American Assassin
Chapter 43
by Flynn, VinceThe chapter opens with a tense scene where Rapp, an operative, threatens a banker named Dorfman by holding a knife to his dog’s eye to coerce him into opening a safe. Dorfman, emotionally distraught, relents and reveals the combination, prioritizing his dog’s safety over his own life. Rapp and his partner Hurley discover incriminating evidence linking Dorfman to Nazi affiliations and terrorist financing. Despite Dorfman’s pleas that he is merely a businessman, Hurley executes him, emphasizing the gravity of his crimes. The duo then prepares to leave for Zurich, hinting at further missions involving financial corruption.
The narrative shifts to Moscow, where Ivanov, a high-ranking SVR officer, reflects on a lucrative gas deal he secured through a mix of negotiation and intimidation. He compares post-Soviet Russia to *The Godfather*, highlighting the pervasive corruption and power struggles. Ivanov takes pride in his ability to navigate this chaotic system, offering foreign investors a way to bypass bureaucratic inefficiencies for a cut of their profits. His worldview is cynical, viewing the new economy as a playground for the powerful, where his role as a fixer is both justified and necessary.
Ivanov’s perspective reveals the stark contrast between the Soviet era’s stagnation and the current Wild West-like capitalism. He criticizes the old system’s inefficiencies, where incompetence was rewarded, and contrasts it with the dynamic but treacherous post-Soviet landscape. Despite the chaos, Ivanov thrives, leveraging his position to extract wealth from foreign investors while justifying his actions as protecting Russia’s resources. His arrogance is evident as he dismisses younger, educated professionals as unworthy of the profits he commands.
The chapter concludes with Ivanov’s assistant, Shvets, entering the scene. Ivanov, suffering from a hangover, barks orders at Shvets, who remains deferential. Their interaction underscores Ivanov’s authoritarian demeanor and hints at upcoming operations, including a mission to Beirut. The chapter paints a grim picture of power dynamics, where violence and corruption are tools of the trade, whether in Rapp’s world of counterterrorism or Ivanov’s realm of economic exploitation.
FAQs
1. How does Rapp use psychological tactics to extract information from Dorfman, and what does this reveal about Dorfman’s priorities?
Answer:
Rapp employs psychological torture by threatening Dorfman’s poodle with a knife, forcing him to choose which eye to pierce. This extreme tactic preys on Dorfman’s emotional attachment to the dog, which proves stronger than his loyalty to his wife or resistance to coercion. The scene reveals Dorfman’s skewed priorities—he relents only when his pet is endangered, not during earlier threats. This also highlights Rapp’s calculated ruthlessness; though he hesitates (“wasn’t sure he had the stomach for this”), he recognizes the dog’s value as leverage. The method underscores the chapter’s theme of moral ambiguity in counterterrorism operations.2. Compare the corruption in post-Soviet Russia (as described by Ivanov) to the Nazi-collaborator banker Dorfman. How do both systems enable unethical behavior?
Answer:
Both systems thrive on systemic corruption that rewards power over ethics. Dorfman, a Nazi sympathizer (“SS dagger and insignia”), aids terrorists for profit under the guise of banking, mirroring Ivanov’s justification of exploiting foreign investors as “protecting Russia’s resources.” Ivanov rationalizes his 10% kickbacks as natural in a lawless “Wild West” economy, just as Dorfman claims he’s “just a businessman.” The chapter parallels their worlds: Ivanov’s SVR operates like a mafia (“The Godfather”), while Dorfman’s banking enables violence. Both men represent how institutions—whether Soviet bureaucracy or Swiss banks—can shield immoral acts behind bureaucratic or professional facades.3. Analyze Hurley’s decision to execute Dorfman after obtaining the files. Was this ethically justifiable, and what might it foreshadow about Rapp’s development?
Answer:
Hurley’s execution is framed as pragmatic—eliminating a witness (“doing my job”)—but carries ethical weight. While Dorfman’s Nazi ties and terrorist financing make him morally reprehensible, his murder contrasts with Rapp’s hesitation during the dog threat, suggesting Hurley’s hardened extremism. Rapp’s muttered disbelief (“care more about that damn dog than your wife”) shows his growing awareness of moral complexity. This moment foreshadows Rapp’s future struggles with operational brutality; Hurley’s casual violence (“smiled… squeezed the trigger”) may become a model Rapp either embraces or rejects. The act also underscores the team’s “ends justify means” approach, a recurring theme in covert operations.4. How does the chapter contrast Ivanov’s and Rapp’s worlds through their respective methods of exerting control?
Answer:
Rapp employs direct, physical coercion (knife/gun threats) in a high-stakes heist, while Ivanov wields bureaucratic and economic manipulation (“10% ownership stake”). Rapp’s violence is immediate and visceral (Dorfman’s “brain” splattering), whereas Ivanov’s power is systemic—leveraging Soviet-era connections to “make problems go away.” The chapter juxtaposes Rapp’s field operations with Ivanov’s boardroom corruption, showing two faces of power: one brutal and personal, the other calculated and institutional. Both men, however, share a transactional worldview—Rapp trades a dog’s life for files; Ivanov trades influence for equity—highlighting how different systems reward ruthless pragmatism.5. Evaluate the symbolic significance of the SS dagger and the poodle in characterizing Dorfman. How do these objects encapsulate the chapter’s themes?
Answer:
The SS dagger represents Dorfman’s hidden Nazi past and moral rot, while the poodle symbolizes his capacity for affection—a contradiction that fascinates Rapp. The dagger, stored alongside terrorist financing files, ties historical fascism to modern extremism, suggesting cyclical violence. The poodle, meanwhile, humanizes Dorfman but also exposes his hypocrisy: he values animal life over human suffering (“helps terrorists kill civilians”). Together, the objects mirror the chapter’s exploration of moral ambiguity—even villains have vulnerabilities, and “monsters” (Nazis, corrupt bankers) may cherish pets. This duality recurs in Ivanov’s section, where he admires “The Godfather” while exploiting post-Soviet chaos.
Quotes
1. ““Left eye or right eye? You choose.””
This chilling quote demonstrates Rapp’s ruthless interrogation tactics, using psychological torture (threatening the banker’s dog) to achieve his mission objectives. It encapsulates the moral ambiguity of counterterrorism operations.
2. ““You care more about that damn dog than you do your wife… don’t you?””
This revealing statement highlights the unexpected vulnerability of the Nazi banker Dorfman, contrasting his affection for his pet with his complicity in terrorism. It serves as a commentary on the contradictions in human nature.
3. ““Today things were dynamic. Money was to be made everywhere, and lots of it.””
This quote introduces Ivanov’s perspective on post-Soviet Russia, capturing the lawless capitalism that emerged after communism’s fall. It sets up the chapter’s exploration of corruption in the new Russian economy.
4. ““It was The Godfather, the Wild West, and 1920s gangster America all rolled into one.””
This vivid analogy perfectly summarizes Ivanov’s view of modern Russia’s power structures. The comparison to classic organized crime systems illustrates the chapter’s central theme of systemic corruption.
5. ““Someone needed to keep track of all these foreign investors and make sure they weren’t stealing the Motherland’s natural resources.””
This quote reveals Ivanov’s self-justification for his corrupt practices, showing how he rationalizes his criminal behavior as patriotic duty. It’s a key insight into the character’s twisted moral framework.