Hassam by person is reflected in Sohrab his son, his saying comes true about Assef one-eyed Assef as Sohrab shots a slingshot on Assef’s eye and Hassan’s words become a reality. Also it is clear that all the characters are changed at some point when Assef and Amir have a conversation, Amir is standing up and arguing, negotiating with Assef. In the first encounter we can clearly identify that Assef is the dominant in their conversation, but in the second encounter there is an argument and Amir leads it so he is becoming more close of being dominant over Assef.
It is seen that in his childhood Amir is afraid of being hurt, Amir wondered if anyone would be able to hear his scream. “'Just let us go Assef,' I said, hating the way my voice trembled”(p 41). If not for the deadly threat of Hassan's slingshot, Assef might not have left without giving them a beating. This event shows us readers one of Amir's weaknesses, which contrasts his adult persona. As a fact Hassan does not admit defeat he steps forward and overcomes the fear which Amir fails to also Hassan overcomes Assef’s superiority. Although Hosseini gives the first impression of Assef as a simple violent bully. Amir’s weakness is not unnoticed as his father Baba is able to see him as a coward, “A boy who can't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up for anything”(p 22). Baba’s main point is that if he does not defend himself when he is a child he will never learn to do it in his future.
On the second encounter, Hosseini uses different language themes to differentiate the view point of the encounter with Assef as an adult. “My memory of the fight with Assef is amazingly vivid in stretches: I remember Assef turning on the music before slipping on his brass knuckles.” – Hosseini shows us Amir’s past as if Amir is remembering everything happened while the encounter and use of this range of vocabulary Hosseini indicates the growth in Amir, growth in his thinking and understanding his surroundings.
As shown is first encounter Hosseini uses symbolism to show the link between two encounters in this case the brass knuckles which are described by Amir after the fight, “Mostly, I remember this: His brass knuckles flashing in the afternoon light; how cold they felt with the first few blows and how quickly they warmed with my blood.” – this highly descriptive language and level of fight emphasizes the adult’s point of view and realization, readers can easily identify Amir as an adult as in first encounter brass knuckles are described in very obvious way, but in the second encounter Hosseini’s shocking language helps us to understand the dangers and risks. Another very good example is when Amir and Hassan meet Assef and his friends, “He gave me an icy look” in this scene it is seen that Amir is afraid of Assef as he is more powerful. Second encounter contrasts the first encounter. Second encounter is more destructive, in the first encounter the main subject is the reputation of Assef as he was younger and had undeveloped brain he was a fraud of reputation. And both Amir and Assef were childish as they were talking about their father’s connections with famous people.
Another descriptive scene that takes place during the second encounter. ““WHAT’S SO FUNNY?” Assef bellowed. Another rib sapped, this time left lower. What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace. I laughed because I saw that, in some hidden nook in a corner of my mind, I’d even been looking forward to this...my body was broken--just how badly I wouldn’t find out until later--but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed.” This passage is significant because this is the pivotal point in Amir’s life. When Amir fights Assef, he sacrifices his life to save Sohrab just as Hassan had sacrificed his life for Amir. The guilt Amir has been suffering from his childhood is finally lifted, and his mind is at peace. Thus, he feels healed and begins laughing. Amir believes that he has compensated for the pain he caused Hassan.
As Amir notices, Assef forces Sohrab to dance to music for his enjoyment dancing and listening to music have long been banned. Amir thinks, "I guessed music wasn't sinful as long as it played to Taliban ears." On another level, the Taliban discriminate specifically against the Hazara people. This is one of the evidences that Hosseini uses to identify the theme of discrimination and injustice in country. Amir lived in America for long time and he is finding the situation in Afghanistan unfair, Hosseini describes Amir as more responsible and caring after Assef’s encounter, Amir is trying to prove everything where it belongs he shows his bravery in front of Assef, proves Assef that he is not running away and he is responsible for his actions. Hosseini reveals new character of Amir, as a more caring and brave person, the writer shows Amir’s development from cowardly young child to someone who is more caring and responsible person who risk his life for Sohrab. Hosseini uses all this developments of each character to show their growth, as at the beginning there is flashback; and only when Amir migrates to America everything changes, Hosseini gives us the comparison between adult and child view of each character. Moreover with use of shocking language and different narrative techniques helps Hosseini to show us readers the adult tone and their perspective of life.
For some of us reading The Kite Runner might be confusing as readers do not really expect Assef to show up again, we know that there was a Russian Invasion and what people did from Amir’s or Assef’s family background left their country to more safer place as they would risk their life and by staying in their homes, that’s why while I was reading I have asked myself why Assef and his family did not leave Afghanistan. But at the end we can see that Hosseini successfully shows us the connection as we know that Assef had knowledge of culture since he was a child, he used to express slur words to Hazzara people who were Pushtan’s servants. Assef thinks that cultures should not be together, cultures of Hazzaras and Pushtans – “How can you let him touch you?” Assef tells that in disgrace showing the readers that it is disgusting to touch them as he avoids Hazzaras and bullies them a lot.
It is ironic as Assef talks about pour Afghan race, even though he is half German. He claims that, “Afghanistan is land of Pushtans, we are the true Afghans”. Starting from childhood, Assef agrees with Hitler, as he find him a good powerful leader – “It’s late for Hitler but not for us” – indicates he likes to evil and violence starting from childhood. This all gives a good evidence of Assef’s love to violence and discrimination.
Finally with use of themes, language schemes and narrative techniques the writer successfully represents us two encounters with Assef and their importance in the novel. Hosseini with good use of language and also with prior information introduces us new Assef in the second encounter. Hosseini’s technique for character introduction supports Assef’s appearing in the second encounter and it becomes less surprising as readers really think that Assef would become more evil and violent based on events that took place while his childhood. Hosseni is successfully able to convey and deliver the tone of two distinct description of the encounter with Assef by the younger Amir and the more mature and brave adult Amir.
