Family Blood

          In the middle part of The Kite Runner, Amir and Soraya are trying to have kids but they don't have any luck. They consider adoption, which Soraya's parents do not necessarily approve. Soraya's father brings up the topic of blood at dinner one night. In the text it states that blood resembles the life principle, the soul, the strength and the rejuvenating force. If they were to adopt, blood is the one aspect that would be missing in their family. Soraya feels as though she just wants a child to care for even if it is not her own. Her father and husband believe that being related my blood is an important part in their culture and family. They also brought up some very good points that once you adopt a child, they grow up and just want to know who their real birth parents are. I believe also that blood is very strong and being related to someone by blood means a lot in life. There is a much stronger connection and a deeper love between two people if you know you share the same blood.

          Because blood is so important in Afghani communities, it is frowned upon to marry outside of the culture. If you think about it, their entire community is one big family. Most families in one home are very large compared to American families as you can see in the picture to the left. To what extent would they go to protect their family? Obviously only until the Taliban raid their villages and then everyone is too scared to protect anyone but theirselves. Blood to their culture is a symbol of sacrifice, not so much death. They make it sound much more pleasant and meaningful by calling deaths sacrifices.

          Another symbol that respresents family in the book is the term brothers. In the text it describes brothers at enmity are the conflicting powers of light and darkness, dryness and humidity and the nomadic and agricultural ways of life. Basing this information given towards Amir and Hassan as brothers, I think it speaks volumes. The are the polar opposite of eachother which are a necessity in the dualistic realm of manifestation. This can be further explained under the symbol twins in our text. Examples given from twins are; depicted as the sacrifice and sacrificer, day and night, heaven and earth, life and death, and good and evil. I think Amir felt a strong family connection to Hassan his whole life not only because he was so close to him but his father treated him as his son aswell. Here, Baba shows how important he believes blood is by letting Hassan and his father live with them, taking care of them and begging them not to leave. In the end, Amir makes up for the abandonment of his family by saving Sorab from their so called family community and raising him in the right family with the help from his wife Soraya.