Throughout life, many people find themselves in situations where they can help someone in need or they can ignore the situation and do what is best for your own good. In both the film The Kite Runner and the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns written by Khaled Hosseini, each of the characters is put in a situation where that particular character can show courage or cowardice. Characters who show cowardice were no longer able to live with that guilt and made changes in their lives while characters who show courage die bravely. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Kite Runner tells the story of Amir, a boy living in Afghanistan, and his life experiences. Throughout his childhood, he is known as a coward who does not stand up for others in times of need, while his best friend, Hassan, is the exact opposite of him and stands up for what he thinks is right. At the beginning of the film, Hassan protects Amir from Assef and his friends who are bullies. Hassan puts himself at risk when he says, “You're right. Agha. But maybe you didn't realize that I'm the one holding the slingshot. Hassan shows courage by taking on a group of bad kids in the city who are bigger and bigger than him. Then, when Amir wins the kite tournament, Hassan runs to get the kite. Assef catches Hassan in an alley and wants the kite. Hassan is so loyal to his friend that he doesn't give the kite to Assef because it belongs to Amir. Assef rapes and tortures Hassan. Amir witnesses Hassan's rape and does nothing; in fact he runs away. This situation defines the rest of Amir's life; he knows he has to make up for what he did or else he will live with regrets for the rest of his life. Years later, Amir returns to Afghanistan to find that Hassan has been killed while protecting Amir's home. The Taliban wanted to take over the house, but Hassan was so loyal to his friend that he was killed for this loyalty. Amir learns that Hassan's son Sohrab has been taken by Assef. Amir sees this kidnapping as his chance at redemption. Amir risks his life to make up for what happened to Hassan. By saving Sohrab, Amir feels free from the guilt his childhood mistakes caused him. His act of courage redeems him from his cowardice. The novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, portrays Jalil as a cowardly man at the beginning of the story. Jalil is so busy keeping his reputation clean that he pushes Nana out of the house. Nana is the pregnant housekeeper of Jalil's illegitimate daughter Mariam. Jalil stays in touch with them and tries to stay in Mariam's life only when it suits him. For Mariam's birthday, her only wish is to go to the city with him. Jalil disappoints his daughter and allows Mariam to fall asleep on the street while she waits for him. After Nana's suicide, Jalil forces Mariam to marry Rasheed, a shoemaker. There are hints that Jalil deeply regrets the way he treated Mariam, as seen when Jalil holds a box that includes a cassette of the movie Pinocchio. Pinocchio is the cartoon that Jalil promised to take Mariam to see on her birthday, but never did; he also wrote a letter in which he regretted not accepting her and enclosed Mariam's share of the inheritance in a box that went to Miriam after her death. Mariam is one of the main characters and is very dynamic. He shows courage throughout the novel, not so much by speaking out, but by his courageous actions. Mariam shows courage in enduring verbal and physical abuse from her husband Rasheed. Even though Rasheed continually abuses her physically and.