The Kite Runner. "Assef is solely a tyrant without any moral convictions by the end of the novel." How do you respond to this view?

Possible content: Some will agree and focus on:

• Assef's rape of Hassan at a young age and encouragement/coercion of his friends to be complicit in the act

• The behaviour and language of Assef in chapters 22-23

• His cruelty and racist attitude towards Hazaras, ethinic cleansing and how it changes throughout the novel

• His cruel and oppressive rule as a Taliban official, his conduct in the stadium and comon disregard for human life

• His admiration and idolisation of Adolf Hitler

• Assef's relationship with Hassan and Amir 

• his curelty and brutality towards anyone who he deems a threat

• abuse of his position of power in order to demonstrate the political muscle of the men in charge

Some will disagree and focus on:

• His religious convictions concerning God's path for him, being "on his side" - relate to origins of moral convictions

• victimisation and brutal treatment of Assef when imprisoned

• morality can be defined as a fundamental sense of right or wrong, Assef possesses the capability to differentiate between the two but has a warped perspective which leads him to confuse the two

• his love for the Taliban and God, etc

Accept any valid argument in relation to the task. There will be a variety of views. Some will question Assef's notion of morality and his position in the Taliban .