Assef is the neighborhood bully. From his first introduction it is clear that Assef uses his size and athleticism as a means of inspiring fear into his peers. His favorite targets are Amir and Hassan. Hosseini uses Assef several times throughout the story for a variety of purposes. His first introduction highlights Amir’s unwillingness to stand up for himself and Hassan’s more than willingness to protect his friend.
Assef’s sexual assault actually gave him more power over Amir than it did over Hassan. The fact that Amir