School of Foreign Languages, Hainan Normal University
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Contents
1. Introduction ..............................................................................................1
2. Literature review ......................................................................................2
3. Amir in inner conflict: inferiority and superiority .................................. 3
3.1 Amir’s conflict with Baba’s expectations ...................................................4
3.1.1 Amir’s hobby running against his father’s expectations .........................................4
3.1.2 Amir’s dependence on and disgust for Hassan ....................................................... 5
3.2 The impact of childhood mistakes on Amir’s psyche ................................ 6
3.2.1 The harm to Hassan – Amir as an oppressor and bystander ................................... 7
3.2.2 The scandal – the image of Amir’s father in ruins ..................................................8
4. Amir in interpersonal conflict: betrayer and redeemer ........................... 9
4.1 The impact of this conflict on friendship ................................................. 10
4.1.1 Amir’s framing of Hassan .....................................................................................10
4.1.2 The trip to save Sohrab ......................................................................................... 11
4.2 Amir’s relationship with other characters.................................................11
4.2.1 Absence of maternal love ......................................................................................11
4.2.2 Strong ethnocentrism on Assef .............................................................................12
4.2.3 The instruction from Rahim Khan ........................................................................13
5. Amir in conflict with society: coward, racist, and liberal ..................... 14
5.1 The influence of social and political turmoil on Amir’s decisions .......... 16
5.1.1 Independence and openness of Pashtuns .............................................................. 17
