Characterization

"Earlier, at the gravesite in the small Muslim section of the cemetery, I had watched them lower Baba into the hole. The mullah and another man got into an argument over which was the correct ayat of the Koran to recite at the gravesite. It might have turned ugly had General Taheri not intervened." In this quote from chapter 13, characterization is being utilized. Even though General Taheri is mentioned only a few times, he is multi-dimensional. In the beginning, he is just the scary father of the girl Amir likes. This is a pretty common character in literature, or a stock character. Later, as seen here, one can see that he has strong leadership abilities that are scary at times but also come from the best of intentions and can be very helpful. When Soraya finally tells Amir exactly what happened the night the general came to take her home from her rebellious time away, another layer is peeled off the onion. She tells Amir that he threatened to not only kill Soraya if she disobeyed him but himself as well. This speaks volumes about how he views honor and pride. It is one of the most valuable things he has because, as we also learn later, he has no job and relies on the government to feed and house his family.