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Amir and Hassan Win the Kite Contest
In the Winter of 1975, Amir and Hassan won the kite running contest. Amir exclaimed, “‘ [w]e won! [w]e won!”’ (Hosseini 67), as he and Hassan had just defeated the kite they were flying against in the contest. He and Hassan bonded over kite running, and they loved competing together. When they finally won, they were both extremely happy and proud. -
Hassan's Rape
Hassan’s rape was a significant event in the novel because Amir was a bystander and “just watched. [p]aralyzed” (Hosseini 73). This experience stayed with Amir for the rest of his life, and he could not stop thinking about atoning for it. He also wonders how his life would have been different if he had said something. -
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Afghanistan Timespan
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Hassan and Ali Leave
Hassan and Ali leave Baba and Amir after Hassan says he stole Amir's watch even though he didn't. Baba tells Ali he forbids him to leave, but Ali tells him, "'[r]espectfully, you can't forbid me to do anything" (Hosseini 107), because they no longer work for him. Amir watches this happen and feels the urge to speak up, but he just can't get himself to admit what he has done. Hassan and Ali ask Baba to take them to the bus station so they can go to Hazarajat and stay with Ali's cousin. -
Amir's 13th Birthday
Amir turned thirteen during the summer of 1976. His party as huge because whenever Baba threw a party, his motto was to "[i]nvite the whole world or it's not a party"(Hosseini 93). Amir recieved plenty of gifts and even one from Assef: a biography about Hitler. Baba gave Amir a new bike and a wristwatch. -
Soviet Union Invades Afghanistan
In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan which led up to a "prolonged and bloody occupation" (The New York Times 2), that caused much trouble for Afghanistan's future. -
Baba and Amir Move to America
Amir and Baba move to Freemont, California and live there in the 1980's. Amir says Baba "loved the idea of America" (Hosseini 125), and many other Aghans lived in the same area. Although the culture was different than it was in Kabul, they found an Afghan market where they spent most of their Sunday mornings. Eventually, Baba ran into an old friend there, General Taheri, who's daughter marries Amir. -
Amir Graduates High School
Amir graduated from high school at the start of summer in 1983. He was "by far the oldest senior" (Hosseini 131), as he graduated at twenty yeard old. Baba took Amir to an Afghan kabob bar to celebrate, and he ordered many beers in honor of Amir's graduation. He also gave Amir a new car as a gift, and drove around with him to end the night. -
Amir and Soraya Marry
After meeting Soraya at the Afghan market, Amir fell in love and married her. During the celebration Amir saw "Baba between [them] on the sofa smiling" (Hosseini 171). He and Soraya were finally married and ready to begin this new chapter in their lives. As the night went on, Amir wondered if Hassan had married as well, and he thought about his past back in Kabul. -
Rahim Khan Goes to Find Hassan
Rahim Khan calls Amir to tell him that he is very sick. Once Amir gets to Pakistan, Rahim Khan tells him about how he lived with Hassan. He tells him the reasons why he chose to look for him, "the biggest one ... was that [he] was lonley" (Hosseini 203). He tells Amir all about Hassan and how he was married to another Hazara named Faramza. They lived with Rahim Khan along with their son Sohrab. -
Baba Dies
After developing cancer, Baba became very sluggish and ill. He passed away in his sleep, a month after Amir's wedding. He told Soraya and Amir "'[t]here is no pain tonight"' (Hosseini 173), and he never woke up after that. Baba's death affected Amir, as his father who taught him everything he knew, was now gone. He began to realize how many people admired Baba, and how so many Afghans looked up to him in their community. -
U.S. Provides Missiles for Afghanistan
The Soviet Air Force was strong in Afghanistan until 1986 when they were "rendered largely useless by advanced Stinger antiaircraft missiles supplied by the United States to the rebels" (New York Times 2). -
Amir Publishes His First Book
