Though it is not revealed right away, it is eventually
stated that Baba has terminal cancer, and it’s in a stage where there is no
fixing it. No cure. Essentially this means that without treatment, Baba will
die in a very short amount of time. Baba knows this and refuses treatment
anyway; I think this is more a matter of pride and custom than anything else.
He is a Pashtun by nature. Pashtuns don’t need charity or help with anything;
they fight their fights and win on their own. Baba merely sees cancer as
another fight, another obstacle to overcome – except this time, he’s not
winning.
“That’s a clear
answer, Dr. Amani. Thank you for that,” Baba said. “But no chemo medication for
me.” He had the same resolved look on his face as the day he’d dropped the
stack of food stamps on Mrs. Dobbins’s desk.
“But Baba-“
“Don’t you challenge
me in public, Amir. Ever. Who do you think you are?”
This was Baba’s response to being told he had terminal
cancer and would die without treatment. This further backs the theory that he
is a man of pride and refused to have help fighting his own battles, even if
this battle would ultimately (spoiler alert) take his life in the very near
future.
They discharged Baba
two days later. They brought in a specialist called a radiation oncologist to
talk Baba into getting radiation treatment. Baba refused. They tried to talk me
into talking him into it. But I’d seen the look on Baba’s face. I thanked them,
signed their forms, and took Baba home in my Ford Torino.
It is at this point in the book that Amir finally
understands why his father is doing what he is doing. Baba sees cancer as his
final battle, one he knows he is going to lose, but he would rather go out
fighting on his own than have someone else fighting it for him. Amir can’t
persuade him or change his mind or course of action. He can only honor his
father’s wishes as it is obvious that his demise is impending and imminent.
As for my thoughts on this portion of the book, I am
completely devastated. I am first devastated by the fact that Baba has cancer
to begin with because of his characterization. Baba is described all throughout
the book as a big, strong, hardworking man that fights his own fights and
succeeds by way of his own two hands. Cancer breaks this mold that was created
for the character and changes everything; he goes from being the image he once
had to being a sickly, weak, dependent man, much to his own dismay. This alone
was enough to make me feel sad for Baba and sympathize for him throughout this
part of the book. Furthermore, the cancer was foreshadowed earlier in the book
by Amir himself when he mentioned in passing in the beginning. Though I knew it
foreshadowed that someone would have
cancer, I never thought it would be Baba. I found that one of the most
devastating parts of the entire plotline.
As you read through this part of the story, you accompany
both Amir and Baba on Baba’s journey throughout this difficult part of his
life; the cancer is getting stronger, Baba is getting weaker, and he doesn’t
have much time left. Despite this, he does one last thing for his son – he asks
for the General’s daughter to marry Amir. This part, despite being sad, made me
happy. Even though he is in a severe amount of pain and is slowly wasting away,
he still puts his son first, even if his earlier attempts at this were
unorthodox and he wasn’t always the best father. This act of selflessness
cleans Baba’s slate, at least for me it does.
I’ve honestly grown to really like the character of Baba and
witnessing him breaking down and dying because of something out of his control
was painful to witness. Nevertheless, that is how I know I like this book. It
has the ability to make me really feel and sympathize with the characters.
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