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Fear And Selfishness In The Kite Runner

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The Relationship Between Fear and Selfishness
According to psychology today, fear is a vital response to physical and emotional danger. Selfishness on the other hand is the act of putting your own needs and desires at the expense of others. Selfish behaviour is a direct result when facing fearful events in an individual’s life. As fear takes over and an individual is out of his or her comfort zone, one may resort to selfish behaviours in an attempt to regain control and suppress their fears. Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner exemplifies the relationship between fear and selfishness through the actions of the characters. Both Amir and Assef display the relationship between fear and selfishness through Hassan’s rape, Amir’s attempt to strengthen his relationship with Baba, and Amir’s plot to get rid of Hassan.
The relationship between fear and selfishness is shown through Assef and his actions through the raping of Hassan. “His well-earned reputation for savagery preceded him on the streets. Flanked by his obeying friends, he walked the neighbourhood like a Khan strolling through his land with his eager-to-please entourage. His word was law…” (Hosseini, 41). Assef, being the typical neighbourhood bully, is used to being the subject of fear for others and is always in a position of …show more content…
The individual often does whatever he/she can in order to regain control over the feared situation at the expense of others. The relationship between fear and selfishness was a main theme exemplified within the kite runner, as the fears of both Assef and Amir led to selfish actions at the expense of Hassan. We often lose sight of what is truly important to us in order to satisfy our selfish needs with the fear of losing control and being out of our comfort zone, resulting in life changing decisions that can never be

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