During the Summer of 1988, Amir finally published his first novel. The story was "a father-son story set in Kabul" (Hosseini 182) and after sending many letters to agencies, he finally was able to get his book published. This was very important to Amir because it was his dream for a long time to publish his very own story. Soraya was proud of him for this accomplishment and he continued to pursue his career as a writer. -
Soviet Union Leaves Afghanistan
After the United Nation moderated peace talks, Soviet Union troops left Afghanistan; however, what they left behind was a "country that was not only devastated by war but that had become a beacon to Islamic extremists" (New York Times 2). -
Mullah Omar Attacks Warloads
The Taliban Mullah Omar, a single-eyed Pashtun who started the Tliban takeover, "gathered a small band of men and attacked a group of warloads who had raped a girl and shaved her head" (New York Times 2). -
Pakistan Fuels the Taliban for Battle
Pakistan helped the Taliban prepare for their battle by "funneling arms, money and supplies to Mullah Omar's men, as well as military advisers to help guide them in battle" (New York Times 3). -
The Taliban Takes over Afghanistan
The Taliban had taken control of Afghanistan by 1996, but they did this by "imposing strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law, banning movies and music and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqa clothing" (New York Times 3). -
The Taliban Takeover
The Taliban was a student movement that was "dedicated to purifying the country" (New York Times 2), and it began in 1996 and lasted until 2001. -
Hassan and Faranza are Killed
At the end of his story about Hassan, Rahim Khan tells Amir that Hassan and his wife were shot by the Taliban. They were killed because "a rumor spread that a Hazara family was living alone in the big house in Wazir Akbar Khan" (Hosseini 219). Amir found it hard to fathom that his best childhood friend had past away six months ago, and he did not even get a chance to say goodbye. All he could do was mutter "no" repeatedly under his breath. -
Hamid Karzai Named Chairman
As a supporter and relative of Mohammad Zahir Shah, Hamid Karzai was the named the chairman of an interim government and he "hoped to secure peace for Afghanistan and win the country much-needed international aid" (New York Times 3). -
Taliban Wage Guerilla Warfare
Although they were defeated in 2001, "the Taliban continued to wage a guerilla warfare" which influenced the southern part of Afghanistan. -
Amir Meets Assef as a Taliban Leader
Amir goes out to find Sohrab with the Taliban leader who's been keeping him, when he soon finds out that leader is actually Assef, his old childhood enemy. Amir recognizes the Taliban leader is Assef when he "[takes ]off his sunglasses and [locks] his bloodshot blue eyes on [his]" (Hosseini 281). He is astonished and in awe that he is with Assef again. The two end up fighting, and it ends with Sohrab sling shooting Assef's eye, while Amir is badly injured. -
Amir Brings Sohrab to America
After his visit to Afghanistan, Amir brought Sohrab home with him. His new room that Soraya set up included sheets that had "brightly colored kites flying in indigo blue skies" (Hosseini 358). When Sohrab first arrived in America, he was mute. It was hard for him to leave his home where he spent his first years of life, and after he attempted to commit suicide, he was never the same. -
Sohrab Attepmts to Commit Suicide
Amir is about to tell Sohrab that he found a way to easily adopt him, when he sees him and begins "screaming until [he] thought [his] throat would rip out and [his] chest explode" (Hosseini 343). Sohrab is taken to a hospital by an ambulance, but Amir is kept out of the room where Sohrab is being treated. He finds that Sohrab attempted to commit suicide with his razor, and dreams of the bloody bathtub he saw as he left the hotel. -
Sohrab Smiles
After Sohrab moved in with Amir and Soraya, he didn't speak for almost a whole a year. However, Amir offers Sohrab to fly a kite at an Afgan festival and when he looks down at him, he sees that "[o]ne corner of his mouth had curled up just so" (Hosseini 370), meaning he had smiled. It had been so long since Amir had seen Sohrab show emotions, but finally, he was the slightest bit happy. Amir was happy to see he was happy, and ran with the children as they flew kites around the park. -
General Petraeus Takes Control
General Petraeus took charge of the United States Central Command "with responsibility for military operations on Iraq, Afghanistan and across the region" (New York Times 4).