As the psychologist Rollo May once said: “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity. » Throughout Khaled Hosseini's novel, The Kite Runner, the reader is exposed to themes of the duel between conformity and non-conformity, as well as the effects of either action on those who take it. surround. But can this battle of conformity or non-compliance really help change someone's life? Hosseini introduces the reader to the characters of Hassan and Baba, both of whom seem to project that actions of conformity and nonconformity actually decide the course of another's life. The character of Baba played by Khaled Hosseini shows the reader that if one conforms to society's expectations in times of crisis, he will see tragedy befall those around him, while his character of Hassan demonstrates that if one If we act against societal norms in times of crisis, he will then save those around him and be able to bring about substantial changes in his society. This theme is paralleled in Karl Marx's The Communist Manifesto, where Marx shows that substantial societal change can only be achieved through the nonconformism of the lower classes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Hassan's character fails to conform to society's expectations as he seeks to protect those he loves, and saves now and even changes the course of others' lives. in doing so. To understand Hassan's nonconformity, one must first understand Hassan's role in Afghan society. Hassan, as a Hazara, must be submissive, obey and follow the supposedly upper class of Pashtuns, and not go or act against what they say or do. The Minority Rights Group explains that "the persecution of Hazaras...has existed for centuries where Hazaras were driven from their lands, sold into slavery and did not have access to services available to the majority of the population." However, Hassan does not conform to the stereotypes of his Pashtun superiors. For example, he defends Amir (the Pashtun protagonist and friend of Hassan) against Assef (the Pashtun antagonist, the enemy of Hassan and Amir). Assef confronts Amir, openly threatening to harm him, but Hassan steps in to defend Amir, "[holding his] slingshot pointed directly at Assef's face." (Hosseini, 43 years old) » By doing this, Hassan intentionally and knowingly challenges his place as a submissive member of society. He knows the risk that comes with doing this, but chooses to do it anyway to save Amir. Then, Hassan passes his rebellious ways to his son, Sohrab, who once again fails to conform to society's expectations and once again saves Amir from Assef. Several years later, Amir confronts Assef again, but this time he does not have Hassan to protect him, but this time Sohrab "had the slingshot pointed directly at Assef's face." (291) » Sohrab does this without knowing who Amir is but protects him anyway because he fails to conform to his supposed place as Assef's subordinate, which should not go against Assef's wishes. Hassan's protective actions have, above all, positive effects on himself and those he loves. Through Hassan's intervention against Assef, Hassan protects both Amir's well-being and his own well-being. After Hassan's threats, “Assef took a step back. His disciples followed. (44) » By defying common principles, Hassan saves Amir and himself from a physical attack by Assef and his henchmen. Had he not defied the racial guidelines of Afghan society, he and Amir would have sufferedserious physical trauma. Hassan's son Sohrab also opposes societal restrictions and disobeys his superiors to help Amir. After Sohrab follows in Hassan's footsteps and threatens Assef again, he saves himself and Amir from Assef, and they escape Assef's compound, "[Amir] stumbles into the hallway, the Sohrab's little hand on [his]. (291) » Defying his place as Assef's subordinate leader, Sohrab, like his father before him, saves Amir's life and bolsters his future (potential) well-being by attacking Assef with his sling. However, Hassan's well-intentioned actions also have terrible repercussions. The harmful effects of taking action against society can be seen specifically when Hassan fails to conform to his supposed subordinate place in society and does not obey the Taliban. This can be seen when older Hassan is assigned to take care of Amir's house while he is in the United States, and the Taliban come to understand why a Hazara lives alone in such a beautiful house. The Taliban tell Hassan that “they would move in to supposedly ensure the security of [the house]. (219) » However, “Hassan protested again. (219).” In doing so, Hassan seeks to protect his family, who reside in the house, by keeping the Taliban away. Hassan, for example, does not obey those he is supposed to obey and pays dearly for it. Following Hassan's refusal to respond to the Taliban's demands to let them in and around the house, the Taliban dragged him into the street "and shot him in the back of the head." (219) » Therefore, Hassan's defiant response resulted in not only his own death, but also that of his family. If Hassan had graciously welcomed the Taliban into the house, they probably would have spared him, but they also probably would have raped his wife and sent his child to fight and die. So in Hassan's attempt to save his family and himself, he, his wife and child ended