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Daoud Khan Proposes new constitution
From 1975 to 1977 a man named Daoud Khan pomotes his new constitution that grants women rights and tries to modernize Afghanistans communist state, "Khan proposes a new constitution that grants women rights and works to modernize the largely communist state" (Admin BBC news hour -A Historicle Timeline of Afghanistan) -
Amir wins kite flying contest
Amir enters the kite flying contest with Hassan as his assistant and is able to win. A quote that interested me during this part of the book was " If Baba was wrong and their was a god then he'd let me win" (Hosseini 65). This quotation showedhow much that the kite flying contest meant to Amir. He is implying that he wants to win so bad that god would recognize it and allow Amir to win the contest. -
Hassan is Raped
The same day Amir wins the kite flying contest Hassan is raped by Assef with the assistance of two other boys. While Hassan is running a Kite assef catches him and rapes Hassan, "'Ill let you keep it as a reminder of what I am about to do to you"' (Hosseini 72). Hassan is violated while running a kite for Amir. When Hassan refused to hand over the kite, Assef made him pay for it by assaulting Hassan. -
Amirs 13th Birthday Party
Amir celebrates his birthday the summer of 1976 with tons of guests showing up. Assef showed up to the party even though Amir had witnessed him rape Hassan, "It was assef, with his parents"(Hosseini 95). Assef thinks very little of the rape because Hassan is a hazara and is able to show up to Amirs bithday without acting different. This shows the amount of hatrid Assef feels toward the Hazaras. -
Dauoud Khan killed
Daoud Khan is killed by a comunist coup and is set out to be replaced by Nur Mohammad Taraki, "Khan is killed in a communist coup. Nur Mohammad Taraki, one of the founding members of the Afghan Communist Party, takes control of the country as president, and Babrak Karmal is named deputy prime minister" (PBS News hour -A Historicle timeline of Afghanistan). -
General Doud killed
A general named Mohamed Doud who had previously taken over Afghanistan and declared it a republic is killed in a pro soviet coup, "General Daud is overthrown and killed in a pro-Soviet coup" (BBC news article "Afghan Profile"). -
American Ambasador Killed
While in Afghanistan Adolph Dubs is killed and the United states cuts off all assistance for Afghanistan, "American Ambassador Adolph Dubs is killed. The United States cuts off assistance to Afghanistan" (PBS News hour -A Historicle timeline of Afghanistan). -
Soviet Army invades
In december of 1979 the soviet army invades Afghanistan in order to help the communists take contol over the country, "the Soviet Union intervened in support of the Afghan communist government in its conflict with anticommunist Muslim guerrillas during the Afghan War (1978–92) and remained in Afghanistan until mid-February 1989" (The editors of Encyclopidia of Britannica). -
Babrak Karmal Becomes Leader
A man named Babrak Karmal becomes the leader of Afghanistan and is backed by soviet troops, "Babrak Karmal (Persian: ببرک کارمل, born Sultan Hussein; 6 January 1929 – 1 or 3 December 1996) was an Afghan politician who was installed as president of Afghanistan by the USSR when they invaded in 1979" (wikipedia). -
Baba and Amir flee the country
The Russians invade Afghanistan and Baba decides to have him and Amir leave Afghanistan. This was a very hard decision for Baba and this is shown when he cries on the bus,"Then I saw Baba do something I had never seen him do before: he cried" (Hosseini 107). Baba is notorious for being a strong man who never shows his emotions. This event was very hard for him, so hard that he showed his emotions despite his reputation that may be at risk. (maybe not because he is leaving his country???) -
Baba and Amir arrive in Sanfancisco
Baba and Amir arive in America after a long journey. Life seems to be good in America and Baba is able to find a job quickly, "Just one month after we arrived in the US, Baba found a job working as an asisntant manager at a gas station owned by an Afghan aquantance" (Hosseini 130). Although it was a very hard decision to make to move to America, it may have been the right one. Life seems to be going well in their new home. -
Amir graduates
In the summer of 1983 Amir graduates high school at the age of 20. Baba is very proud of his acheivement and shows this whe he says, "'I am moftakhir, Amir' he said. Proud" (Hosseini 131). Despite Baba and Amirs differences, Baba still loves Amir and is proud of this accomplishment. Baba seems to be accepting Amir for who he is now rather than forcing him to be something hes not. -
Amir meets Soraya
While at the flee market with Baba, Amir meets general Sahib, his wife and his daughter Saraya who he finds interesting. Amir starts to care very deeply about her, this is shown when he says "My heart stuttered at the thought of her. My swap meet princes" (Hosseini 142). Amir begins to think about Soraya all the time just from the one time they met. This shows how much he is interested and how attracted to her he really is. -
