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Mohammad Khan began his forty-year reign of Afghanistan in a coup d'etat
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Hassan runs into Assef
When Amir and Hassan were walking, they ran into Assef. The power dynamic between Hazara and Pashtun is shown as Assef calls Hassan, "Flat-Nose" (19). Hazara, the minority in Afghanistan, is in the society considered inferior to Pashtuns. This event foreshadows future conflicts between Hazaras (Hassan) and Pashtuns (Assef and Amir), like when Hassan gets raped. -
The Kite Flying Tournament
The winter of 1975, the day of the kite race, Hassan and Amir had won the competition, but then their friendship changed forever. After they had won the race, Assef wanted to take the kite away from Hassan, but he said, "Amir agha won this tournament and I ran this kite for him. I ran it fairly. This is his kite" (72). Hassan is much more loyal to Amir, then Amir to Hassan, as after this was said, Amir watched Hassan being raped. Amir just sees Hassan as inferior and a servant, not a friend. -
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
Troubles first began in Afganistan in the, "1979 invasion by the Soviet Union and the reaction both by Afghans and by their allies in the United States and Pakistan" (The New York Times). -
The first Soviet troops arriving to invade Afghanistan
After 1979 the Soviets stayed in Afghanistan for over nine years starting when, "The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979" (The New York Times), where they supported a communist leader. -
I.S. Announced It would be boycotting the Olympic Games in Moscow
Baba was describing to Ali how much he loathed the current U.S. president and Ali said,” In 1980, when we were still in Kabul, the U.S. announced it would be boycotting the Olympic Games in Moscow.’ ‘Wah wah’ Baba exclaimed with disgust”(126). Baba believed Carter was communist, so he really disliked him. He wants someone strong and powerful in office, similar to how it was in Afghanistan. -
Hassan and Ali leave
Because Hassan made Amir feel guilty, Amir framed Hassan for stealing something, and Hassan and Ali decided to leave. Ali said, “Life here is impossible for us now, Agha sahib. We’re leaving” (106). Amir’s bad morals are shown here as Baba and Ali were like brothers, so Amir blaming Hassan for something he didn’t do caused Baba to emotionally suffer. -
Baba and Amir leave Kabul for the U.S.
Baba and Amir has to leave Kabul and travel as refugees to somewhere safer. Their first stop was Manul and graveling there was , “A pretty lucrative business then, driving people out of Shorawi-occupies Kabul to the relative safety of Pakistan” (111). At the time Kabul was unsafe because of all the Soviet invasions, and once Baba and Amir left Kabul, their lives and living standards changed forever. -
Kamal’s Father Shot Himself
When Baba and Amir travel to the U.S., they were with Kamir and his father and had to travel in hiding. Once underground Kamir couldn’t get enough oxygen so he died, and then , “Kamal’s father shoved a barrel in his own mouth mouth. I’ll never forget the echo of that blast” (124). This experience shows the treacherous journey that refugees had to embark on, also shown when a Russian man wanted to have time alone with a women in return for letting them travel. -
Amir propsed to Soraya
After admiring Soraya for a while, Amir decided to ask for her hand in marriage. Even after hearing one of Soraya's secrets, Amir said, "Nothing you said changes anything. I want us to marry" (165). Amir was in love with Soraya, and even after Soraya told him her biggest secret, he wouldn't tell her about what he did to Hassan. -
Baba Died
After refusing to get treatment for his cancer, Baba passed away. Amir soon realized that "My whole, I had been "Baba's son." Now he was gone. Baba couldn't show me the way anymore" (174). Amir knew how wise Baba was with all the amazing things he had done for people, but Amir never knew how much Baba guided him in how to act in life. This left Amir feeling lost without someone guiding him. -
Amir graduated from high school
When Amir graduated from high school in the U.S., he said, "This was his day more than mine" (131). Amir having graduated from high school in the U.S. made Baba proud of the success that Amir was having. The immigration and change of setting was not a good change for Baba, making him extra proud and happy that Amir was doing so well in the U.S. -
After the Soviets left Afghanistan
After the Soviets had left, "Afganistan descended into viscious internecine strife; by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords" (The New York Times). -
Mullah Omar's Movement
By late 1994, Mullah Omar, a Pushtun with seemingly good ideals, "Had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east" (The New York Times). -
Amir and Soraya get Married
In Afghan culture, marriage is not only the joining of two people but the joining of two families. Marriage is also very important causing Baba to, "spend $35,000, nearly the balance of his life savings, on awroussi, the wedding ceremony" (169). Often Afghanistan marriages were arranged, so it was lucky that Amir and Soraya found each other, and that the families approved of their marriage. Baba finding this relationship so important, he spent all of his money on it. -
Taliban Took Control over Afghanistan
By 1996, the Taliban had taken control of Afghanistan, "imposing strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law" (The New York Times), such as making women more inferior. -
Sohrab Defeats Assef
A fight between Assef and Amir ends when Sohrab defeats Assef when, "Sohrab released the cup [and] Assef was screaming' (291). After multiple terrible encounters with Assef and knowing all the many horrible other things he'd done, Amir and Sohrab were able to get their revenge on him. This brought Sohrab and Amir closer, saved both of their lives, and gave some closure to Amir. -
Hassan was killed
When the word spread that Hazaras were living in a large house, the Taliban came and said that Hassan, "Was a liar and a thief like all Hazaras and ordered his family out of the house by sundown" (218). After Hassan tried to explain what the actual situation was, the Talibs shot him. The Taliban had a strong belief that Hazaras should be inferior, putting people, such as Hassan, at fault for everything. His death made Amir feel guilty for when he thought of Hassan as just a Hazara and servant. -
After the 9/11 Attacks
After the 9/11 attacks, President Bush allowed teh Taliban to hand in Mr. bin Ladin, but they refused, causing, "The United Sates joined forces with rebel groups that had never accepted Taliban rule, notably the Northern Alliance, which represented minority tribes" (The New York Times). -
Hamid Karzai Became Leader of Afghanistan
In Dec. 2001, Hamid Karzai became, "Chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him leader of the country" (The New York Times). -
Start of U.S. Involvement in Afghanistan
Since 2001, the U.S. has been militarily involved in Afghanistan because of the, "Sept. 11 attacks by Al Qaeda" (The New York Times). -
9/11
The 9/11 attacks impacted Amir as, "Overnight, the world changed" (362), and, "Suddenly, people were...talking about the cities of [his] childhood" (362). Amir, being from the middle east, but then moving to the U.S. meant he had an involvement in these attacks. He came from the home of the terrorists, but lived in the country where the attacks took place. -
Sohrab Smiled
After being silent for a year, Sohrab let out, "A smile" (370). Sohrab smiled doing the same thing that brought his father, Hassan joy, kite flying. When Sohrab smiled it brought satifaction and forgiveness for Amir. -
President Obama Planned to Deploy Troops
On Dec. 1, 2009, President Obama made speech stating, "His plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (The New York Times), while also saying that the troops would return in 2011 because the U.S. did not deserve, "An open-ended commitment" (The New York Times). -
Obama Decided to Keep Troops in Afghanistan for Longer
Obama changed his original plan of troops come home in 2011 to stating that, "The United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014" (The New York Times), as Obama wanted to stop the Taliban.