Nadeem Aslam is what can be considered a transatlantic writer. First, I would like to address the recurring "Big Buddha" who is omnipresent throughout the novel and presents a key reference point. for its readers. Rather than suggesting that this is a reference to a religious issue, it is actually a reference to the past and the peace that Afghanistan embraced before the horrors of war. If we take for example Marcus, the great pacifist of the novel, he is fantastically described as “a ruined prophet” by Lara, of Russian origin. What is immediately represented by Marcus is indeed a wreck, recovered from the war. The first reference to the Great Buddha can be contrasted with Marcus because he too is a relic of the past, as he is described as "a face from another time". (Aslam 22) Nadeem Aslam pointed out in an interview with “BookBits” that a country cannot bury its past, so the Big Buddha is not just a memory of the past, but a memory of a peaceful Afghanistan. The Buddha's aim is not to romanticize Buddhism or condemn Islam, but to condemn war and act as a stark reminder of peace. Quite fascinatingly, Aslam creates another contrast with the historical reference in his masterpiece. The book is punctuated quite frequently with references to the 2001 Twin Towers bombings, but nevertheless refrains from going into too much detail about the attacks. Jean Baudrillard wrote a bold article following these atrocities stating that: “The spectacle of terrorism imposes on us the terrorism of the spectacle. » The impact of such an attack therefore rests on the symbolic value of the element. I make this observation in order to draw a clear contrast between these atrocities and a second symbolic act by Muslim extremists in 2001 which ...... middle of paper ...... ate level, but still represents a change of mentality. The first occurrence for which this change is suggested begins with The Great Buddha. Casa momentarily appears slightly disoriented as he falls asleep. “He lies there, aware of the giant features hovering above him in the darkness. Eyes almost closed. The smile. (Aslam 164) Although his mind desires that he move away from the "idol", his body rejects such a movement, giving the impression that he is attracted to the Buddha and the ideology attached to him. Perhaps one phrase from the novel that stands out regarding Casa's redemption concerns his discovery of a landmine. “He knows he has to stop Marcus and the others from venturing near the mine. He can't bring himself to care what happens to them. (Aslam 259) This passage suggests an inner conflict of Casa, concerning the safety of Marcus, Lara and David..