In chapter five, Amir and Hassan walk to the pomegranate tree and travel through a barren patch of rough land, where they are stopped by Assef and his two friends Wali and Kamal. Amir describes Assef as a tall, blonde hair, blue-eyed teenager, whose father is an Afghan and mother is German. Assef is known throughout the district for his cruelty, and Amir mentions that he is a sociopath. Assef is immediately introduced as an antagonist in chapter five as he threatens Amir and ridicules Hassan. Assef has a reputation as a violent individual and even carries brass knuckles with him at all times. Assef also earned the nickname "the Ear Eater" after he bit off a boy's ear in a fight over a kite. He reveals his wicked personality by commenting on his admiration for Hitler and desire to ethnically cleanse the Hazaras from Afghanistan. Before Assef can harm Amir, Hassan comes to his rescue and threatens to knock his eye out using his slingshot.

Assef is the antagonist and epitome of evil in the novel. His mother is German, he carries brass knuckles, and is known for his torturous ways. He likes to intimidate Amir. As war breaks out in Afghanistan, Assef proclaims his support for Hitler’s tactics and thinks ethnic cleansing (genocide, really) should be used to purge the country of the Hazaras. Remember, Afghanistan has a number of tribes, and Amir’s friend, Hassan, is a Hazara. Just as Assef breaks out his brass knuckles during a confrontation with Amir, Hassan wields his sling shot to lob a rock at Assef’s eye.  Chapter 5 foreshadows how wicked Assef truly is and where his political allegiances will fall.