up dying. Baba's character conforms to society's expectations and now causes suffering to those around him. First, Baba only accepts a son who matches his own masculinity. He states that “there is something missing in this boy. (22) » By saying this, Baba is conforming to expectations by demanding that his son be masculine and only do manly things, things that he would have done himself. He refuses to accept his son when he displays anything less than raw masculinity and therefore follows what society wants him to do. Second, Baba acts according to what he believes an Afghan and specifically Pashtun man should be by being strong and refusing medical treatment when he thinks he does not need it. He decides: “That's a clear answer for me... No chemomedication. (156) » In doing so, he conforms to the image of a strong Afghan (in whom he believes) who does not need any medicine. He refuses to accept advanced medical treatment because he considers it a sign of weakness, especially when he doesn't think he needs it. However, if one follows through on what is expected of them, one can see their compliance bear fruit. This was particularly evident when Baba refused to let his Russian superiors take sexual advantage of the Afghan people. He told a Russian soldier that “[he] will take a thousand bullets [from the Russians] before he lets this indecency happen.” (116) » By doing this, Baba conforms to the Afghan man's role of protecting the woman and, in doing so, saves the Afghan woman from rape. Baba's strict adherence to common principles tends to have devastating effects on those around him, but it sometimes proves beneficial. First, Amir feels unloved and alone, desperately needing to prove his worth. He thinks he must “show [Baba] once and for all that his son was worth it.penalty. (56)” due to Baba's near abandonment of Amir, this takes a toll on Amir as he becomes increasingly hostile and cruel towards others, desperate to prove his worth to Baba. Second, Baba's death comes more quickly. Shortly after Baba refuses chemotherapy, Amir puts him to bed and "Baba never woke up." (173) » Thus, Baba's refusal to accept the medicines therefore caused emotional and mental pain to his family due to his death. The damage caused by Baba's death is evident in Amir as he references Baba and his mortality throughout the rest of the novel. However, Baba's compliance has positive impacts, including Baba saving the Afghan woman threatened with rape. The woman's husband shows his great gratitude when he "does something that [Amir had] seen many others do before him: he kissed Baba's hand." (117) » Baba's compliance in defending women not only saved her but also saved her husband from great distress. He was able to protect her without defying established principles, and his adherence to those principles resulted in, albeit surprisingly, a positive outcome. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Similar Articles The themes of one's revolt against one's established place resulting in one's own social and economic improvement can be seen in Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto. Marx argues that if the lower classes desire change in their society, they must be the ones to catalyze that change, as evidenced by the assertive statements in his work. First, Marx begins by asserting that it is the lower class that controls the wave of change. More specifically, Marx states that “the proletariat, historically, [has] played a most revolutionary role.” It asserts that the proletariat, the lower class of society, which is generally subordinate to the upper class, is the one who has the ability to create change, and can only do so by non-conforming to the roles that the upper class wants him to play. Second, Marx asserts that the proletariat has the capacity to destroy the natural order of societies through its own nonconformity, in particular that it "has mercilessly torn [the bonds] which united a man to his 'natural superiors'." » Marx states that the proletariat are those who take the reins out of non-conformity to their “natural superiors”. He believes that the improvement of society has always been possible due to the lower class taking control of the upper class, and that this must happen again for society to benefit. Marx believes that conforming not to the desires of the upper classes, but to the aspirations of the lower classes is the way to profit. Finally, Marx states that the lower class carries the future of society on its back. He claims that it “cannot rise again without the whole beginning of the existing society being thrown into the air”. Therefore, he asserts that the proletariat is the class that must not conform if they desire change, because they are the ones who control the changing tides in their current social and political territory. The results of Marx's assertions can be seen in the effects of the communist revolution and its subsequent results. First, Marx tells us that following the upheavals caused by nonconformism, the upper classes will fall and “in their place, free from all competition, the economic and political influence of the proletarian class” will be established. took control of society during the communist revolution. In its upheaval, the proletariat will gain power as the upper classes are ejected from. 2017.