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Zahir Shah's Overthrow
When the king of Kabul, Zahir Shah was away, "his cousin Daoud Khan..ended the king's forty-year reign with a bloodless coup"(Hosseini 36). The monarchy was a thing of the past. -
Hassan's Surgery
Due to Hassan's cleft lip, Baba gets him surgery for his birthday. By the next winter, "it was just a pink jagged line running up from his lip"(Hosseini 47). Such a present was not normal for a servant. The unorthodox treatment of Hassan foreshadows that he is Baba's second son who he still cares about. -
Hassan's Rape
After Assef and his friends corner Hassan in an alley, Amir witnesses Assef drop "his underwear [and position] himself behind Hassan"(Hosseini 75). Amir then is silent as Assef rapes Hassan. This event ultimately causes Amir and Hassan's relationship to wither, as Amir is too guilty to relax around him. -
Hassan and Ali Leave
After Hassan tells Ali about Assef, Hassan and the kite incident, Ali announces "We can't live here anymore"(Hosseini 106). Though Baba pleads with them, they still move away. During the reading, it seems as though he pleads for his friend Ali, but it is revealed he was begging for his illegitimate son, Hassan. -
Soviet Invasion
After Babrak Karmal became the president of Afghanistan in a coup, "Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979"(NYT). -
Period: to
Afghanistan
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Amir and Baba leave
After the Soviet Invasion, Baba and Amir sneak out of Kabul. They left everything how it was in their house, so even their servant "would probably think [they'd] gone out for a stroll or drive"(Hosseini 112). It is too dangerous in Kabul, and they have to leave before they loose the chance to get away. As a businessman who doesn't believe in God, Baba's life would be in danger. -
Amir Graduates High School
After Baba and Amir escape to America, Amir has a chance to finish his education. He "graduated from high school at the age of twenty"(Hosseini 131). This makes Baba proud, as Amir is finally growing into the man that he envisioned. This allows their relationship to heal, and they grow closer. -
Amir Marries Soroya
Shortly after Amir meets Soroya, he asks his father, "I want you to go khastegari. I want you to ask General Taheri for his daughter's hand." (Hosseini 161). General Taheri accepts, and they get married soon after. Baba feels complete, as his name will continue on, and is at peace. -
Baba Dies
A month after Amir and Soroya's marriage, Baba goes to sleep and "never [wakes] up"(Hosseini 173). Baba is finally at peace with his life, and is ready to let Amir's begin. He has atoned for his sins and lets go of life. -
Amir Has His First Novel Accepted
After Amir gets an agent in New York, he is notified that he is "going to be a published novelist"(Hosseini 183). This shows that Baba's efforts have succeeded. All his sacrifice sending Amir to school has paid off. Amir now can support his family. -
Soviets Leave
After UN peace talks, "the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989"(NYT). -
Sanaubar Returns
When Hassan and his family are living with Rahim Khan, "a woman covered in a sky blue burqa knocked on the front gates"(Hosseini 209). This was Sanaubar, back after decades to atone for her leaving Hassan and Ali. She tries to repay her actions by giving Sohrab the upbringing Hassan lacked. -
Support for the Taliban
Without external help, the Taliban might have lost momentum, but "as early as 1994, Pakistani intelligence officers began funneling arms, money and supplies to Mullah Omar's men"(NYT). -
Beginning of the Taliban
Mullah Omar promised to restore Islam to daily life, creating the Taliban, and "by the end of 1994 [he] had nearly 12,000 followers"(NYT). -
Taliban
In 1996, the Taliban "had taken control of Afghanistan"(NYT). They enforced strict Islamic law. -
Haven for bin Laden
Mullah Omar, leader of the Taliban "provided a haven for Mr. bin Laden"(NYT). -
Hassan and Farzana are Murdered
When Hassan and his wife are alone in Baba's house, the Talibs "took him off to the street...and shot him...and shot [Farzana] too"(Hosseini 219). The Taliban is suspicious of two Hazaras living in a mansion, and murder Hassan and his wife. This is what ultimately brings Amir to Afghanistan, and allows him to atone for his sins. -
Amir Finds Out About Hassan
Through Rahim Khan, Amir finds out that he and Hassan are brothers. He can not contemplate the magnitude of the situation and yells "you goddamn bastards!"(Hosseini 222). He now rethinks his decision to not save Sohrab, and decides he has to. Sohrab is his nephew now, and family. -
Rahim Khan Calls Amir
In June 2001, Rahim Khan calls Amir, saying "there is a way to be good again"(Hosseini 2). Amir has ignored his betrayal of Hassan for too long. It is now the time to atone for his sins. He leaves the safety of the U.S and travels back to Afghanistan. -
Amir Meets Assef Again
When returning to Afghanistan to search for Sohrab, Amir finds the Taliban leader taking the kids from the orphanage. When they meet, the Talib asks "whatever happened to old Babalu, anyway?"(Hosseini 281). In this moment, Amir realizes that Assef is the one raping the children. Decades ago he created that nickname to ridicule Ali. He fights Assef for Sohrab, standing up for Hassan after all these years. -
Sohrab's Attempted Suicide
After Sohrab learns he must go to another orphanage, he slits his wrists. Amir "wonders what his last thought had been as he had raised the blade and brought it down"(Hosseini 351). Sohrab is traumatized from his sexual abuse at the previous orphanage. This leads him to try to end his life. He would rather die than go through what he did again. -
Amir Takes Sohrab to America
A week after Sohrab's attempted suicide, Amir "brought [him] from Afghanistan to America"(Hosseini 356). Amir realizes that Sohrab needs time to heal from his sexual abuse, and takes him into his own family. He becomes the son Amir and Soroya could not have. -
9/11
The U.S. began pursuing Bin Laden even more after "the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001"(NYT). -
Hamid Karzai
The relative of the exiled former king of Afghanistan "was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country"(NYT). -
Sohrab Smiles
When flying a kite in San Francisco, Sohrab smiles. Amir sees "one corner of his mouth...[curl] up"(Hosseini 370). This is the first time Sohrab has had any emotion since coming to America. He is finally healing. There is hope that he will be able to move past his assault and start a new life with Amir. -
Karzai President
After serving as interim president from 2002, "Mr. Karzai was elected to a five-yera term as president in 2004"(NYT). -
Obama's Plan
On Dec. 1, 2009, "Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops"(NYT) to Afghanistan. He also vowed to bring American troops back in 2011.