Chapter 3 opens with examples of the type of man Amir's father is. One of the many things that Baba becomes known for is building an orphanage. Amir remembers and is somewhat jealous of the physical contact that his father had with Hassan, and Amir recounts examples of Baba not listening to him. Amir states that the complex nature of his relationship with his father is a combination of love and fear, mixed with a little bit of hate. Amir also shares with the reader what little information he has about his mother.
After learning a lesson in school about the sinful nature of drinking alcohol, Amir uses this as a springboard for a discussion with his father. Baba makes a point that all sins are a variation of the one and only sin — theft.
Amir introduces his love of language and talent for words, but when he shares his success in the Battle of the Poems, Baba is disinterested. Amir escaped his father's inattention through his mother's books, particularly her novels.
Both Amir and Baba recognize that Amir's interests, talents, and abilities do not match those of Baba, particularly when Baba was a boy growing up. The incident with the sporting matches illustrates the difference. When Rahim Khan takes Amir's side, Baba more fully articulates his primary concern about Amir, which is the inability and/or unwillingness for Amir to stand up for himself. Baba states, "A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything." Amir knows this because he is listening behind closed doors. The morning after eavesdropping on his father's conversation, Amir snaps at Hassan.
