43 be alive. Therefore, it can be inferred how vicious Assef has beaten him. Assef
does the action because he wants to show Amir that he is powerful. Armand frowned, cocked one eyebrow in a slightly self-important way.
“You are in a hospital in Peshawar. You’ve been here two days. You have suffered some very significant injuries, Amir, I should tell you. I would
say you’re very lucky to be alive, my friend Hosseini, 272.”
b. The Need to Exploit Others
Assef fulfills the second neurotic need that is the need to exploit others. Assef treats Hazaras inhumanly. He massacres and abuses Hazaras. That means
Assef exploits Hazaras, because Assef performs those actions for their own benefit and excitement. He feels excited in doing those actions.
Assef hates Hazaras very much. His speeches and his actions obviously tell about it. The novel has a content telling of Hazaras discrimination—though it
is not the focus of this study—the writer has an opinion that the existence of Assef in the novel makes the Hazaras discrimination more vividly. Since he was a child,
Assef always wanted to make Hazaras suffer. He tipped his chain to Hassan.
“Hey, Flat-Nose,” he said. “How is Babalu?”
Hassan said nothing and crept another step behind me Hosseini, 37. When he was a child, Assef used to mock Hassan and Ali. He calls Ali as
Babalu. Actually, Assef is not the only person who used Ali as the object of mockery, some boys also did it. However, Assef is the most persistent in torturing
Ali of all the boys who perform the same thing. Assef is also the creator of what so called as Babalu jeer.
Of all the neighbourhood who tortured Ali, Assef was far the most relentless. He was, in fact, the originator of the Babalu jeer. Hey, Babalu,
44 who did you eat today? Huh? Come on, Babalu, give us a smile And on
days when he felt particulary inspired, he spiced up his badgering a little, Hey, you flat-nosed Babalu, who did you eat today? Tell us, you slant-eyed
donkey Hosseini, 36” Assef always has an opinion that Afghanistan is the land of Pasthuns. He
believes that Hazaras make the country of Afghanistan dirty. His blue eyes flicked to Hassan.
“Afghanistan is the land of Pasthuns. It always will be. We are the true Afghans, not this Flat-Nose here. His people pollute our homeland, our
watan. They dirty our blood Hosseini, 38.” Since he was a child, Assef had shown a kind of dream that he wanted to
sweep Hazaras out from Afghanistan. He made a sweeping, grandiose gesture with his hands. “Afghanistan for
Pasthuns, I say. That’s my vision.” Hosseini, 38 …. He reached for something from the back pocket of his jeans.
“I’ll ask the president to do what the king didn’t have the quwat to do. To rid Afghanistan of all the dirty, kasseef Hazaras Hosseini, 38.”
Assef insults Hassan every time they meet. He always questions about the
friendship between Amir and Hassan. He does not understand why Amir treats Hassan as a friend.
“But before you sacrifice yourself for him, think about this: Would he do the same for you? Have you ever wondered why he never included you in
games when he has guests? Why he only plays with you when no one else is around? I’ll tell you why, Hazara. Because to him, you’re nothing but an
ugly pet. Something he can play when he’s bored, something he can kick when he’s angry. Don’t ever fool yourself and think you’re something
more Hosseini, 68.” He believes that Amir, actually, just considers Hassan as servant, as
something to protect him, as a ‘pet’. In addition, Assef does not want any Pasthun to be that nice and close to any Hazara. “You’re part of the problem, Amir. If
idiots like you and your father didn’t take these people in, we’d be rid of them by
45 now. They’d all just go rot in Hazarajat where they belong. You’re a disgrace to
Afghanistan Hosseini, 39.” Assef cannot understand why Amir is willing to go back to Afghanistan
only to save Sohrab, a young Hazara. “I wonder why you’ve come all this way, Amir, come all this way for a Hazara? Why are you here? Why are you really
here? Hosseini, 262” In Assef’s point of view, Hazaras have no value. Therefore, people are free to do everything bad to them. This idea is shown
clearly in Assef’s speech when he is going to rape Hassan. It is when he asks Kamal to rape Hassan.
“Suit yourself,” Assef said. He turned to Kamal. “What about you?” “I … well … “
“It’s just a Hazara,” Assef said. But Kamal kept looking away. “Fine,” Assef snapped. “All I want you weaklings to do is hold him down.
Can you manage that? Hosseini, 71” In their adulthood, Hassan and Farzana are murdered by Taliban. Hassan
and Farzana are accused to live in someone’s house without permission. When Hassan explained to the real story, the Taliban do not believe. They claim Hassan
as a liar. It is because of Hazaras discrimination which gives a stereotype to Hazaras as bad people. Hazaras are considered as people who never do right
things including in saying the truth. Then, they force Hassan, Farzana, and Sohrab to leave the house. However, Hassan protests and refuses to leave the house.
Hence, the Taliban kill Hassan and Farzana. So they took him to the street–”
“No,” I breathed. “–and order him to kneel–”
“No. God, no.” “–and shot him in the back of the head.”
“No.”
46 “–Farzana came screaming and attacked them–”
“No.” “–shot her too. Self-defense, they claimed later– Hosseini, 202-203”
Later, it is told that Assef, the Taliban leader, is the mastermind beyond
the murder. Actually, since he was a child, Assef had given many clues that he would torment Hazaras. One of them is conveyed when Assef has conversation
with Amir, he makes a sweeping, grandiose gesture with his hands and says “Afghanistan for Pasthuns, I say. That’s my vision Hosseini, 38.”
c. The Need to Receive Recognition and Prestige and The Need to be Admired
