In the
introduction of chapter three, Amir initiates the character of his father,
Baba, and describes the man in an interesting manner. The diction and figures
of speech that the author uses within the description help depict what type of
man Baba is and what his character may be like throughout the rest of the book.
First, Amir reminisces about the time his father wrestled a
bear. He mentions how his father has a few scars down his back, proving that he
truly did fight a bear. Then, Amir goes on to tell about how he dreams of his
father and the bear fighting, trying to picture it in his mind. He closes the
first paragraph with, “In those dreams, I can never tell Baba from the bear. “
Amir alludes to this specific story of Baba and the bear to point out Baba’s
characteristics. By telling the story, the reader can automatically assume that
Baba’s personality is similar to that of a bear: an angry fighter. When Amir
compares his father to a bear, he obviously thinks of him as angry, intense,
and dominating. Without mentioning the story, Amir would not have been able to
make the comparison and therefore his description would not have been as
valuable.
The
intense diction in the second paragraph also amplifies the description that
Amir gives of his father. Amir mentions that his father’s nickname is Toophan
agha, translating to “Mr. Hurricane.” A hurricane is intense and strong.
Therefore, the nickname clearly hints that Baba contains the same
characteristics as a hurricane. Extraordinary description continues as Amir
also tells that the glare his father gives would “drop the devil to his knees
begging for mercy.” Amir tells of how other people describe his father, also.
Since the other men describe him in a similar way as Amir does, Amir’s description
within the two paragraphs seems remarkably true. The way that Amir describes
his father seems to reveal a dark, distant relationship between the two of
them.
The two paragraphs together make me question what events
will occur between them and how their relationship with progress, whether it is
in a negative or positive manner.
