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Amir is born and mother dies giving birth to him.
Amir was born in 1964, "just one year after my mother died giving birth to me." [Hosseini] -
Hassan is born
Hassan was born " in (a) small shack (by) Sanaubar, (on) one cold winter day in 1964." [Hosseini]. Also, Sanubar ran off with a clan of traveling singers and dancers less than a week after Hassan's birth. -
Hassan has surgery to fix his cleft lip
In the novel, when Sanaubar sees Hassan's celft lip, she "bark(s) a bitter laugh( )." [Hosseini]. When mentioned in the novel, Hassan's cleft lip is shown as a weakness, and as Sanaubar just did, she laughs at Hassan. She is the mother and instead of nuturing it, she laughs at Hassan's looks, (something he can not control). -
Amir and Hassan win the kite flying tournament. Hassan runs the last kite and is cornered by Assef, Kamal, and Wali. He refuses to give up the kite and is raped by Assef. Amir watches and does nothing.
After Hassan is raped, Amir comes to the realization that “(m)aybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay in order to win over Baba.” [Hosseini]. This quote displays Amir's love for Baba. Amir is willing to do anything to carry favour with his father. -
Amir's 13th birthday is celebrated. Amir frames Hassan for stealing his watch and money to get rid of him. Ali and Hassan quit working for Baba and leave.
When Ali and Hassan are about to leave forever Amir "caught one final blurry glimpse of Hassan slumped in the backseat before Baba turned left at the street corner where we'd played marbles so man times." [Hosseini] -
The Invasion of the Soviet Union
The invasion started by "(s)oviet troops parachut(ing) into Kabal on Dec. 27, 1979." [NYT]. -
Baba and Amir escape from Kabul. They go to Jalalabad, and from there they are taken to Peshawar, Pakistan.
When the Russian come Baba takes Amir with him "to Jalalabad, about 170 kilometers southeast of Kabul, where his brother, Toor, who had a bigger truck with a second convoy of refugees, was waiting to drive us across the Khyber Pass and into Peshawar." [Hosseini]. -
Baba and Amir move to California.
When moving, Amir mentions that "Baba loved the idea of America." [Hosseini]. This quote shows the reader, that even though many Afghans are loyal to their country, Baba is not. This is another way Baba is different then other Afghans. -
Amir and Soraya get married.
When they get married, "Baba spent $35,000, nearly the balance of his life savings" on their wedding. [Hosseini]. This quote shows that despite Baba's lacks the ability to show his love, he still loves Amir very dearly. Afterall, if he is will to spend nearly his life savings, he must really love Amir. -
Amir speaks to Soraya for the first time. Baba is diagnosed with lung cancer.
When Amir finally summons up the courage to talk to Soraya,they both talk about family. Soraya says that Amir's Grandfather's "uncle and my grandfather were cousins." [Hosseini]. Amir's conversation with Soraya is very polite and formal, showing the forbidiness in their love for each other. -
Baba Dies
Baba decides not to take his medicine, and that night he dies. He tells Soraya " There is no pain tonight," later dies because of it, [Hosseini]. This quote strengths the idea of Baba's toughness. Even though he is probably going through pain, he deals with the pain to be polite and hold his honor. -
Amir finishes his first book.
Amir finishes and publishes his first book. It is "a father and son story set in Kabul." [Hosseini]. This novel Amir wrote is reverencing to living in Kabul with Baba. This quote shows Amir's strong affection for Baba. Writing a book is hard, so if someone writes about experences they had with you, it is a big honor. -
Moderated Peace Talks by the United Nations
The last Soviet troops left, "after peace talks moderated by the United Nations." [NYT]. -
Soviet forces leave, but Afghanistan still feels at war.
After the Soviets left, "Afghanistan descended into vicious internecine strife; by the the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual freedoms." [NYT]. -
A New Leader Emerges
By the end of 1994, a student named Mullah Omar has "nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east." [NYT]. -
Osama Bin Laden Arrives
Osama bin Laden "arives in a charteered jet at Jalalabad." [NYT] -
Amir finally stood up for Sohrab when the General called him a Hazara.
In the novel, when Sohrab is introduced into the General's life, he asks Amir, "why there is a Hazara boy living with his daughter," and "(w)hat do I tell them." [Hosseini]. This quotes shows us not only does racism still not change in the General, despite his life change from being a General, but also that the General does not like Hazara boys. If he has to ask for an excuse for why his daughter has a Hazara boy, he proably does not like them. -
Who's the next Leader?
Hamid Karzai, a formerly exiled king, is "named chairmen of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban," (and later a King in 2004). [NYT]. -
When Did we go to Afghanistan?
The United States has been in Afghanistan "since 2001." [NYT]. -
Amir goes to Pakistan, and finds out Hassan is his half-brother and died. He then goes to Kabul saves Sohrab, and Sohrab then tries to kill him self when he finds out hemight go back to the orphange.
When Sohrab tries to commit suicide, Amir rushes him to the hospital. While there, Amir is not allowed to see Sohrab so he prays on a sheet from a supply closets and says “(t)here is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.” This quotes tells us that Amir feels responsible for Sohrab's suicide attempt, and once again, feels he is being punished for his mistakes. -
Amir is called by Rahim Khan, and is told to go back to Afghanistan
When Amir finishes his call with Rahim Khan, the Rahim Khan's phase, "(t)here is a way to be good again," is stuck in Amir's head. [Hosseini]. The fact that Amir is thinking so much about the idea of atoning for his mistakes, shows he good morals, he just has trouble showing them. -
9/11 Happens
Osama bin Laden attacks "the World Trade Center in New York." [NYT] -
Amir and Sohrab fly a kite together and Amir runs the kite for Sohrab.
While flying the kites, Amir looks down at Sohrab and notices "(o)ne corner of his mouth had curled up just so." [Hosseini]. Although one smile does not fix all of Sohrab's problems, Amir sees Sohrab's smile as a shimmer of hope, that Sohrab will become a happy boy, and get over Assef's abuse. -
Our Boys are NOT Coming Home?!?!
Obama deploys "30,000 additional troops," to Afghanistan. [NYT]. -
When Will the Boys Come Home?
United States officals say troops will stay in Afghanistan until "at least the end of 2014." [NYT].
