Why do the boys react differently to Rostam and Sohrab?

• A. Amir, the favored son, sees the story as a reflection of his relationship with Baba, while Hassan identifies with the son who is killed.
• B. Both see it as a simple heroic tale.
• C. Hassan sees it as a triumph of loyalty over betrayal.
• D. The story has no relevance to their lives.

Answer: (A)

Stories can mirror a character’s own family dynamics, so the Rostam and Sohrab tale becomes a personal lens for Amir and Hassan. Amir, as Baba’s favored son, reads the myth through his longing for Baba’s approval and his complex mix of love and guilt. The relationship between a powerful father and a hopeful son is foregrounded, and Amir sees in the tale a reflection of his own struggle to connect with Baba, to live up to expectations, and to find his place beside him. That perspective makes the heroic and protective aspects of Rostam resonate, while the tragedy of Sohrab speaks to Amir’s fear of failing or being rendered invisible in Baba’s eyes.

Hassan, who occupies a more vulnerable, marginalized position as the servant’s son, identifies with Sohrab, the boy who is harmed and ultimately disappears from his father’s acknowledgment. Sohrab’s innocence crushed by larger forces mirrors Hassan’s precarious status in their world and his own experiences of loyalty, loyalty tested and sometimes unrecognized. This contrast—Amir longing for paternal closeness and Hassan embodying the vulnerable child—explains why they react differently to the same story.

Other options overlook how personal circumstances shape interpretation: the tale is not simply seen as a heroic adventure, nor is it irrelevant to their lives.