There are numerous similarities between Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. However, most of the similarities identified by readers are only skin deep and essentially superficial. Sure, readers know that both Willy and Amir have made decisions they regret and wish they could reevaluate, and ultimately said the decisions shaped their respective lives, but it's the readers' job, and my job as the writer, to dig deeper. the obvious similarities. and go fearlessly into the layers that lie beneath. Usually, when a character regrets a decision or action, it's because they said the wrong thing at the wrong time. For Willy and Amir, however, the regret lies in the fact that they chose not to say anything. From this silence arise the main similarities of the lyrics: the succession of fear, guilt and self-loathing felt by Willy and Amir, produced by the priority given to family. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Willy and Amir prioritize family over almost every aspect of their lives. For Willy, he prioritized Biff's athletic abilities and Amir put his father before his friendship. In doing so, both characters make their most critical and crucial mistakes. For Willy, the only member of his family worth anything is Biff. He hardly recognizes Hap or Linda, and when he does he is in a rage. Willy shouts at Linda when she speaks, asking "will you stop [interrupting]?" It is obvious that there is very little affection left in Willy and Linda's marriage, which Willy takes advantage of by having an affair. When Biff discovers the affair, Willy is afraid that it will alter Biff's image of him. A motif in Miller's play is Willy worrying about being "well-liked", so the thought that Biff - his true pride and joy - doesn't like his father instills fear in Willy, which ultimately causes his behavior becomes erratic, ending in a tragic suicide. Amir also struggles with his family and his priorities. He holds Baba's image of him in such high regard that he says "...the best moment of my twelve years of life, seeing Baba on that roof, finally proud of me," (Hosseini 66) insinuating that the only way he can be happy is if Baba likes him. Even after winning the kite tournament, Amir doesn't feel adequately loved. He still feels like he's competing for his father's love with Hassan, so Amir plants the clock under Hassan's bed. Although Amir is not caught in the act the way Willy was caught by Biff, Baba's perception of Amir has changed, which has gone against Amir's attempts to gain his father's love and respect. Willy and Amir give too much credit to how their loved ones perceive them, and when their families no longer see them in the light the main characters desire, they begin to act out of fear. Their initial fear is what drives their respective works forward and presents us with the greatest conflicts. After fear completely overwhelms Willy and Amir, they begin to feel guilt rising within them. Willy feels guilty that Biff witnessed his infidelity, even though he may not show it in conventional terms. The flashback Willy has in the restaurant bathroom on pages 1503-1505 of Death of a Salesman shows his obvious guilt because he keeps replaying the scene in his head over and over. When Ali and Hassan refuse to continue the service for Amir's family, Amir tells us that, “…I saw Baba do something I had never seen before.