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Baba's birth
1933 was the year "Baba was born and the year Zahir Shah began his forty-year reign of Afghanistan."(24). Baba's birth was one of the earliest events in the book. His birth year was also the year that the leader of Afghanistan started to rule. -
Hassan is born
Hassan was born "in the winter of 1964, just one year after my mother died giving birth to me"(6). In this quote, Amir states that Hassan was born a year after, he "killed" his mom. The only difference was that Hassans mom left him. -
Hassan has his surgery
In the winter of 1974, "Hassan and I exchanged a smile. We'd been waiting for his call all day: It was Hassan's birthday"(47). For Hassan's birthday, Baba let him have lip surgery because of his abnormal lip. This was significant because it let Hassan smile, which he wouldn't do after this moment. -
Amir wins kite contest
The winter of 1975 was when Amir " saw Hassan run a kite for the last time...'We won! We won!?was all I could say'"(66). This is significant because kites are a large symbol in the book. This quote shows Amir achieving something that he has always wanted to achieve, winning the kite race. -
Hassan gets raped
Assef started invading Hassan's privacy when "he kept one hand on Hassan's back and undid his own belt buckle with his free hand"(75). This quote is important and depressing, because it showed everything that Hassan did for Amir. Hassan could've avoided this so easily, but took the fall for who he thought was his friend. -
Soviet Troops Entering Kabul
In December, the first Soviet Troops entered Kabul by parachute to help "Barak Karmal, who had become president in a coup within the Afghan Communist leadership"(NYT). -
Amir and Baba come to San Francisco
In the 1980s, Amir moved to America because "Baba loved the idea of America.It was living in America that gave him an ulcer"(125). This is when Amir left all his problems in Afghanistan. He tried starting a new life, not knowing that it would eventually catch up to him. -
Baba and Amir Leave Afghanistan
In March of 198, Amir shares his thoughts by saying that his "innards had been roiling since we'd left Kabul just after two in the morning"(111). This quote shows how he feels about leaving Afghanistan. It makes him think, is it really the right thing to do. -
Amir graduates high school
The summer of 1983 was when Amir "graduated from high school at the age of twenty, by far the oldest senior tossing his mortarboard on the football field that day"(131) This fast-forwards to the future, when Amir is a lot older and has already graduated high school. Although he graduates high school at a very old age. -
Soraya and Amir get married
"I remember sitting on the sofa, set on the stage like a throne, Soraya's hand in mine, as three hundred or so faces looked on"(170). Amir finally meets someone else he can trust, and he has never really been in love before. Soraya makes Amir happy and safe, he can depend on her. -
Baba Died
While Baba was ill, "She pulled up his blanket. We closed the door. Baba never woke up"(173). This was a sad moment, because Amir's friend, father, and only person he could trust was gone. Amir now has to get by on his own. -
Soviet Troops Leave Afghanistan
In February 1989, the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan "after peace talks moderated by the United Nations..."(NYT) -
Sohrab is born
The book talks about how "It was Sanaubar who delivered Hassan's son that winter of 1990"(211). Amir finds out that Hassan's mom was his surrogate, and that he had been born healthy, but Hassan was not there to raise him. -
Osama Bin Laden Enters Jalalabad
Because the Taliban was on his side they provided "a haven for Mr. Bin Laden, who arrived by chartered jet at Jalalabad Airport in May 1996, and for Al Qaeda"(NYT). -
Taliban takes over
The Taliban attacked and "accused him of lying when Hassan told them he was living with me even though many of the neighbors, including the one who called me, supported Hassan's story"(200). This was when Afghanistan started getting really dangerous for Amir. He could've been a big part of this if he had not left. -
Hassan is Killed Along with his wife
The taliban attacked him, "and shot him in the back of the head.'
'--Farzanza came screaming and attacked them--''No.'
'--shot her too. Self-defense, they claimed later--"(219). This was the moment when Amir found out that Hassan was killed. Amir realizes that he can not face Hassan ever again, and feels terrible. -
Taliban is Replaced
A supporter of the exiled former king of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai "was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country"(NYT). -
Rahim Kahn asks Amir to go to Pakistan
Rahim Khan asks Amir to come back even thought "It was a shameful situation. People would talk. All that a man had back then, all that he was, was his honor, his name, and if people talked... We couldn't tell anyone, surely you can see that'"(190). This is the chance for Amir to atone for what he did before, even though he cant see Hassan again. Amir needs to go find Hassan's son, who is apparently his nephew. -
President Takes Action After 9/11
When the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11 took place, "President George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. Bin Laden"(NYT). -
Amir runs kite for Sohrab
After Amir asks Sohrab is he wants to fly the kite for him,
"His Adam's apple rose and fell as he swallowed. The wind lifted his hair. I thought I saw him nod"(370). The last moment in the book, when the story repeats itself. It is Amir and Sohrab, the same as Amir and Hassan were when they were kids. -
Hamid Karzai Takes Office
Hamid Karzai took office in June 2002, wanting to "secure the peace for Afghanistan and win the country much-needed international aid"(NYT). -
U.S Central Command is Taken Over
The United States Central Government was taken over my "General Petraeus, the Iraq commander who received much of the credit for the success of the surge there"(NYT). -
Obamas Speech
President Obama delivered a speech at West Point announcing "his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops"(NYT). -
Gen. McChrystal is Removed
Gen. McChrystal was removed by President Obama "after contemptuous quotes from the general and his staff about senior administration officials appeared in an article in Rolling Stone Magazine"(NYT). -
Forces Stay in Country
The Obama administration emphasized the idea that "the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014"(NYT).