When Sohrab intervenes in Amir and Assef's fight, he finds the inner strength to fight against cruelty, even though people his age and size would not be expected to act in this way. This strength relates to the strength of an ant, which carries heavy weight (food and other materials) in order to survive. Sohrab is carrying the tremendous weight of his past and traumatic childhood, which he must constantly uphold in Afghanistan during the time period dominated by the Taliban. He was previously scared to stand up to these people, but in the midst of the fight, he gathers the strength to act courageously and save Amir. Additionally, ants are small and vulnerable to being crushed by greater forces. Sohrab is a small Hazara boy in an area of Taliban control, which threatens his safety. However, he escapes these forces and manages to survive in the fight. Ants also have the instinct to help others. Ants constantly work hard to help members of their colony survive by gathering food and helping the young. When Sohrab steps in, he is sacrificing his own well being in order to help Amir survive.
This metaphor for Sohrab's selflessness is really interesting and connects to, not just the character, but several themes/topics in the novel.
ReplyDeleteI like how you compare Sohrab to the ant; there are many similarites. Why do you think Sohrab was able to gather the strenght to act courageously and save Amir?
ReplyDeleteThe community aspect that forces ants to work together is an interesting idea to bring up with respect to Sohrab, because he seems to never believe that any one person deserves to be hurt unless they themselves are a threat. Additionally, I think you could relate the empty space in the photo to show that while Sohrab can be compared to an ant in a colony, in Kabul he is an orphan, and alone.
ReplyDeleteI like how the surprising strength of such a small creature can be compared to Sohrab's strength with his burdens to stand up for Amir. I think the hard concrete could represent the vulnerability and struggle that bears down on Sohrab.
ReplyDeleteI like how the ant relates to a kind of "David and Goliath" symbolism, sort of like how Sohrab stands up to Assef. In addition, Sohrab does share many characteristics with an ant. Well analyzed!
ReplyDeleteI agree with how you portrayed Sohrab as an ant, or an animal that may seem insignificant, but is capable of carrying more than double its weight.
ReplyDeleteI really like the metaphor you used to describe Sohrab with an ant. Even though he seems like a small ant, he is pretty strong in the inside. This reminded me of Hassan when he defended Amir from Assef.
ReplyDeleteThis metaphor makes a lot of sense and I really liked the way you explained it. The ant being able to do more than his size suggests parallels perfectly with the actions of Sohrob. Another aspect that you could of talked about is how most people just dismiss ants as small, worthless creatures, and only those who take the time to pay attention to their actions actually appreciate the strength of an ant.
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