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Amir's Thirteenth Birthday
Amir, "turned thirteen that summer of 1976, Afghanistan’s next to last summer of peace and anonymity.” (93) I chose this quote because it is the year when Amir framed Hassan for stealing his birthday presents. This was when Ali and Hassan quit working for Baba and left their home. -
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The Soviet Invasion and After
The first Soviet Troops parachuted into Kabul on December 27, 1979, to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become president in a coup within the Afghan Communist leadership. Soviet Troops stayed in the country for more than 9 years, fighting a conflict that cost them roughly 15,000 lives and billions of rubles. Eventually after peace talks moderated by the United nations, the Soviet Troops left Afghanistan in February 1989. -
Amir graduating High School
Amir says, “That summer of 1983, I graduated from high school at the age of twenty, by far the oldest senior tossing his mortarboard on the football field that day” (131). I chose this quote because it is the day Amir graduates from High school, a journey it had been for them. This is also the time when Amir considers to get a job as a writer instead of going to college. -
Amir and Soraya Meet
When Amir was simply trying to walk by, he was right next to the Taheri's table, "staring at Soraya across curling irons and old neckties" (145). I chose this quote because this was the first time when Amir met Soraya. Soraya later in the book becomes Amir's wife. -
Baba Finds Out He Has Cancer
When Amir and Baba were at the doctor's, "it turned out that, like Satan, cancer had many names. Baba's was called 'Oat Cell Carcinoma'" (155). I chose this quote because this was when Baba found out he had cancer which devastated Amir. -
Amir Asks To Marry Soraya
One night when Baba and Amir were lying down, Amir said, "I want you to go to khastegari. I ant you to ask General Taheri for his daughter's hand" (161). I chose this quote because this is when Amir takes Soraya's hand in marriage. After the talk they had about many personal things, they still wanted to get married. -
Amir and Baba leaving Afghanistan
Amir and Baba were leaving Afghanistan when Karim, "was taking[them] to Jalalabad, 170 kilometers southeast of Kabul" (111). They were leaving because of the Soviet Troops invading Afghanistan. They also were leaving to live life in America. -
Baba's death
When Baba passed away, Amir said, "Baba couldn't show me the way anymore; I'd have to find it on my won. The thought of it terrified me" (174). I chose this quote because this shows how much of an impact Baba had on Amir. Amir didn't know what to do without Baba. -
Amir's First book
After Amir finishes his first book there is a lot of excitement, but, "six weeks later, a man named Martin Greenwalt called from New York and offered to represent me" (183). Amir has accomplished his dream that Baba did not support and this shows that if a person puts their mind to something, they can accomplish a lot. -
Soraya and Amir Cannot Have Children
Khala Jamila said to Soraya, " God knows best, bachem. Maybe it wasn't meant to be" (186). I chose this quote because it shows that even though some things are wanted in a life, sometimes it cant happen. -
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The Taliban Takeover
By the end of 1994 Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east. Yet even with popular support, the Taliban might have withered were it not for the intervention of Pakistan, the neighbor to the east. The Taliban also provided a haven for Mr. bin laden. -
The Taliban Resurgence
The Taliban continued to wage a guerrilla warfare from a base in the mountainous and largely lawless tribal area on the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border. The Taliban also spilled over into Pakistan, raising concerns about its stability. -
The Beginning
The beginning of the book begins with a flashback where Amir says, “I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.” (1) I chose this quote because it foreshadows the book. It shows that in that year, his life changed forever. -
Rahim Khan Called Amir
Rahim Khan had said to Amir, "come, there is a way to be good again" (192). I chose this quote because it shows that Amir knows that he must now go in search of his nephew and do what is right, for Hassan to atone for what he has done. -
Amir Gets a call From Rahim Khan
After Amir gets a call from Rahim Khan, he says to Soraya, "I have to go to Pakistan, Rahim Khan is very sick" (191). I chose this quote because it shows how much Rahim Khan meant to Amir because he is going back to visit him before he passes away. Amir would also want to go back to get his nephew, Sohrab, for Hassan. -
Amir Finds Out That Hassan Is His Half Brother
Amir found out that his father is also a father to Hassan in which makes them brothers and he said, "I'm thirty-eight years old and I've just found out my whole life is on big fucking lie!" (223). I chose this quote because this was a huge moment in Amir's life when he found out that he had been treating his brother terribly. -
Sohrab Attempts Suicide
When Amir opened the door where Sohrab was laying in the bathtub, he was, "On [his] knees, screaming. Screaming through my clenched teeth" (343). I chose this quote because it shows how much Sohrab did not want to go to the orphanage and how much Amir cares for Sohrab. -
Amir and Sohrab Flying Kites
When Sohrab and Amir were flying their kites, Amir says, "Do you want me to run that kite for you. For you, a thousand times over" (371). I chose this quote because Sohrab and Amir have been through a crazy journey together, and Amir cares for him so much. At the end of the book, they start to become normal again. -
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Post 9/11 Invasion
After the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. Bin Laden. When it refused, the United States joined forces with rebel groups that had never accepted Taliban Rule, notably the Northern Alliance, which represented minority tribes. An air and ground campaign began that drove the Taliban out of the major Afghan cities by the end of the year. -
September 11, 2001
Al Qaeda attacked the World Trade Center in New York by flying two planes into them, flew a plane into the pentagon, and crashed a plane into a field in Pennsylvania. This has made the US militarily involved in Afghanistan. It was one of the worst days of history. -
The Karzai Government
Hamid Karzai, a supporter and relative of Mohammad Zahir Shah, the exiled former king of Afghanistan, was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him leader of the country. Mr. Karzai was elected to a five year term as president in 2004. During the Bush administration, -
General Petraeus
The Iraq commander who received much of the credit for the success of the surge there, had taken charge of the United States Central Command with responsibility for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and across the region. -
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Obama's War
Mr. Obama's plan to widen United States involvement in Afghanistan was shaped by a debate in which Vice President Biden warned against getting into a political and military quagmire, while military advisers argued that the Afghanistan war effort could be imperiled without even more troops. -
Plan to Deploy Troops
A speech delivered by the Obama Administration changed its tone to increasingly emphasize the idea that the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014. -
The US is not backing out
Yet in a move away from that July 2011 deadline, the Obama administration changed its tone to increasingly emphasize the idea that the United States Forces in the country until the end of at least of 2014.