Khan in this novel Amir would never have been told the secret his dad was keeping from him.I think Rahim felt sorry for Amir because he knew that Baba had this secret and Baba was treating Hasaan somewhat better than Amir because of this.Since Amir looked up to and respected Rahim he listened to his advice about redemption. Had Rahim not played such an important role of father figure to Amir then Amir might never have found the redemption he was looking for through Hasaan's son Sohrab.
ReplyDeleteRahim Khan was perhaps the greatest thing that ever happened to Amir. Without him, Amir would have never gotten the chance to redeem himself through coming to Afghanistan and saving Sohrab. Also, good point that he was a father figure to Amir. Rahim Khan always seemed to lighten Amir up in ways that other people couldn't, just by saying something meaningful.
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