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Amir's birth
Hassan was born "just one year after [Amir's] mother died giving birth to [Amir]" (4). If Hassan's birth was in 1964 and Amir's birthday was a year before him, Amir's birth would be in 1963. This is important because he is the main character. Amir's birth is a part of the story that must be recognized. -
Hassan's birth
It says in the book that "Hassan was born in the winter of 1964" (4). Hassan, like Amir, is also a very important character in the story. Him being born, and especially his first words along with Amir, are foundations for the entire story. -
Hassan's cleft lip is fixed.
Hassan got his cleft lip fixed "in 1974, in the hospital room" (186). Hassan getting his cleft lip fixed is (to me) saying that anything can be fixed. It also adds some emotion to the story because soon after that the story mentions that that was the year Hassan stopped smiling. -
Kite Running Tournament
"I[n the winter of] 1975, I saw Hassan run a kite for the last time" (45). The last time Hassan ran a kite was during the Kite Running Tournament. -
Hassan's Rape
"I[n the winter of] 1975, I saw Hassan run a kite for the last time" (45). The day Hassan got Raped was the same day of the kite running tournament. -
Hassan and Ali leave
During "that summer of 1976, ... [Ali said 'w]e are leaving, Agha sahib"(78, 88). I chose this quote because it is a very big turning point in the story. It shows Baba crying along with everyone's lives being changed. -
Afghanistan Was Stable
Before 1980, "Afghanistan was a stable, relatively prosperous and relatively secular country" (NYT). -
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The Soviet Invasion and After
"1979-1996: The Soviet Invasion and After" (NYT) -
The Soviet Union's First Attack
"The first Soviet troops parachuted int Kabul... to assist Babrak Karmal" (NYT), who was president at the time. -
The Russians invade Afghanistan / Baba and Amir leave for california.
"1981 [was] the Russian invasion of Afghanistan" (333), and the year when Baba and Amir left Afghanistan to go to California. -
Amir and Soraya get married
In "late May 1985, ... [Baba] ask[ed] General Taheri for his daughter's hand" (138). Amir and Soraya getting married is very important and takes a place in this timeline because it shows the power of marriage and what it can do. -
Baba dies
Baba dying causes a lot of grief in Amir's life, and even in Soraya's. Baba's death is what makes Amir realize that he has to take care of himself now. -
Last Soviet Troops in Afghanistan
After The Soviet Union 'finished up' the war, Afghanistan was "a country that was not only devastated by the war but that had become a beacon to Islamic extremists from across the globe" (NYT). -
Afghanistan Descended Into Strife
By 1994 during the summer, "power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" (NYT) - and only one would get control of Afghanistan. -
Mullah Omar Becomes Stronger
Mullah Omar had gathered up "12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east" (NYT). His plans were to restor " -
The Taliban Get Control of Afghanistan
Not only did the Taliban take "control of Afghanistan" (NYT), but they had "provided a haven for Mr. Bin Laden" (NYT). -
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The Taliban Takeover
"1996-2001: The Taliban Takeover" (NYT) -
The Taliban Keep Running
Even though the Taliban were defeated in 2001, they "continued to wage a guerrilla warfare from a base in the mountainous and largely lawless tribal area on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border." (NYT) -
Amir finds Sohrab
Amir finding Sohrab shows how much love Amir has for his family. He could have just left Sohrab in Pakistan because he didn't want to go into that horrible place, but he didn't. -
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Post 9/11 Invasion
"2001-2008: Post 9/11 Invasion" (NYT) -
Attacks by Al Qaeda
Due to the attacks on September 11, the "United States has been militarily involved in Afghanistan" (NYT ). This is because the members of Al Qaeda were "given safe haven in [Afghanistan]" (NYT ). -
Sohrab smiles for Amir for the first time
"[I]n March 2002, a small, wondrous thing happened" (321), Sohrab smiled for Amir for the first time. -
Mr. Karzai is Elected as President
In 2004, "Mr. Karzai was elected to a five-year term as president" (NYT), so his term would end in 2009. -
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Obama's War
"2008-2011: Obama's War" (NYT) -
Obama's Change of Plans
After all this, the "initial plans called for American combat forces to begin withdrawing from Afghanistan in the summer of 2011... [but Obama decided] that the United States [would] have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014" (NYT).