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Ali Becoming Part of Baba's Life
In the year of 1933 Baba was born and two young men killed a Hazara couple. Baba's father was a judge and sent the two men to jail but, "as for the the orphan, [he] adopted him into his own household and told the other servants to tutor him...that boy was Ali" (Hosseini 25). In the year Baba was born an important figure was brought into the family this being Ali the "father" of Hassan. If Ali wasn't taken into the family then Sanaubar would have never met Baba, so Hassan wouldn't have been born. -
Kahn Proposes Women's Rights
Kahn puts together a new constitution "that grants women rights and works to modernize the largely communist state. He also cracks down on opponents, forcing many suspected of not supporting Khan out of the government" (A Historical Timeline of Afghanistan).
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/ -
The Encounter
When Amir and Hassan run into the neighborhood bully Assef, he begins to torment them so Hassan takes out his slingshot and announces "'perhaps you didn't notice that I'm the one holding the slingshot. If you make a move, they'll have to change you nickname from Assef 'the Ear Eater' to 'One-Eyed Assef," because I have this rock pointed at your left eye'" (Hosseini 42). Since Hassan is deadly with a slingshot Assef didn't take the risk. Hassan was very scared, but saved both of them from harm. -
Period: to
Kite Runner & the History of Afghanistan
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The Kite Tournament
Hassan and Amir were so excited that they were "hopping up and down, both of [them] laughing, both of [them] weeping. "You won, Amir agha! You won!" "We won! We won!" was all I could say" (Hosseini 66).They won the tournament together and this would make Baba very proud of Amir, finally. This would be the moment where Baba would finally respect him and treat him like his only son. -
The Rape
Hassan was traped and Assef "knelt behind Hassan, put his hands on Hassan's hips and lifted his bare buttocks. He kept one hand on Hassan's back and undid his own belt buckle with his free hand. He unzipped his jeans. Dropped his underwear. He postioned himself behind Hassan... from around the corner, I could hear Assef's quick rhythmic grunting" (Hosseini 55/57). -
The Rape Contined...
When Assef rapes Hassan Amir runs and feels guilty this ends the friendly relationship that Amir and Hassan hold. In the end Assef gets his wish of splitting them apart and making them both unhappy. -
Baba and Amir's New Relationship
After the kit tournament proud Baba would do anything Amir asked so when Amir asked to "go to Jalalabad on Friday... "Why not!" he said. Lately, Baba agreed to everything I asked. Not only that, just two night before, he'd asked me if I wanted to see El Cid" (Hosseini 81). Baba sees a new hope in Amir when he wins the kite tournament so he supports Amir in all his actions and says yes to all his wishes. This gives Amir a confidence he's never had or experienced. -
Ali Announcing Their Decision to Leave
After Amir tries to punish Hassan by accusing him of stealing some of his birthday gifts. Hassan just took the blame which brought Ali to break the news, "'We are leaving, Agha sahib..." "We can't live here anymore," Ali said. "But I forgive him Ali didn't you hear?" said Baba" (Hosseini 106). This broke Baba's heart, he loved Ali, who was like a brother to him and Hassan who was almost a son to him. It brought the tension between Amir and Baba back which was the opposite of what Amir hoped for. -
Amir's First Story
Amir wrote his first story and when Rahim Kahn read it he wrote Amir a letter which read, "I enjoyed your story very much. Mashallah, God has granted you a special talent" (Hosseini 32). This is one moment where Amir feels accomplished because most things he does his father frowns upon him. His father doesn't agree with his book either, but it feels great when Amir gets these compliments from Rahim. -
Coups
The democracy that was used as an experiment "ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war" (CIA worldfactbook). https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html -
American is Killed
In 1979 "American Ambassador Adolph Dubs is killed. The United States cuts off assistance to Afghanistan" (A Historical Timeline of Afghanistan).
(http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/) -
Baba Stands Up To The Russian
When Baba stands up to the Russian guy wanting to rape the lady he points his gun at Baba. This terrifying moment make Amir think about being "eighteen and alone. I have no one left. Baba's dead and now I have to burry him. Where do I burry him? Where do I go after that" (Hosseini 116). After the barrel goes off and a moment goes by Amir looks up to see that he shot his own foot. Another officer comes in and apologizes for him and tells the others in the van that he was on drugs. -
Kamal and His Father
After the ride in the fuel tank Kamal couldn't breathe due to the chemicals of the flames. This pushed Kamal's father over the edge so he stood "with Karim's gun in hand. "Don't shoot me!" Karim cried. But before any of us could say or do a thing, Kamal's father shoved the barrel into his mouth" (Hosseini 124). -
Kamal and His Father Continued...
