Hitler was an undoubtedly deranged man with the desire to concur a nation, who used inhumane methods to achieve his goal of a ‘perfect’ society. The proud words of Assef about him were, “Now, there was a leader. A great leader. A man with a vision.
” (39-40) In the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Assef is characterized as a cruel sociopath; his character is created through Hosseini’s use of figurative language and connotative diction. Throughout the passage with Assef as a child Hosseini describes Assef with repetition. Repetition in a novel is a way to convey the point that an author is trying to make.Hosseini makes his statement about Assef very clear. He uses the words “relentless”, “ambush”, and “Savage” over and over to push the severity of Assef’s lunatic way of life. Even more words are used like “stainless steel brass knuckles” (38) and yelling out the prejudice slur, “Flat-Nose” (38), referring to the Hazara people.
They were repeated because they show up later in the novel and foreshadow Amir’s journey back to Kabul. Also the author uses an epithet to describe Assef, as if he were an evil character of an old epic story.Amir proclaims him to be “Assef ‘the ear eater’” (38) and the gruesome name created a legacy from his actions. Assef’s character is also shaped by the way Hosseini uses connotative diction to support how crazy Assef is. His word choice clearly states how Assef dominates the other children in Kabul, as Amir says “blond-blue eyed towered over the other kids. ” (38) Assef is a force to be reckoned with because of “his famous stainless steel brass knuckles” (38) He uses them as a way to prove his authority in the neighborhood.
His obsession to be the leader is unusual and he is out of control as a child. The way Hosseini describes Assef there is no bright future for him as he is a corrupt boy with the drive to cause suffering. Assef plays the role of the antagonist in the story where he instigates all conflicts by creating turmoil in the novel, which the main character, Amir, has to overcome. His psychotic mindset leads him to become part of the unexpected climax of the story, and helps to develop the novel further in relation to all the obstacles Amir must face when dealing with his past.
