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Hassan's Grandfather Meets King Nadir Shah
Amir discovers a photo of his grandfather and King Nadir Shah, before the king's assasination. The two are "standing over a dead deer, dressed in knee-high boots, rifles slung over their shoulders" (Hosseini 5). It's significant that Amir's grandfather meets the king because it shows the importance and power that Amir's family has. They are a very well known family because of the successes of Baba and Amir's grandfather. -
Ali's Parents are Killed and Becomes Baba's Step-Brother
In 1933, two men who were high and driving, hit and killed Ali's parents. Baba's father who was a judge, "adopted [Ali] into his own household" (24 Hosseini). By then, Ali and Baba had become brothers and spent their life together. This is why Baba had always respected Ali and wanted the best for him. -
Baba Decides to Build an Orphanage
During the late 1960s, Baba decides to build an orphanage with his own design and his own money. Many people did not believe that Baba would actually build an orphanage but "[t]hen Baba succeeded and everyone shook their heads in awe at his triumphant ways" (Hosseini 13). As the orphanage is built, Amir feels a bit neglected by Baba because he pays so much attention to his project. In this case, Baba holds power over Amir, because Amir is desperate for attention by his father. -
Hassan is Born
Hassan, Baba and Amir's servant, is born one year after Amir. Hassan was born in 1964 "in [a] little shack"(Hosseini 6). A week after Hassan was born, his mother left to join a traveling dance group. This greatly effects the way Hassan grows up for he does not have a mother who loves him. -
Sanaubar Leaves to a Group of Singers and Dancers
A week or so after Has San's birth, Sanaubar decided she did not want ot be a mother. Instead, she "eloped with a band of singers and dancers" (210 Hosseini). Doing what Sanaubar did was very frowned upon in Afghan society. Ali and Hassan were left in the dark and shunned by society. -
Daoud Khan Ends Reign with Coup
While away on vacation, King Zahir Shah's throne was taken. Daoud Khan "ended the king's forty-year reign with a bloodless coop" (36 Hosseini). There were shots and explosions in the street. The coup was very violent but worked, King Zahir Shah was no more. -
Hassan Gets Lip Surgery
For Hassan's birthday, Baba arranges a surgery for Hassan's lip. Hassan expected to get a new toy or an object, but Baba figured "this present will last Hassan forever" (46 Hosseini). This event is significant in showing Baba's love for his son Hassan, (although Hassan didn't know Baba was his father). This surgery helps his smile as well but it's also a foreshadow. The surgery foreshadows how Hassan stops smiling later after that winter. -
Amir and Hassan Win the Kite Tournament
During the winter, Amir and Hassan entered a kite fighting tournament. After years of trying to impress Baba, Amir had finally won the tournament. After the win, Amir looked up at Baba "pumping both of his fists. Hollering and clapping" (66 Hosseini). Amir had finally gained Baba's recognition and admiration when he cheered for Amir. Because of this win, Amir thinks that he will become closer to his father emotionally. -
Hassan is Assaulted in the Alley by Assef
The same day Amir and Hassan win the kite tournament, Hassan is followed into an alley by Asseff and his friends. Assef punishes Hassan for his bad attitude toward him, and rapes him. Amir watches from afar hoping to help Hassan but instead does nothing. Amir no ties Has San's face as "a look [he] had seen before. It was the look of the lamb" (76 Hosseini). Hassan's face resembled a merciful and helpless look. This assault causes Amir and Hassan's friendship to fade. -
Amir's Thirteenth Birthday
In the summer, Baba hosted a 13th birthday party for Amir and invited nearly the whole town. There were nearly 400 people at the party, people "were chatting in the hallways, smoking on the stairs, leaning against doorways" (94 Hosseini). The house was packed with people because everyone their knew Baba and wanted to congratulate Amir. This shows the popularity and respect people have for Baba. -
Amir Graduates from High School
Once moving to America, Amir went to high school and graduated in 1983. Just as Amir hoped, Baba told him "[he] was moftakhir" (131 Hosseini). Amir was very excited to get some recognition from Baba, for he waited many years to hear those words. This helps Amir feel confident to not only succeed far in life, but to feel appreciated by Baba before he dies later on. -
Amir Meets Soraya
After finishing the spring quarter, Amir finally meets Soraya at the flea market. He finds it hard to talk to her because of her beauty and "[h]er red hair, coiffed like a helmet, glittered in the sunlight" (148 Hosseini). Amir is so overtaken by her beauty that he gets nervous and embarasses himself. This conversation is significant for Amir because it's the start of a friendship that would later turn into marriage. -
Rahim Khan Invites Hassan to Live in Baba's house
