Rough Draft: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11PWaejXLd6PFne9XAfVn1tgMQrVM2H8p58sCKbZATZ4/edit?usp=sharing
Introduction
For years, Amir treated Hassan terribly: He did not protect him when he was raped, nor did he comfort Hassan when he was traumatized. Little did Amir know, Hassan was his half brother. Since Baba sought to maintain his prominence in society, one could reason that he covered up Hassan’s identity under selfish intentions. Grasping the fact that Baba lived by social expectations and ignored his conscience, one could categorize him to be an adherent to the worldview of an honor-shame culture. Since I grew up under the same worldview, I too would justify dishonesty for the sake of my reputation.
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Baba distorted Hassan’s identity out of selfish motivations as he lied to eliminate all possible backlash towards his sex scandal. On page 223 of the novel, Rahim Khan highlighted the importance of fame to Baba. He classified Hassan’s birth to be a shameful event. And because his high status meant the world to Baba, he could not proclaim Hassan to be his offspring. For if he did so, people would gossip. And given Baba’s nature as a man who prized acclamation, he would not tolerate any chatter about his sexual affairs. Thus Baba would do anything, including lying, to eliminate all potential rumors about the birth of Hassan. Baba’s actions were selfish because he allowed his offspring, Hassan to be demeaned in order to protect his elevated prestige. As a result of the lies crafted by Baba, people would believe Hassan to be the only son of Ali, an outcast. This would force Hassan into a life of discrimination and prejudice, constantly harassed for being the child of an outcast. Had Baba been honest and recognized Hassan to be his own son, Hassan’s life would be more bearable: Since people would realize that he shares the same bloodline as Baba, a respected Pashtun, they, in turn, would treat him with dignity.
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Provided that Baba behaves according to social expectations and not his conscience, we can categorize him to uphold the worldview of shame cultures. Given that Hassan’s real identity is too embarrassing for Baba to acknowledge, he could not bring the truth to light without tarnishing his reputation. It is evident that Baba did not follow his moral compass from which he did what he considered a grave sin, lying. It is also apparent that he acted by communal expectations by which he acted in ways that earned glory and not ostracism. According to the Audiopedia video, “What is Shame Society?”, those who lived by this sort of worldview sought to maximize approval and minimize rejection. Hence comprehending the fact that Baba lied to minimize the ostracism he would suffer for his adulterous affair, we can rationally classify him to be an observant follower of the honor-shame worldview. Baba’s philanthropic works throughout the book further add legitimacy to my claim. On page 302, Rahim described Baba’s charity business: “Sometimes, I think everything he did, feeding the poor on the streets, building the orphanage, giving money to friends in need…” Because caring for the poor, needy, and orphans are all acts favored by society, therefore Baba’s devotion to non-profit service may be the result of his honor-shame worldview: For the worldview of shame societies encourages individuals to find favor among their community, therefore it is rational to postulate Baba’s philanthropy to be a product of his worldview.
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Sharing the same worldview, I too deceived others to avoid humiliation. During a Thursday afternoon, I settled my body upon a stool as I tried to be productive in class. Suddenly, I received an abysmal news: I was about to defecate myself. Anxious, distressed, and troubled, I felt a scream plunging out of my throat. What am I going to do? Am I going to be the laughing stock of the school? My teacher would definitely not let me go to the loo after I could have gone during lunch! Feeling dreadful about making a scene, I made a decision I would never regret: I lied to the teacher that I was going to my locker. Fortunately, she gave in to my deception and I dragged my yelping body to the bathroom. My deceitful actions were consistent with the worldview of shame societies in which I minimized disapproval by not doing the socially-unacceptable: Leaving myself at the bottom of other’s jokes after I ejected my biological wastes in the classroom.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Baba’s actions were selfish because he placed his prestige over the dignity of Hassan. For the sake of his fame, he left Hassan living under ostracism and alienation. Had Baba not publicized the lie of Hassan being Ali’s child, Hassan would not receive torment from his neighbors. Thus the tragedies that occurred to Hassan, including his rape, would not have taken place. Knowing Hassan’s status as Baba’s offspring would also change Amir’s life. Had he understood this, he would be incentivized to stand up for Hassan after every attempt by Assef to threaten his safety: He might physically attack Assef when he tried to rape Hassan. And he would probably clarify Hassan’s identity to Assef, who would then quit his atrocities realizing that Ali was not Hassan’s father. It was Baba’s unwillingness to tell the truth that placed a negative strain on both Hassan and Amir’s lives. Baba’s dishonest behavior perfectly illustrates the worldview of an honor-shame culture. Adhering to the same worldview, I too turned dishonest to secure my reputation among my peers. Baba and I both valued our social standings over our integrity, hence our honor-shame worldviews had induced our cunning behaviors.
Reflection
First of all, I appreciate that you didn’t sugarcoat anything when talking about the starter, it’s very important to be…
I really liked how you tied everything together. You showed your three points nd executed them nicely, even if one…
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I really liked how you tied everything together. You showed your three points nd executed them nicely, even if one of them was a little funny and a bit exaggerated.
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