How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
As words from the Koran reverberated through the room, I thought of the old story of Baba wrestling a black bear in Baluchistan. Baba had wrestled bears his whole life. Losing his young wife. Raising a son by himself. Leaving his beloved homeland, his watan. Poverty. Indignity. In the end, a bear had come that he couldn't best. But even then, he had lost on his own terms. (13.51)
Somehow, during Amir's childhood, and while they lived in Afghanistan, death and illness never seemed like threats to someone like Baba. The wild forces of nature (a.k.a. a bear) couldn't contend with Baba – so why should a disease pose any threat? But once these things do happen to Baba, he starts to seem very human. It's possible, though, that because Baba ages and has trouble adapting to life in America, Amir is able to reconcile with his past. This man who towered over Amir reveals a more human side, which might help Amir accept his own failings.