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Hassan's First Word is "Amir"
Although Amir wouldn't admit it, Hassan and him grew up as very close friends. They were so close that "under the same roof, [they] spoke their first words...[Hassan's] was Amir" (pg.11). This is important because it shows how loyal Hassan truly is to Amir. Most people have "mom" or "dad" as their first words because parents are important people, which means Amir is important to Hassan because Hassan's first word was Amir. -
Hassan Stands up for Amir against Assef
One day, when Assef was bullying Amir, "Hassan held [his] slingshot pointed directly at Assef's face" (pg. 42). Hassan's bravery gives the readers a taste of his personality. He has enough courage to stand up to someone very strong like Assef and by doing this he proves how much he cares about Amir. -
Hassan Gets Plastic Surgery
As a birthday present to Hassan, Baba had a plastic surgeon fix Hassan's Harelip. When the sugery was over, "[Hassan] was smiling" (pg.47). This kind action of Baba showed that he really cared about Hassan. This is important because it is foreshadowing Baba's true relationship to Hassan. -
Amir wins Kite Running Contest
When Amir won the annual kite running contest, "[he] was screaming, and everything was color and sound, everything was alive and good" (pg.66). Amir's winning the contest meant a lot to him because he was able to show Baba that he could be successful. This is important because it was the start of a new relationship between Baba and Amir. -
Hassan is Violated by Assef
When Hassan went to run the last kite for Amir, he was stopped and violated by Assef. Amir watched but did nothing and then "pretended that [he] hadn't seen the dark stain in the seat of [Hassan's] pants" (pg.78). This quote shows how cowardly and careless Amir really is. It also demonstrates the loyalty of Hassan to his boss, Amir. -
Amir puts money under Hassan's bed to make it look like Hassan stole.
One day, "[Amir] lifted Hassan's mattress and planted [his] new watch and a handful of Afghan bills under it" to make it look like Hassan stole from Amir (pg.104). Amir's sinful action to frame Hassan did not make anything better. This demonstrates that even though the truth is hard to tell, it's better to get it out then to avoid it. -
Hassan and Ali leave Baba's home
The most depressing thing Baba ever heard was Ali saying "We are leaving, Agha sahib" (pg.106). The departure of Ali and Hassan from Baba's home was Amir's fault for framing Hassan. Although Baba didn't want them to leave and forgave them, it was their choice to go. -
Soviet Union Invasion
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan at first to gelp Babrak Karmak who had become president froma coup. Moscow thought that the invasion was a responce to a plea for help. The fighting went on "for more than nine years, fighting a conflict that cost them roulghly 15,000 lives" (NYT pg.2). The war ended in a soviet vicory allowiing them to keep their undefeated title. This is imprtant because it left Afghanistan in ruins. -
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Kite Runner & the History of Afghanistan
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Amir and Baba move to America
Baba was excited abuout going to America, but "it was living in America that gave him an ulcer" (pg.125). This shows how bad it must have been in Afghanistan since Baba was so excited to leave. It also demonstrates that America is a great place to live with many opportunities. -
Amir and Soraya get married
Amir's love for Soraya was "more dure than [he'd] ever been about anything" (pg.161). When Amir and Soraya got married, it was a whole new chapter in Amir's life and it was probably the most happy thing that had happened in a long time. Amir marrying Soraya brought happiness to Baba, which was what he needed since he was about to die and he knew it. -
Baba Dies
Soraya put Baba to bed one night, but when morning came, "Baba never woke up" (pg.173). Baba's death made Amir sad, but it also made him realize how much Baba meant to others. Baba's funeral was packed and so many people were talking about all the good Baba had done. This demonstrates what a great role model Amir's father was. -
Soviet troops leave Afghanistan
The last of the soviet troops left Afghanistan "in what was in effect a unilateral withdrawal" (NYT pg. 2). This withdrawal only had impact on the Soviet union and Afghanistan which shows how greatly it effected those two groups. Even though it effected the SOviet union too, afghanistan was the country left in ruins. -
Taliban start to become popular
The taliban were a group of students who were "dedicated to purifying the country" (NYT pg.2). The taliban also fought enemies of afghans and promised to centralize Islam. This is important because by gaining popularity, this group had a greater chance of becoming in charge. THis resulted in the taliban ruling for a while. -
Taliban Take Over
By 1996 the Taliban had full control "banning movies and music and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqa clothing" (NYT pg.3). This shows how strictly islamic the taliban were. These new rules completely changed society. -
Amir finds out that Hassan is his half-brother
When Amir found out that he and Hassan were brothers, he realized that "[his] whole life is one big.....lie" (pg.223). This shows that sometimes the truth can change everything and how sometimes it changes things for the better. If Amir had known that Hassan was his brother, then their whole life would have been different in a good way. -
Sohrab commits suicide (but he lives)
The sight of Sohrab soaking in bloody water left Amir "screaming through [his] clentched teeth" (pg.343). This proves that Amir really cares about Sohrab. Amir's concern for Sohrab proves that they are now close like family members should be. -
Amir arrives back in America with Sohrab
The day when Amir brought Sohrab to America, hee "[lifted] hi from the certainty of turmoil and [dropped] him in a termoil of uncertainty' (pg.356). This quote emphasizes how much America will change Sohrab's future for the better. America is a land of numerous opportunities, so Sohrab will be better off there. -
Amir Fights Assef to rescue Sohrab
Assef made it clear that by the end of the fight, "only one of [them would] walk out of [that] room alive" (pg.2870. This fight showed how weak Amir was because even though he got out alive, it was because of Sohrab. This demonstrates that sometimes, people never change. -
Post 9/11
Since Afghanastan had let Al Qaeda train in their country, after the attacks "George W. Bush gave the taliban an ultimate to hand over Mr. Bin Laden" (NYT pg. 3) . When the taliban refused, the U.S. invaded afghanistan which resulted in the war going on today. This shows how big of an impact 9/11 was on both countries. -
Taliban Defeated
In 2001, Karzai "was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated taliban" (NYT pg. 3). This means that the taliban were officially overthrown. This is important because it marks the era of a new ruler and the defeation of an old ruler. -
Amir runs and flies kites with Sohrab
Amir was "a grown man running with a swarm of screaming children" but he did this for Sohrab (pg.371). This proves that sometimes, family will do whatever it takes to uplift the spirits of their loved ones. This also demonstrates that Anir really cares about Sohrab and only wants the best for him. -
Hamid Karzai Becomes President of Afghanistan
Hamid Karzai said that "he hoped to secure peace for Afghanistan" (NYT pg. 3). He also said he hoped to win the Afghan vs. U.S. war. However, his popularity soon started to decrease due to the corrupt officials and lack of economic improvment. -
Speech at Westpoint
In this speech, "Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (NYT pg.4). He also promised to send some troops from Afghanistan home by the end of 2011. This speech was important because it gave the U.S. a sense of what to expect from the war. -
Obama Changes his mind
In Obama's 2009 speech he said that some troops in afghanistan would becoming home in the middle of 2011, however he "changed [his] tone to increasingly emphasize the idea that the United states will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014." (NYT pg.4). This was for the U.S. to prove to the afghanistan that it won't be an easy win. It is important because the U.S. was trying to prove a point but it set back those who were expecting to see their friends and family in the troops. -
War (Afghanistan vs. U.S.) supposed to end
The government thinks that "the United States will have forces in the country uintil at least the end of 2014" (NYT pg. 4). Both countries have leaders who are determined to take the victory making it even harder for one country to easily win. This is important because it is a current event happening now that has and will greatly impact the future of the U.S.