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Sofia Akrami Dies
One issue Amir struggles with throughout the story is the fact that his mother dide giving birth to him. Becuase his, "mother hemorrhaged to death during childbirth", Amir always felt guilty (6). This guilt was perhaps escalated when he learns that his father was so lonely following her passing that he had an affair with Hassan's mother. -
Hassan is Born
According to Amir, "Hassan was born in the winter if 1964" (6). This is approximatly one year after Amir's own birth. Altough the two boys have a slight age gap, they grow up together, their pasts uninvolved until much later. -
Afganistan is Stable
Recently, only,"Three decades ago, Afganistan was a stable, relatively prosperous and relatively secular country" (New York Times 2). -
The End Begins
To much of Kabul's dismay, on the morning of July 18, !973, "the monarchy was a thing of the past" (36). The transition was almost instantainous, and terrified the likes of Hassan and Amir. Amir describes the night as , "the beginning of the end" (36). It is upon this summer evening that everything in Amir's life begins to become rotten and eventually disapear. -
Amir and Hassan Participate in Their Last kite FIghting Tournament
It was in, "the winter of 1975" when Amir, "saw Hassan run a kite for the last time" (55). Not only was this the boys last kite tournament, it was Hassan's last winter with Amir as well as the winter that Assef inflicted an unimaginable amount onto Hassan. The tounrment, although seemingly important at the time, was really only a representative of all things horrendus. -
Amir Turns Thirteen
Although meant to be an exciting passing of age event, Amir's 13th birthday marks not years, but the "Afghanistan's next to last summer of peace and anontmity" and the ending of Baba and Amir's, "happy little interlude" (93). Sometimes, happy events are spoiled by sad ones. For Amir, his birthday is just another reminder of his failings. When the bad outweighs the good so heavily in one's life, nothing at all seems worth the trouble. -
Soviet Union Invades Afganistan
On the 27th of December,1979, "The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul" starting a, "prolonged and bloody invasion" (New York Times 2). -
US Boycotts Moscow Olympics Part 1
Although mostly without evidence, Baba's views of America while in Afghanistan provide insight into culutral differences. For example, when Jimmy Carter announced the boycott of the Moscow Olympics, Baba cried, "Brezhnev is massacring Afghans and all that peanut eater can say is I won't come swim in your pool" (126). To Baba, what Carter does was not enough. To Carter and America, it was a huge deal. When a person is in the thick of c onflict, they experiance it much more keenly, leading to a -
Moscow Olympics Part 2
disconnect between the aid provided and the aid recieved. Boycotting the Olympics meant a very different thing to Carter as it did to Baba. -
Baba and Amir Begin the Trek to America
Due to all the violence of Soviet occupied Afghanistan, Baba and Amir are forced to set out towards America. Amir reflects that they had left his house, "as if [they] were going out for a bite: dishes smeared with kofta piled in the kitchen sink; laundry in the wicker basket in the foyer" (112). Their hasty retread emobdies all the trouble in Afghanistan. No one can be trusted, and there is comflict among everyone. Baba and Amir were afriad to tell anyone they were leaving. -
Differences in America Part 2
fear. Fear often encompasses change. This is the issue that prevents people from developing as a society. -
Baba Discovers the Differences in American Culture Part 1
After settling into America, Baba begins to see how different the culture is. While Amir shops in a local book store when he hears, "screaming and glass breaking" Amir then found the owners of the nearby grocery, "behind the counter, all the way against the wall, faces ashen" (127). This encounter shapes a lot of Baba's feelings about America. To him, the owners were disrespecting him by asking him for ID, even if they were only doing their jobs. Baba's inability to bend and change shows his fea -
Amir Graduates High School
After many years of personal and cultural turmiol, Amir, "graduated from high school at the age of twenty" (131). This accomplishment is a testament to Amir's character. He is a determined person who does not let anything stand in his way. He has many, many set backs and is demonstrated to be less than pure on multiple occasions. However, every time, he strives to correct his mistakes. He is more than willing to accept the personal sacrifice required to follow through. -
Amir Turns Twenty-One
As opposed to his 13th birthday, Amir's 21st birthday marks the beginning of good. It is in this summer that Amir first lays eyes upon the, "slim-hipped beauty with velvety coal black hair" that is Soraya. This birthday marks Amir's official manhood. It is finially the year where Amir finds love and respect, demonstrating how when the good outweighs the bad, every event can be a joyous one. -
Soviets Leave Afganistan
The end of the bloody invasion ended when, "the last Soviet troops left Afganistan in February 1989" (New York Times 2). -
Sanaubar Arrives Back in Kabul
To the surprise of Rahim Kahn and Hassan, "a woman covered in a sky blue burqa knocked on the front gates one morning" (209), This woman turned out to be Sanaubar, Hassan's long lost mother. Her decision to return to Hassan was a true act of atonement. She not only returned fro Hassan, she gave his son the kindness and love Hassan was never granted. -
Sohrab is Born
Understanding her past Mistake, Sanaubar, "delivered Hassan's son that winter of 1990" (211). Because she did so wrong with Hassan, Sanaubar was determined to do the opposite with Sohrab. Learning from past mistakes allows Sanaubar to be a much better character than previously imagined. -
Taliban Recieves Aid from Pakistan
Although popular, the Taliban was greatly aided when, "As early as 1994, Pakistani intelligence officers began funneling arms, money and supplies" (New York Times 3) to the Taliban. -
Taliban Takes Control of Afgan Government
Having recieved help and supplies from Pakistan, "the Taliban by 1996 had taken control of Afganistan, imposting strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law" (New York Times 3). -
Osama bin Laden Arrives, Aided by the Taliban
The Taliban were eager to provide, "a haven fro Mr. bin Laden, who arrieved by chartered jet at Jalalabad Airport in May 1996" (New York Times 3). -
Amir Goes to Pakistan
After discovering that Rahim Kahn is dying, Amir tells Soraya that, "[he has] to go to Pakistan" (191). Although Amir is afraid to go back into the war zone he knows surrounds this area of the world, he is willing to go and see an old friend. Rahim's words that, "There is a way to be good again" inspire Amir to go back (192). Even after so many years and miles, he is still desperatly guilty and eager to atone for his mistakes. -
Amir Decides to Adopt Sohrab
After getting to know Sohrab for a bit, Amir asks, "Would you like ti come live in America with me and my wife?" (320). With this seemingly simple question, Amir has finially atoned. All the guilt that had built up inside him is dissolved by the feeling of doing right by someone he cares about. -
Sohrab Arrives in America
After injury, attempted suicide, horrible encounters, and ultimatly a small glimmer of hope, Amir and Sohrab arrieved, "home...on a warm day in August 2001" (357). Although Sohrab was to be silent for many more days, this transition marked the beginning of a new life for the young man. A hard, dismal transition, but on that was shrouded in silent hopes and dreams. -
9/11 Attatcks Occur, Inspiring the US toTake Action
After Al Queada attatcked, "the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 1, 2001, President George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. bin Laden" (New York Times 3). -
Hamid Karzai Becomes President
After being interim president for two years, "Mr. Karzai was elected to a five-year term as president" (New York Times 3). -
Obama Sends More Troops
In order to help stabalize the government in Afganistan, "In a speech delivered on Dec. 1, 2009...Mr. Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (New York Times 4). -
Obama Extends Deadline
Although Obama promised to get the US out of Afganistan by 2011, "the Obama administration changed its tone to increasingly emphasize the ides that the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014" (New York Times 4).