After getting too old to look after Baba's house in Kabul, Rahim Khan goes to Hazarajat looking for Hassan. He told Hassan "about the house, how [he] could not care for it by [himself] anymore" (206 Hosseini). Even though Hassan had settled down in his city, he agreed to move to Kabul. Hassan, his wife and Rahim Khan cared for the house and also raised Sohrab, Hassan's son. -
Last Soviet Troops Leave Afghanistan
Sometime in 1989, the Soviet troops departed Afghanistan. After causing major damage in the country, the Soviet troops left after "peace talks moderated by the Untied Nations", (NYT 2). Many Afghans were thrilled to hear the enemies were leaving. Little did they know the Taliban was there to make a bigger mess. -
Sanaubar Returns to Hassan
The same year Has San's wife got pregnant, was the year that Hassan's mother returned. After abandoning Hassan, Sanaubar returned as a "toothless woman with stringy gray-ing hair and sores on her arms" (208 Hosseini). Reluctantly, Hassan welcomed her into his house and took care of all her cuts and sores. She vowed to take care for Hassan's son in order to atone for her actions. -
Afghanistan is parted Into Multiple Anarchies
Once soviet troops left, Afghanistan was divided into multiples groups atttempting to gain control. There were "competing warlords and individual fiefdoms", (NYT 2). Multiple anarchies fought bloody wars in attempts to control Afghanistan. Eventually, the Taliban gained significant control of the country. -
Pakistani Officers Funneled Supplies Mullah Omar's Men
The Pakistani government was in a way helping the Taliban gain control over Afghanistan. Pakistan gave many supplies and arms to the Taliban as well as "military advisers to help guide them into battle" (NYT 3). If not for the Pakistani government, the Taliban might have not flourished the way it did. This exemplifies how other countries were fueling the Taliban's takeover. -
Osama Bin Laden arrives at Jalalabad Airport
The taliban received great help from Osama Bin Laden, an Islamic extremist. He "helped persuade Mullah Omar [to destroy] 800 year old Buddha statues", (NYT 3). This was criticized greatly all around the world and received much criticism. Many countries around the world were appauled by Osama's actions. -
Taliban Takes Control of Afghanistan
In 1996, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Afghanistan was deeply in trouble because the Taliban had "[imposed] strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law", (NYT 3). At first Afghans thought the Taliban was good but then learned the jharsh rules they had. This did not go well with the civilians of Afghanistan as well as the rest of the world. -
Amir Receives Call from Rahim Khan
In June of 2001, Amir receives a call from Rahim Khan saying that he is very sick. Obviously, Amir is devestated from this news. After hearing of Rahim's sickness, Amir "lowered the phone into the cradle and stared at it for a long time" (190 Hosseini). At this point, Amir is in a state of shock and can't grasp reality. This event affects him greatly for he has to travel all the way to Afghanistan to see Rahim. -
Amir and Sohrab Arrive to America
After a long time in the middle east, Amir is finally able to adopt Sohrab and bring him to America. Amir had been in Afghanistan for a month or so trying to save Sorhab which was significant because he "had never been away from Soraya for so long" (356 Hosseini). Amir told Soraya he'd be away fro a week but with all the injuries he suffered, his visit was longer. Not to mention, it was very difficult to adopt Sohrab because he had no birth certificates and his parents had no death certificates. -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
On September 11th, 2002, in New York, terrorists hijacked a plane and flew them straight into the Twin Towers, killing thousands. This attack fueled a war against the Taliban. Bush wanted the Taliban to "hand over Mr. Bin Laden", (NYT 3). The Taliban refused and groups were formed to fight against the Taliban for their unfair ways. The US bombed many innocent civilians in hopes to weaken the Taliban. -
Taliban Makes Base in the Mountains
Although the Taliban was defeated in 2001, they quickly made a new base in the mountains near Pakistan-Afghanistan border. They started to "[regroup] and began to extend influence in the southern part of Afghanistan", (NYT 3). The Taliban quickly regain strenght. They were far too strong to be defeated by rebel groups. -
Hamid Karzai Becomes Interim President
Hamid Karzai becomes interim president for Afghanistan. He wished to gain international aid and "secure peace for Afghanistan", (NYT 3). Karzai was a relative of Mohhamad Zahir Shah, a former king of Afghanistan. He wasn't that popular with his own country, many accused him of petty crimes. -
President Obama Announces Plan to Deploy 30,000 American Troops
At an event at West Point, President Obama announced a plan to deploy 30,000 troops to Afghanistan to aid the fight, aditionally, he promised to "start bringing American forces home from Afghanistan in [...] 2011", (NYT 4). Reaction to the news was somewhat mixed, people were angry and some people were with the idea. These troops were to help Afghanistan rebuild.