At this point in the novel, the Taliban have wrestled
control on social political levels. Taliban leaders have emerged from the fragmented
condition enveloping Afghanistan. In this void, the Taliban has become the unquestioned
authority.
The events of the novel occur against
the backdrop of political change, culminating in the rise of the tyrannical Taliban
government in contemporary Afghanistan. Assef, Hassan's rapist and the bully who becomes
a high-ranking Taliban official, embodies the consequences of the abuse of power for
power's sake and the violence and repression of the Taliban regime. Assef is a sociopath
who thrives in an atmosphere of chaos and
subjugation.
There
are no checks nor institutional limitations to prevent the group from becoming the
supreme authority over all and for all. The group is responsible for political
leadership, spiritual authority, and social adherence. This is why the stoning of the
couple in the soccer stadium for adultery is carried out by the Taliban. In this light,
the Taliban is in charge of everything and everyone, representing that Amir is not the
only one who needs to seek to "be good again." Rahim Khan's words can apply to all of
Afghanistan emerging from the shadow of the Taliban.
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