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Hassan's Harelip is Fixed
For Hassan's birthday, Baba paid for a surgery for Hassan to fix his upper lip. Amir says that it was the "winter Hassan stopped smiling"(47). This is foreshadowing Hassan's rape in the next chapter, when Hassan stops smiling. This also shows how Baba cared for Hassan, but he couldn't show his affection publicly, so he fixed his lip. Amir realizes this later, when he is told by Rahim Khan that Baba was his father. -
Hassan's Rape by Assef
Hassan gets raped by Assef during the kite tournament. He is running the blue kite for Amir when Assef meets him and rapes him. Amiri runs away from the scene and doesn't stick up for Hassan. When Amir is watching Hassan and runs, he says, "In the end, I ran. I ran because I was a coward...He was just a Hazara, wasn't he?"(77) Amir witnesses it all but doesn't take action. This leads to Amir feeling guilty for the rest of his life. -
Hassan Tells Amir that He Would Eat Dirt
Amir and Hassan are running a kite. Hassan says that he'd rather eat dirt than lie to Amir. Amir describes teasing Hassan as "somewhat fascination-albeit in a sick way"(54). This shows Hassan's loyalty to Amir. It shows how he genuinely loves Amir and would never lie to him. Amir later on describes Hassan as someone who loved him in a way that no one ever has and would, and it is showed when he says that he would eat dirt for him. This also shows how Amir didn't feel the same way. -
Amir Wins the Kite Tournament
Amir enters the kite tournament and wins. He feels like it is the first time that Baba is proud of him. Amir says, "Baba held me close to him, rocking me back and forth. In his arms, I forgot what I'd done. And that was good."(79). Baba finally feels proud of Amir. After Amir watched Hassan get raped, he feels guilty but he feels safe in Baba's arms. He entered the tournament to get Baba's approval, and he ended up earning it even though he watched Hassan get raped. -
Hassan Moves Out of Baba and Amir's house
Ali and Hassan move out of Baba's house after he finds out that Amir watched Hassan get raped. While they are leaving, Amir says, "[when] Ali glanced my way and in his cold, unforgiving look, I saw that Hassan had told them"(106). Ali feels like Baba's home is no longer safe for him and Hassan. There is a significant power change when Ali says, "you can't forbid me to do anything...we don't work for you anymore."(107). This is also the last time that Amir ever sees Hassan in real life. -
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The Soviet Invasion and After
Before the Soviet invasion, Afghanistan was a stable country. When 1979 hit, "the Soviet invasion descended into a prolonged and bloody occupation. -
Soviet War
The Soviet invasion was long and brutal. The Soviet troops "stayed in the country for more than nine years, fighting a conflict that cost them roughly 15,000 lives and undisclosed billions of rubles." -
Amir Goes to Pakistan then to America
Amir and Baba go in a gas tank to Pakistan in a fuel tank with Karim. While there, Kamal dies from the fumes and his father shoots himself out of grief. Amir says that he will "never forget the echo of that blast. Or the flash of light and the spray of red"(124). This is one of the many hardships and grim experiences Amir went through before he lived in America. It demonstrates the relationship between father and son. Kamal's father would rather die than live without Kamal. -
Soraya has Infertility
Amir and Soraya decide to try to have a child. Soraya goes to the doctor and is diagnosed with "unexplained infertility"(185). Soraya is deeply saddened by this and contemplates adopting until General Taheri says that it's not for Afghans. This leads Soraya to accept the idea of adopting Sohrab, since he is Amir's nephew and because she wants a child. She wanted Sohrab to use the paint and books that she bought him, but he was too upset to do it. -
Baba Dies
Baba had cancer and refused treatment. Amir and Soraya took care of him during his last days. Amir and Soraya are tucking him into bed, and shortly after he "never woke up"(173). Amir then realizes that he lived in Baba's shadow for his whole life and that he was his own person now. Amir was deeply saddened by Baba's death and Hassan wore black to honor him. -
Amir Marries Soraya
Amir and Soraya get marries after a long time of talking at the flea market. While they are doing Masshaf, Amir says, "I whispered to her for the first time that I loved her."(171). Amir then wonders if Hassan was married, and he is filled with guilt. This is important because Amir will spend the rest of his life with Soraya. -
Amir Graduates From High School