Amir marries Soraya
After asking her father for prommision, Amir asks Soraya's hand in marrage. When the generl accepts Amir is very extited and relieved, he shows this while accepting the generals call, "'the general accepted.' I let out a burst of air, sat down, my hand were shaking" (Hossieni 183). Amir is very nervous about the general's answer and his reaction to the call shows how releaved he was. Soraya means a lot to him and he would not have acted this way if he didnt care about her. -
Rebellion Forms Against Soviets
A rebelion in Pakistan comes together to try to stop the Soviets from having control over Afghanitsan, "Mujahideen come together in Pakistan to form alliance against Soviet forces. Half of Afghan population now estimated to be displaced by war, with many fleeing to neighbouring Iran or Pakistan" (BBC news article "Afghanistan Profile"). -
US begins souporting rebelion
The US begins sending the allience stinger missiles to helop their efforts, " US begins supplying mujahideen with Stinger missiles, enabling them to shoot down Soviet helicopter gunships" (BBC news article "Afghan Profile"). -
Baba dies
One night Baba decides not to take his medicine resulting in his death. Baba shows that he was ready to die by the way he acted the night before he died, "not tonight, there is no pain tonight" (Hosseini 173). Baba did not feel any pain the night of his death showing he had accepted he was going to die and he did not feel the pain of his disease. He had watched Amir as his grown up self with his wife the night of his death which allowed him to die happily. -
Peace accords signed
Afghanistan, USSR, US, and Pakistan all sign peace accords and Soviets begin pulling out troops,"The Geneva Accords, known formally as the agreements on the settlement of the situation relating to the Afghanistan, were signed on 14 April 1988 United Nations,[1] between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the United States and the Soviet Union serving as guarantors" (Wikipedia). -
Amir publishes his first novel
In the summer of 1988 Amir publishes his first novel, a father son story set in Kabul. This books success means a lot to Amir and Soraya and this is shown when they send the manuscript, "Soraya kissed the carfully wraped manuscript and Khala Jamila insistedwe pass it under the quaran" (Hosseini 182). This book is Amirs primary source of income and this book needs to do well so he can provide for himslef and Soraya. All people close to him wish the book does well. -
Last Soviet troops leave
All of the soviet troops have left Afghanistan by 1989, "More than eight years after they intervened in Afghanistan to support the procommunist government, Soviet troops begin their withdrawal. The event marked the beginning of the end to a long, bloody, and fruitless Soviet occupation of Afghanistan" (History.com). -
Sohrab is born
Hassan's son Sohrab is born and Amir is told this through Rahim Khan. Hassan shows he will care verydeeply for his babywhen he says, "'I have waited long and hard to see if you are as beautiful as I have dreamed and yet you are more"(Hosseini 210). Hassan shows he will love Sohrab very deeply and he shows it through many things. For example he speaks tp him very kindly and full of lovely thoughts, and he plays with Sohrab often. -
Hassan and his wife are killed
In 2000 Hassan and his wife are killed by the taliban while at Baba's house. Hassans son was sent to an orphanige and Amir sets out to find him, "A way to end the cycle. With a little boy. An orphan. Hassans son some where in Kabul (Hosseini 227). Amir sets out to find Sohrab to atone for his actions to Hassan aswell as Baba's actions toward Ali. The way he seeks to do so is to find Sohrab and find him a good place to live. -
Sohrab attempts to commit suicide
Sohrab tries to commit suicide when he finds out he might be sent back to the orphanige. The orphanige is an awful place in Sohrab's mind, he shows this when he says, "Not that place! God, oh God. Please no!" (Hosseini 342) The abuse Sohrab went through while at theorphanige was to much for him to be able to go back. He was also upset that Amir broke his promise to him that he could live in America. -
Sohrab meets general Taheri
After arriving in America Sohrab has dinner with Amir, Soraya, and General Taheri. While he is at dinner he is called "Hazara boy" by the general which angers amir, "You will never refer to him as 'Hazara boy' again in my presance"(Hosseini 360). Amir cares deeply about Sohrab and will not allow him to suffer the same abuse as Ali and Hassan did. This is part of atoning for what e didto Hassan as well as the fact he cares for Sohrab. -
Sohrab smiles
Because of the abuse Sohrab went through at the orphanige and Amir breaking his promise, Sohrab had not smiled in about a year. However while flying kites with Amir he smiles a tiny bit which exites Amir, "I blinked and thesmile was gone. But it had been there, I had seen it" (Hosseini 371). The smile was a sign that Sohrab could get better and learn to enjoy life. This way him and Soraya could lead a happy life with him.
