US, he is bewildered by the individualistic values there. When Baba wants to buy food using a check because he does not bring money, he is asked to show his ID.
Thus, it results in Baba getting angry and violent because Baba thinks the shop owner knows him well already. Hence, Baba expects them to trust him as a friend.
However, in America, that is it not the case. Afghan people value honor and pride as their utmost priorities as well,
particularly for the men. Henceforth,Baba is a prideful individual even when he goes to the US. He rejects food stamps or any kind of social welfare given by the
US government. Baba hates pity and Baba believes that every honorable Afghan man should work and stand on his own feet.
Baba also upholds highly of his political pride and standpoint. Baba hates the Russian. He takes it to the extreme when he refuses to be treated by a Russian
doctor eventhough the doctor is born in the US. “I do not care where he was born, he’s Roussi” 2007:168.
Baba also follows several Aghanistan traditions that are mostly derived from Islamic culture. Baba still does celebrate several important days in Aghan
culture such as Eid-e-Qorban. Baba follows the tradition by slaughtering a sheep and give it to family, friends, and the poor 2007: 83-84.
In conclusion, Aghanistan is Baba’s throne where all the social and financial privileges work for Baba’s favor and interest. Relationships between
Baba’s and other people in Afghanistan are also strong. The brotherhood and respect are shared mutually.
b. Baba and His American Cultural Background
Baba’s personality and trait are greatly influenced by western culture—the US culture. Baba dislikes the boundaries and limitation religion creates. He
prefers western life-style that is free and moderate.Baba’s habit and behaviour reflect his preference to the US culture. The western culture prefers liberal values
and self-actualization without the boundaries of religion. Even though Baba is a Muslim, he drinks alchohol and eats pork. “Baba was pouring himself a whiskey
from the bar....” 2007: 17. He also openly denies God and His importance. “If there is a God out there, then I would hope he has more important things to attend
to than my drinking scotch or eating pork” 2007: 20. Baba’s choices of recreation and life style are also distinctly American. He
likes to drive a car that has a western brand as a show of his wealth. “Then, Baba and I drove off in his black Ford Mustang” 2007: 29. His recreational activities
project the aforementioned preference. He likes to watch western action movies with Amir and Hassan. He likes western food and drink such as sandwich and
coca cola. He also watches the World Cup games in television. Not only his preference to western life-style is part of his American culture, Baba’s ideology
and principle are also western-oriented. He hates extreme religious piousness. When Amir asks about the concept of sin in Islam, Baba disdainfully disregards
the mullah’s teaching and defines his own concept of sin. “I mean all of them. Piss on the beards of all those self-righteous monkeys” 2007: 18. Baba sets his
own teaching regarding religion to Amir. “Now, no matter what the mullah PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
teaches, there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft” 2007: 19.
Baba tends to set his own moral values, personal thoughts, and principles rather than following what is inside the religion or any religious scriptures. Baba
gets exposure and leverage to exercise his liberal values because he is a rich businessman. Thus, he can attain such life-style financially and without being
condemned socially. Just like Amir, Baba even strengthens his superior background in Afghanistan society by adapting western-oriented life-style. It is
portrayed by his choice of house a western-style mansion, car, and the way he treats Amir with western toys and clothes. Baba’s political point of view is also
distinctively siding to western view. Baba favors western or countries that are allied to western countries. Baba, for instance, thinks that America, Britain, and
Israel are the best capable countries in the world. His political point of view usually causes Baba to get animosity from Afghans—they called him pro-Jewish,
anti-Islam. “There are only three real men in this world, Amir,” he’d say. He’d count them off on his fingers: America the brash saviour, Britain, and Israel”
2007:136. However, Baba’s perspective when he arrives in the US is completely
different with his perspective when he is still in Aghanistan. Baba loves the idea of America but he can’t bear to live in America. “Baba loved the idea of America.
It was living in America gave him an ulcer” 2007:136 Baba hates the condition when he moves to America. Everything seems to
disatisfy him. The fruit, the water, the air, almost everything. Not only that, the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