Amir graduates from high school as the oldest senior. Baba then says, "I am moftakhir, Amir."(131). Baba is proud of Amir for graduating and brings Amir to a bar for drinks. He goes to the bar and orders drinks for everyone and finally fits in with America. He gets drunk and yells, "f**k the Russia!"(132). This is important because Baba doesn't fit in with America's culture, but he finally does when he buys drinks for everyone. -
Baba is Diagnosed With Cancer
Baba is diagnosed with lung cancer and he refuses treatment. Baba is diagnosed with "oat cell carcinoma. [It is]advanced. Inoperable."(156). Baba asks Amir not to say anything because of his pride. Amir and Baba still go to the flea market. Baba's cancer is difficult for Amir because he has to watch Baba get worse and not be able to do anything about it. Even though he has cancer, Baba and Amir's relationship is still the same, maybe even closer. -
Pakistans assistance to the Pashtun
The Taliban helped the Pashtuns by "funneling arms, money, and supplies to Mullah Omar's men." -
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The Taliban Takeover
The Taliban came from a student movement in the southeast. The group started with a small band of men and Mullah Omar, but soon grew into "nearly 12,000 followers." -
Sohrab Takes Assef's Eye Out
When Amir went to Assef's place to get Sohrab, Assef lets him take Sohrab only if he beats him in the fight. Sohrab then proceeds to slingshot a brass ball into Assef's eye. Amir disoriented because of the pain from Assef's beating, but then he says, "then I understood: The brass ball was still stuck in his empty eye socket." (291) This event is foreshadowed when Hassan calls Assef "one-eyed Assef"(42). Instead of Hassan taking Assef's eye out, his son does. -
Amir Finds Out That Hassan is His Brother
Amir goes to Rahim Khan because he is dying. While he is there, Rahim Khan tells him that they were half brothers. Amir yells at Rahim Khan and says, "I'm thirty-eight years old and I've just found out my whole life is one big... lie!" (223). Amir feels betrayed by Baba and Rahim Khan because they never told Amir nor Hassan that they were brothers. Amir finally understands why Baba showed so much affection towards Hassan. He feels like Baba stole Hassan's identity and Amir from his brother. -
Hassan Dies
Rahim Khan goes to Hazarajat to find Hassan and Faranza and ask him to move in. They live together for a long time until Rahim Khan leaves to Peshawar. While he is gone, the Taliban took Hassan and "shot him in the back of the head."(219). Amir is upset about Hassan's death and he feels like he lost the chance to apologize. Amir doesn't want to go to Kabul to get Sohrab until Rahim Khan tells him that he is his nephew. Amir agrees to go, showing how he values family. -
Taliban Housing Bin Laden
The Taliban protected Bin Laden. They "provided a haven for Mr. bin Laden, who arrived by chartered jet at Jalalabad Airport in May 1996." -
Amir Asks Sohrab to go to America With Him
Amir wants Sohrab to go to San Francisco to live with Soraya and him. Sohrab is apprehensive at first and doesn't want to put in an orphanage. Amir says, "I won't ever let that happen. I promise you that...Come home with me...He nodded."(324). Amir wants to adopt and bring home Sohrab because he loves him. He is atoning for what he did when he betrayed Hassan. -
The Karzai Government
Hamid Karzai, a supporter of Mohammed Zahir Shah, "was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country." -
The Taliban Resurgence
America was focused on Iraq, so the Taliban used that advantage to regroup and "extend its influence in the southern part of Afghanistan." The got a lot of money from the drug trade. The Taliban also went to Pakistan, which raised concerns about stability. -
2001 Invasion
The invasion in 2001 by the US "succeeded in dislodging Al Qaeda and removing the Taliban from tower, but not in eradicating either group." -
Sohrab Tries to Commit Suicide
After Amir tells Sohrab that he has to go back to the orphanage, Sohrab cuts himself in the bath. When Amir asked Sohrab why he did it, he says, "'I want my old life back...I am so khasta.'"(354) Sohrab was so scared to go back to the orphanage where Assef hurt him, and he would rather not live anymore. He misses his old life where he had his father and mother, and is reluctant to go to America with Amir because he misses his old life. -
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After the 9/11 Invasion
After the invasion on the World Trade Center, "President George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. bin Laden." The Taliban refused, so the US teamed up with rebel groups to drive the Taliban out of major Afghan cities. -
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Obama's War
Obama was warned by Biden to not get involved in "political and military quagmire." Obama announced his plan to deploy more troops.