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Zahir Shah began reign of Afghanistan
Assumed position after assassination of predecessor. Had a 42 year reign over Afghanistan. -
"In 1933, the year Baba was born" (24)
Baba was born into a semi-wealthy and reputable family in Kabul.
His father was a judge and had a strange family dynamic because of the adoption of his "brother" Ali. His beginnings and family influenced his personality and later sense of entitlement. It also probably contributed to his need for validation, which is proved through his future decisions (marrying Amir's mother, becoming a successful business man, etc...) -
"As for the orphan, my grandfather adopted him into his own household" (24).
Two brothers from a rich family went on a joyride under the influence, and ended up killing a Hazara couple. The judge on their case ended up adopting their child, Ali. This was the beginning of the long and complicated relationship between Ali and Baba, which eventually transferred onto their sons. This event was important because it was truly the start of the entire story. -
"Under the same roof, we spoke our first words. Mine was Baba. His was Amir. My name" (11).
Amir and Hassan speak their first words. Their choice of first words show their futures. Amir says Baba, showing his priorities in life will be to impress his father. Hassan says Amir, showing his unwavering loyalty to his half brother and friend. -
"Because suddenly Afghanistan changed forever" (34)
Ali, Hassan, and Amir all huddle together as the streets are littered in gunfire and violence. This is the start of a five year instability which then ends/gets worse when the Russians fully invade and take over the country. -
"You're bothering me very much... How can you talk to him, play with him, let him touch you?" (41)
Hassan and Amir have first substantial interaction with Assef, the sociopathic teenager who ends up being the main villain in the story. Assef bullies the pair, despite them being 11 and him being nearly 17. He almost physically hurts Amir, but Hassan stands up for him, threatening to slingshot Assef in the face. This foreshadows Assef's sense of superiority over the boys and how Hassan is the only one brave enough to stand up to him. Of course, this does not help him in the end. -
"I'm not sure I want to fly a kite today" (61)
Afghanistan tradition where (generally) children fly kites and then try to cut down other's kites until the last two kites in the air win. The winning kite is a big reward and in fact ends up becoming a prize which Hassan sacrifices his childhood innocence for due to his unwavering love for Amir. -
"He positioned himself behind Hassan. Hassan didn't struggle. Didn't even whimper." (76)
The sociopathic teenager Assef with the help of his two friends hold down and rape the 12 year old Hassan behind an alley. Hassan gives into this sexual assault so that Assef doesn't steal Amir's kite, which is a big prize and important to Amir. This shows the strength of loyalty Hassan has towards Amir and how he literally sacrifices himself for the love of Amir. -
"I turned thirteen that summer of 1976, Afghanistan's next to last summer of peace and anonymity" (93)
Amir has a huge party for his birthday, but feels no satisfaction from the many expensive gifts he receives as they are "blood gifts". Then, he makes an awful decision to frame Hassan for stealing his watch in hopes his father will fire Ali and get rid of the family. This is all because of his huge guilt over watching (and doing nothing) when Hassan gets raped. -
First Soviet involvement in Afghanistan
"The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27 1979" (The New York Times). Moscow insisted that their takeover of Afghan came from a plea from the Karmal government, but was really to replace the Afghan leader Hafizullah Amin, who'd fallen out of their graces. -
Period: to
Afghanistan History
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"Baba loved the idea of America. It was living in America that gave him an ulcer" 125
After leaving their country of Afghanistan, Baba gets a job in a gas station, going from rich to utterly poor. Amir and Baba bond over their struggles and their confusion in a new land. Amir has to be the "father" of the duo, younger and speaking more english. -
"We're in Pakistan, Amir" (123).
