Throughout history, bears are used to symbolize strength, protection, and bravery due to their protective instincts and their powerful body. In The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini, Baba usually refers to the bear. He is a well-respected businessman in Kabul. Baba is considered very moral and powerful. He lost his wife during the birth of his son, Amir who is easily bullied by the other children in the neighborhood, because he is too afraid to stand up to the other children. Baba fears that if Amir cannot behave like a child, he will not be able to handle himself like an adult. Baba is a very strong and powerful character, while Amir is often seen as cowardly and weak; so their relationship isn't very strong because they are both so different. In the book, Baba often resembles a bear due to his strength. Amir is different; he is generally considered weak, but he begins to resemble a bear as he grows. The author uses the symbolism of the bear to emphasize the growth of Amir's character and to show the resemblance between Amir and Baba. Throughout the story, Baba is shown as brave and powerful through the symbolism of the bear, while Amir has no connection to the bear. bear. In the story, Amir says, “I have imagined Baba's wrestling match countless times, even dreamed about it. And in these dreams I can never tell Baba from the bear” (12). Amir, not being able to distinguish the bear from Baba, shows his strength and power. The way Amir imagines and dreams of Baba fighting the bear shows how much he admires and adores Baba. But also the fact that Amir is unable to identify who is who shows that Baba's powerful characteristics also make others fear him. As Amir thought, he thought, “In the end, I ran. I...... middle of paper ......th that Baba had throughout his life. This quote clearly shows that as the story progresses, Amir grows in strength and mentality. At first he was cowardly and Baba would worry if he could manage on his own. Ultimately, he made his father proud and stood up to Assef. Overall, the symbolism of the bear shows Amir's character growth and his resemblance to his father. In this book, Baba has been seen as powerful and moral. On the other hand, Amir is seen as weak and cowardly. Baba's character is strong as he faces his struggles while Amir runs away from them. At first, Amir was not like Baba because of his weak and cowardly character. As the story progresses, Amir begins to resemble Baba as he faces his past fears and mistakes. Through the symbolism of the bear, the author shows the growth of Amir's character and the resemblance of Baba and Amir..