Kamal's father killed himself after his son died because that was the only reason he was crossing the boarder. He wanted to find better for his son and give Kamal a chance to start a family in a place where they could thrive and be happy. -
Food Stamps
One of their first days in America they are offered food stamps, but Baba "dropped the stack of food stamps on her desk. "Thank you, but I don't want," Baba said. "I work always... Thanks you very much, Mrs. Dobbins, but I don't like it free money.'" (Hosseini 130). Baba is stubborn and believes that he has to work to earn his food. He wants to work for his food, but also doesn't want to be seen using charity money. That is his greatest fear and he needs to be proud of his work not others. -
Baba's Cancer
Baba fell while at the market and when at the hospital learned that "the cancer has metastasized... He'll have to take steroids to reduce the swelling in his brain and antiseizure medication" (Hosseini 159). Baba didn't want to treat his cancer so now it has gotten worse and this is really hard on Amir. Amir did a lot of research and tried to convince Baba to take medication that could have rid him of the cancer, but he refused. -
Soraya Taheri
When Amir met Soraya he looked at her in awe, his "heart quickening. She had thick black eyebrows that touched in the middle like the arched wings of a flying bird" (Hosseini 140). He fell in love with Soraya the moment he met her and he made an effort to see her as much as possible. He would make every excuse just to walk by her and her fathers booth just to get a glimpse at her. -
The book was released
The book was about Afghanistan and was "released in the summer of that following year, 1989, and the publisher sent me on a five-city book tour. I became a minor celebrity in the Afghan community" (Hosseini 183). Amir finally reached his dream of getting a book published and he was very proud. He was sad that Baba couldn't see his progress and he thought about Rahim Kahn who was the first person to believe in his writing. -
Taliban Rises
New laws are put into place by the "newly formed Islamic militia, the Taliban, rises to power on promises of peace. Most Afghans, exhausted by years of drought, famine and war, approve of the Taliban for upholding traditional Islamic values... Women are required to be fully veiled and are not allowed outside alone" (A Historical Timeline of Afghanistan). (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/). -
Amir's Brother
Rahim began telling Amir about his brother first by bringing up that "Ali was sterile," Rahim Kahn said. "No he wasn't. He and Sanaubar had Hassan, didn't they? They had Hassan-" "No they didn't," Rahim Kahn said. "Yes they did!" "No they didn't, Amir." "Then who-" "I think you know who'" (Hosseini 222). When Amir finds out that Baba has Hassan's father he goes crazy and feels worse than ever. Once he processed everything he finally promised to go save Hassan's son from Kabul. -
Assef and Amir's Reunion
They were sitting there in a civil manner when out of nowhere Assef said "'Whatever happened to old Babalu, anyway?" The question hit me like a hammer... "What did you think? That you'd put on a fake beard and I wouldn't recognize you? Here's something I'll bet you never new about me: I never forget a face. Not ever" (Hosseini 281). This moment between them brings back many hard feeling and many memories. It also brings some unfinished work which Assef uses to "sell" Sohrab to Amir. -
Fall of Taliban Regime
The Taliban fell in 2001 and since then the government, politically and economically improved.
(CIA). -
Bonn Conference
The conference was "A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005" (CIA worldbook). -
9/11 Responces
The US react to the "unanswered demands that the Taliban turn over bin Laden, U.S. and British forces launch airstrikes against targets in Afghanistan. American warplanes start to bomb Taliban targets and bases reportedly belonging to the al-Qaida network. The Taliban proclaim they are ready for jihad." -
Civillians Killed
The recorded "number of civilians killed since the 2001 invasion hit record levels in 2010, Afghanistan Rights Monitor reports" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12024253 -
US Troops in Afghanistan
The President of The United States "says 8,400 US troops will remain in Afghanistan into 2017 in light of the "precarious security situation". NATO also agrees to maintain troop numbers and reiterates a funding pledge for local security forces until 2020" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12024253 -
Gunmen Attacked a Crowded Shiite Shrine in Kabul
In the capital of Afghanistan "Gunmen disguised as police officers attacked a Shiite shrine packed with hundreds of worshipers in the Afghan capital late Tuesday, killing at least 14 people and wounding dozens, officials and witnesses reported"