Amir and Baba leave Afghanistan after the instability and war torn country is no longer safe for them. They take nothing and travel with a truck full of others trying to get out of the country. On the way, they bond over things such as corrupt Russians and the struggles of escaping their home. -
"That summer of 1983, I graduated from high school at the age of twenty" (131)
After a hard life and a lot of instability, Amir graduates high school in the U.S. He's a very good student, considering his first few years he was not even speaking English and was in another country. His father rewards him with a VW van which they later sell things out of in a flea market. -
"For the rest of the day, I fought the urge to look toward the grey van" (141)
After graduating high school and starting work in a flea market with his father Amir meets Soraya. Daughter of General Taheri, a respected and prideful man, Amir has trouble acquainting himself with her. Eventually, they bond and find that they have a lot in common, and eventually fall in love. This shows how Amir has moved past the traumatic childhood he faced at least somewhat and that there's hope for him and his future. -
"I want us to marry" (165)
Because Baba doesn't have much time to live, which is obvious, Amir and Soraya have to rush their engagement. Baba pours all of his money into the wedding, and Baba lives to see the wedding. He passes soon after. One huge part of Amir's life ends just as another begins (his relationship with his father and his future with Soroya). -
"I wish you'd give the chemo a chance, Baba" (156)
Baba dies from his poor health and disease. Only a month after Amir's wedding, Baba dies, leaving Amir sad and lonely with nobody but his new wife's family. However, he eventually grows to enjoy them. Again, it shows he has hope for his future, but he still is subconsciously needing atonement for his previous sins. -
Soviet troops left Afghanistan
"They left behind a country that was not only devastated from the war but that had become a beacon to Islamic extremists from across the globe who had come to assist in the fighting, including Osama bin Laden and the group he helped found, Al Qaeda" (The New York Times). Soviet troops invaded, ruined, and left the country of Afghanistan after peace talks held by the United Nations -
"Sohrab raised his arms and turned slowly" (280)
After a complicated family history, Hassan and Farzana have their child Sohrab. They are very happy to have a new son. Hassan's mother becomes a dedicated grandmother until she dies 4 years later. This shows that Hassan was not completely ruined by his childhood rape, and shows hope for everybody to be able to move on. It also opens another chapter of the story, Sohrab and his journey through life, which is just as hard (or harder) than Hassans. -
Pakistan funds Taliban
"Pakistani intelligence officers began funneling arms, money, and supplied to Mullah Omar's men, as well as military advisers to help guide them in battle" (The New York Times). With the Pakistani aid, the Taliban had the ability to take control of Afghanistan and start enforcing strong, fundamentalist Islamic Law. -
Civil struggle over power
"By the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" (The New York Times). In a divided country, criminals and terror groups fought over power. -
Taliban
"The Taliban grew out of a student movement dedicated to purifying the country, based in the southeast, the home of the dominant ethnic group, the Pashtun" (The New York Times). By the end of 1994, Mullah Omar, the leader of the Taliban had nearly 12,000 followers. -
Kabul suffers
There is a rivalry between three groups: Massoud, Rabbani, and the Mujahedin. -
Hassan and his wife are killed
The Taliban rolls in town, and kill all Hazaras in an event. This event is called Mazar-i-Sharif. -
Amir must go to Pakistan
Rahim Khan calls Amir. He says he must get to Pakistan immediately. So, Amir tell Soroya and goes. -
9/11 American Terrorist attack
"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" (The New York Times). America was enraged after the Taliban performed terrorist actions, and decided to intervene. -
Taliban continues guerrilla warfare
"...Taliban regrouped and began to extend its influence in the southern part of Afghanistan" (The New York Times). The group waged small counts of guerrilla warfare, taking over more influence in rural areas than cities, but still making a resurgence. -
Amir and Rahim Khan meet
Rahim Khan is obviously very sick. It is revealed that he will die very soon. There is nothing for them to do, and Rahim is accepting of his fate. They talk about many things, including revealing the fact that Hassan and Amir are brothers. -
New president elected in Afghanistan.
"...saying he hoped to secure peace for Afghanistan and win the country much-needed international aid" (The New York Times). Hamid Karzai was a popular politician both in America and his home country, until his popularity fell after he lacked to help the economy and had many corrupt officials in his government. -
Obama makes speech about Taliban
"...Mr. Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (The New York Times). Still at war with Afghanistan and the Taliban, the United States has felt a struggle with these terrorist groups. -
Beginning of American intervention
"An air and ground campaign began that drove the Taliban out of the major Afghan cities by the end of the year" (The New York Times). After 9/11, American military intervened in the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan.