-
Hassan's Birth
In the cold winter of 1964, "Sanaubar gave birth to [Hassan]."(6) Unlike Amir's mother who died giving birth, Hassan's mother ended up running away with a band of singers, not even staying to care for Hassan because he was a "Hazara". This demonstrates the irony of Hassan's childhood because while Hassan was the perfect child who always helped, the very reason his mother left him was because he wasn't perfect. -
Hassan Gets Surgery
Soon after Hassan had surgery to fix his hairlip, he "only [had] a faint scar. Which was ironic. Because that was the winter that Hassan stopped smiling".(47) This is an example of one of the many foreshadowing events happening in the book. After knowing that Assef is out for revenge, this quote reveals that during that winter Assef will do something that will forever change his life. -
Amir Wins the Kite Contest
In the winter of 1975, "[he] didn't need to hear the crowd's roar to know. [He] didn't need to see either."(66) Amir finally succeeded in fulfilling his dream of winning the tournament. He finally earned his father's respect, his love, his care that he lacked his entire life. He was finally the center of Baba's attention instead of Hassan being. -
Hassan Gets Raped.
After defeating the last kite, Amir searches to find Hassan with the kite only to find him "standing at the blind end of the alley in a defiant stance...".(71) After Amir helplessly watches Assef rape Hassan, he tries to erase the guilt by using the stereotypical justification of "it's just a Hazara." This shows how in Afghan culture, the race of someone largely impacts the amount of power they have and how they are treated. -
Amir's 13th Birthday
During Amir's Birthday when Assef gave him a book, he "tore the wrapping paper from Assef's present and tilted the book cover in the moonlight. It was a biography of Hitler."(97) This shows the kind of psychopath that Assef was, which later leads to his rule of the Taliban. Because Assef was always confident of all the terrible things he did, he always thought it was God's work, which gave him power of all the normal people. -
Hassan and Ali Leave
When Amir framed Hassan and Baba asked if he stole the money, "Hassan's reply was a single word, delivered in a thin, raspy voice: 'Yes.'"(105) This demonstrates the loyalty of Amir's servant even through all the things everyone put him through. Part of the reason that he lied to save Amir was so he could leave all the pain Amir caused him and partially because he always was the one saving Amir. -
Period: to
The Soviet Invasion and After
In this timespan, the Soviet Union sent troops into Kabul to help Babrak Karmal, the president of a coup in the Afghan Communist leadership. For roughly 9 years, the troops fought in a conflict to display the image of an undefeatable Soviet army. After many peace talks moderated by the UN, the troops finally left Afghanistan in 1989. -
Soviet troops invade
In 1979, the Soviet union sent troops that, "parachuted into Kabul...to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become president in a coup within the Afghan Communist leadership."(NYT) -
Soviet troops fight a conflict in Afghanistan
While staying in Afghanistan for many years, the Soviets "[fought] a conflict that cost them roughly 15,000 lives...while determining the cherished image of an invincible Soviet Army."(NYT) -
Baba and Amir Escape Afghanistan when the Russian Invade.
