Baba has strict views on life, particularly sin. "There is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft." What does he mean by this? Do you agree or disagree? Why does Amir struggle with this? Be prepared to share your findings with the class on Monday by way of a class discussion.

Baba's definition of sin means that there is no greater sin than taking the right of someone from attaining what he wants and needs.

I agree with Baba's concept of sin, for it robs everyone of the primary right to anything.

Amir finds it hard to accept Baba's opinion of "theft" as the master of all sins for he feels that he had deprived his family of his mother. He felt responsible for stealing her life from them.

Explanation:

In the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, the author deals with the life around the Afghan town of Kabul and his own earlier life growing up in these areas. The story revolves around the themes of identity, the love, loyalty, betrayal and eventual redemption of the characters.

In the given excerpt, Baba is talking about the sin of "theft" which can signify numerous other sins. To him, theft is the most dangerous sin of all, for it robs someone of the essential right. His meaning is clear when he further explains, stating that

Every other sin is a variation of theft ... When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife's right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness. There is no act more wretched than stealing.

I agree with Baba's concept of sin for it is the major thing that deprives a person from his own right to anything.

Amir asked Baba about what signifies sin, finding it hard to understand when his teachers told him that drinking is a sin. He asked Baba why he drinks a lot which is deemed a sin. But when Baba told him about the only sin that is superior over all, he struggled to understand Baba's concept of sin, for when Baba explains it, he felt bad for 'killing' his mother, thus taking her away from Baba.