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Gunshots In Kabul
One night in Kabul, "[s]omething roared like thunder. The earth shook a little and we heard the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire" (Hossieni 35). Hassan and Amir are terrified by this sound, having never heard it before. Although this is simply the beginning of the violence and strife that will strike Kabul, this quote sets the author up to show that Amir never loses his naiveté. Cowardice and naiveté often go hand in had, as shown in Amir. -
Hassan's Surgery
The first time Hassan sees himself after getting surgery on his cleft lip "his lips twisted, and, that time [Amir], knew exactly what he was doing. He was smiling." (Hosseini 47). Hassan had been made fun of for most of his life for his cleft lip. Even his mother refused to look at him because she was so disgusted by it. Therefore, this surgery allows him to feel free of the aforementioned taunts and unashamed of what many describe as his defining feature: his smile. -
The Rape of Hassan
As Hassan is raped, Amir briefly sees his face and describes "a look [Amir] had seen before. It was the look of the lamb." (Hosseini 76). The lamb Amir references is the sacrificial lamb in an Islamic ceremony, the look he is speaking of being the look the lamb has right before it is slaughtered. Hassan is not killed here, but his happiness, honesty, and openness die in this moment. -
Amir Wins the Kite Running Competition
When Amir wins he "saw Baba on [their] roof. He was standing on the edge, pumping both of his fists ... that right there was the single greatest moment of [Amir's] twelve years of life" (Hossieni 66). This is the singular moment when Amir feels that Baba is proud of him and approves of something he has done. This is the feeling that drives Amir's response to Hassan's being raped and therefore the rest of Amir's life. -
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
According to the New York Times, Afghanistan "has known little peace" since the Soviet Union invaded. -
Fleeing Afghanistan
We "couldn't trust anyone in Kabul anymore- for fee or under threat, people told on each other" (Hossieni 112). Amir and Baba flee Afghanistan under threat of violence and in mourning if what their home once was. When Amir was younger, Kabul was safe and everyone trusted everyone else but the city's morals deteriorate along with Amir's. -
Amir Graduates from High School
Amir feels that "in a way, the was [Baba's] day more than [Amir's]" (Hossieni 131). Baba moved to America so Amir could have a chance at a future free from the violence that plagued Afghanistan. When Amir graduated from an American high school this was Baba's confirmation that he had done the right thing and that his sacrifices were worth it. -
Meeting Soraya
When Amir first sees Soraya he describes her "thick black eyebrows that touched in the middle like the arched wing of a flying bird, and the gracefully hooked nose of a princess from old Persia" (Hossieni 140). This is the first description of its kind in the book, as Hossieni is usually quicker to describe what Amir thinks of people and their personality. This physical description extends and foreshadows (if it does not completely give away) Amir's future with Soraya. -
Amir's Wedding
Even on his wedding day Amir is "wondering if Hassan too had married" (Hosseini 171). Amir is marrying a beautiful woman, all of his friends and family are there, and he is still haunted by memories of his childhood mistakes. This shows how much guilt Amir carries his whole life about letting Hassan get raped and the aftermath of that incident. -
Baba's Death
When Baba dies, Amir realizes that Baba can't "show [him] the way anymore; [he'd] have to find it on [his] own" (Hossieni 174). Amir's whole life has revolved around Baba up to this point- pleasing Baba, helping Baba, taking care of Baba. Furthermore, he has lived his whole life in the shadow of Baba's reputation. Now that Baba is gone Amir is free to be his own person but he has no idea who that person is or should be. *I had to add a month and day so this was after the wedding on the timeline -
Soviet Union Leaves
The last of the Soviet troops left Afghanistan after UN moderated peace talks, in "what was in effect a unilateral withdrawal" (New York Times 2). -
Finding Out Soraya is Infertile
Soraya's infertility came between Amir and her, "rising from Soraya and settling between [them]. Sleeping between [them]" (Hossieni 189). Each partner feels that it is their fault, Soraya's guilt from her infertility and Amir's guilt from feeling as if the is karma for letting Hassan get raped. This feeling of cosmic punishment follows Amir, exacerbating his guilt. -
The Taliban Seize Control
The Taliban, an extremist Islamic group took control of Afghanistan. They wanted to purify the country and promised to restore "the centrality of Islam to daily life" (The New York Times 2). With aid from Pakistan, the Taliban took enforcing Islamic law to the extreme by 1996. -
Ultimatum from the U.S.
After 9/11, George W. Bush "gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. bin Laden" (The New York Times 3). -
Taliban Are Pushed Out
The U.S. army pushed the Taliban out of Afghanistan by "join[ing] forces with rebel groups that never accepted Taliban rule" (New York Times 3) -
Amir and Assef Fight
During the fight Amir "[doesn't] know at what point [he] started laughing, but I did. It hurt to laugh ... But I was laughing" (Hosseini 289). Amir is laughing while being beat half to death because he finally feels he is atoning for what he did to Hassan. He is now, in his mind, free because he has repented. -
Amir Adopts Sohrab
When Amir adopts Sohrab and they fly back to America "the color still [hasn't] seeped back into his face, save for the halo of dark circles around his eyes" (Hosseini 358). Sohrab is a shadow of child- he doesn't speak abd barely eats. He is not the bringer of color and brightness into Amir and Soraya's home that they had hoped for in a child. Rather, he is a physical manifestation of the silence that has haunted Amir and Soraya's household since they learned she is infertile. -
Returning to Afghanistan
The words that lure Amir to Afghanistan are "[c]ome. There is a way to be good again." (Hosseini 192). Rahim Khan speaks them over the phone and Amir is so excited by this concept that he actually goes. When Rahim Khan explains what he believes Amir must do to be good, Amir does it regardless of the many possible consequences and pitfalls. All Amir truly wants is to be free from and to have atoned for this sin that he committed so many years ago. -
Hamid Karzai takes Takes Power
Hamid Karzai was related to the last dictator of Afghanistan and his presidency, while supported by the Bush administration, was characterized by "lack of economic progress and corrupt officials" (The New York Times 3). -
Sohrab Connects with Amir
After about a year without giving any reaction to Amir's attempts to connect with him, "[o]ne corner of [Sohrab's] mouth had curled up just so. A smile" (Hosseini 370). The two connect over kite running, just as Baba and Amir did so many years ago. In this moment, Amir regains a feeling of childlike innocence and is the father he always wanted Baba to be. -
Obama Deploys More Troops
In a speech at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, Obama announced "his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (New York Times 4). He also committed to beginning to bring troops home in 2011. Later, this rhetoric changed as the U.S. tried to convince the Taliban that there would continue to be U.S. resistance of their rule. -
Bin Laden Killed
A Navy Seal "fired two shots at Bin Laden and 'split open' his head" (Kentish). The Taliban's protection of Mr. Bin Laden mostly justified US occupation of Afghanistan. -
US and Allies Commit to Sending More Troops
Despite many initiatives to reduce the number of troops in Afghanistan, "General John Nicholson warns that he needs thousands more troops" (Timeline: US intervention in Afghanistan 2001 to 2017) so there will be more deployed. -
Taliban Assassination of Important General
A Taliban assassination was executed just months ago, killing important officials and hurting the anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan greatly. It has also "deeply shaken the relationship between Afghan and American forces" (Mashal, Gibbons-Neff).
