KR2.honor and pride

These two ideas become more prominent in this section of the novel, through a variety of scenes.  Many of these scenes involve Baba or General Taheri, or both.  While I think honor and pride are valuable, especially as they relate to dignity and respect, I also believe they can prove harmful and even dangerous, when they displace what I would call reason, and certainly compassion.  Though I know only what I read about Afghanistan–in this novel and the news reports–I find myself sympathizing with Amir when he criticizes the “double standard” in treatment of men and women.  He learns about the effect of this double standard by coming to know Soraya, her family and her experiences.  Honor and pride also seem tightly tied to the idea of an individual’s reputation, which returns me to consideration of Soraya and her family, especially her father.  So I am curious about other people’s thoughts on these and related topics.