An individual’s mental well being can greatly affect their character and the way they perceive things. In the novels The Kite Runner and A Separate Peace, the protagonists are boys who are infested by internal conflicts such as insecurities and emotions. In Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, a boy lets his dad negatively affect his character, causing him to treat those around him in a cynical manner. Likewise, a boy from John Knowles’ A Separate Peace bases his character on whom he wishes to be, letting his unhealthy mental state consume him. Hence, explored through both novels, is how a person’s internal conflicts can lead to their downfall, whether as a result of their struggle with identity or their feelings towards others.
In The Kite Runner, the protagonist Amir lets his surroundings create his identity rather than finding one on his own. In the beginning of the novel, Amir feels insecure about his identity and is always concerned about the way Baba, his father, treats him. Baba is a well respected man who enjoys sports, whereas Amir is a weak boy who only appreciates reading and writing stories. Because of their differences, Baba believes that “there is something missing in that boy. . and suggests “a boy who can’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything” (Hosseini 24).
Upon hearing this, Amir feels he must try to satisfy Baba, which ultimately causes him to lose his own identity. Amir tries to prove himself worthy to Baba by betraying his best friend Hassan, which later changes him as a person and leads to consequences in his life. It is not until later in the novel that Amir realizes he “didn ‘t want to sacrifice for Baba anymore” (134) as he is tired of living up to his father’s expectation. .s in the process.In conclusion, both The Kite Runner and A Separate Peace demonstrate how a person’s internal conflicts can lead to not only their own downfall, but the downfall of others as well, whether as a result of their struggle with identity or their feelings towards others.
In both novels, the protagonists’ difficulty with defining who they are allows outside influences to govern them into a character that is not their own, causing them to be far off from who they really are. As well, the harsh feelings that they develop towards their closest peers serves as encouragement for their bitter actions that ultimately destroys their friendships and become memories that haunt them in life. Although these are the repercussions of suffering from internal conflicts, it may not be the end as one can always find ways to redeem themselves if they are willing to do so.