When their ride out of Afghanistan gets stopped at a checkpoint, Baba's responds to the soldier who wants to have 30 minutes in the back with a female passenger, saying 'I'll take a thousand of his bullets before I let this indecency take place.'"(116) This is illustrating one of the reasons that Baba is respected in his life. While his wealthiness takes part in his high socioeconomic status, his highly respectable and helpful decisions also gives him respect. -
Baba and Amir fly to America
When they finally got their visas, "Baba loved the idea of America. It was living in America that gave him an ulcer."(125) When he first thought of going to America, Baba was very excited. When they started living America, Baba started disliking it, having to work at a flea market for the rest of his life. -
Amir and Soraya Marry
While they were getting married, General Sahib said, "'We are honored to welcome the son of a man such as yourself into our family."(168) Because of Baba's reputation in Kabul and the amount of money he had, the General was very honored to have Amir marry his daughter. This demonstrates the power of high socioeconomic status because since he is well known and wealthy, he could easily convince others to do what he wants. -
Amir's First Novel is Accepted
When Amir finished his first novel, "Martin called and informed [him] [he] was going to be a published novelist."(183) In the beginning of the book when he wrote his first story, it foreshadowed that this event would occur in the future. When this happened, it was no surprise, as it was obvious that it would happen at some point. -
Soviet troops leave Afghanistan
After staying in Afghanistan for 9 years, "the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989, in what was in effect a unilateral withdrawal."(NYT) -
Amir Tries to Have a Family
After a year of trying to have a baby, Amir and Soraya found out that "[they] couldn't have kids."(185) Because of his sin's in the past, Amir concluded that it was a punishment from God. He had to pay for all the pains he caused Hassan and what he failed to do. -
The Taliban's first action
According to Afghan folklore, the Taliban started "when Mullah Omar, a pashtun who had lost an eye fighting the Soviets, gathered a small band of men and attacked a group of warlords..."(NYT) -
Support for the Taliban
The Taliban probably wouldn't have survived, "were it not for the intervention of Pakistan, the neighbor to the east".(NYT) -
Period: to
The Taliban Takeover
The Taliban started growing because of a student movement dedicated to purifying Afghanistan. Even with support, the Taliban would have withered if Pakistan didn't help by supplying arms and money to the Taliban. The Taliban is known for supporting Al Qaeda, the terrorist group who had housed Bin Ladin. -
The Taliban rises
A while after the Taliban's defeat, the Taliban started regrouping, "assisted by a resurgent opium trade, which helped to fill the group's coffers."(NYT) -
Period: to
Post 9/11 Invasion
After what happened on 9/11/2001 the US, with help of rebel groups, drove the Taliban out of major cities. When the interim government replaced the Taliban, Hamid Karzai became the chairman and was blamed for the lack of economic progress. Even when the Taliban was defeated, they continued guerrilla warfare and started to regroup with the aid of the opium trade. -
Rahim Khan Calls Amir to Return to Afghanistan
During his phone call, Rahim Khan explains that "[t]here is a way to be good again".(192) Because Amir always avoided thinking about what he did in his old home, his time finally came for him to atone for his sins. He agreed to help Hassan's son, not only because of his overwhelming guilt, but also he learned that Hassan was his half brother. -
Amir Finds Sohrab
While Assef was beating up Amir, he yelled "'WHAT'S SO FUNNY?'... What was so funny was that for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace."(289) Amir was glad that he finally had atoned for his sins and that he got what he deserved. This shows the power of the morals of the human mind, that even the pain of broken bones and terrible wounds was overpowered by the feeling of releasing the guilt. -
Hamid Karzai is elected as chairman
After the Taliban attacked the World Trade Center, "Hamid Karzai, a supporter and relative of Mohammad Zahir Shah, the exiled former king of Afghanistan, was named chairman of an interim government..."(NYT) -
Sohrab Attempts Suicide
When Amir found out that Sohrab wouldn't have to be sent to an orphanage, he went to go tell Sohrab and "[s]uddenly [he] was on his knees, screaming."(343) After telling Sohrab his greatest fears that he might have to be sent to an orphanage, he was foolish enough to sleep without worrying about Sohrab or at least trying to comfort him. -
Sohrab Smiles :)
On a cool rainy day, when Amir had cut the last kite, "[he] looked down at Sohrab. One corner of his mouth had curled up just so. A smile."(370)For once after many months, Amir found an activity that actually sparked joy in Sohrab that caused him to smile. This shows the Irony that the on the day of the same event that caused Hassan to stop smiling, the same event caused Sohrab to smile for the first time. -
The Taliban is defeated...for now
After the Taliban refused to hand over Osama bin Ladin, "the United States joined forces with rebel groups that had never accepted Taliban rule..."(NYT) -
Obama plans to involve the US with Afghanistan
In 2008, President Obama "plan[ned] to widen United States involvement in Afghanistan..."(NYT) -
Period: to
Obama's War
Around 2008, president Obama planned to expand the involvement with Afghanistan, despite being warned by Vice President Biden against doing so. In 2009, President Obama announced that he will send 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. By 2014, administration officials are hoping to tell the Afghans that the US will not prevail and will continue fighting against the Taliban. -
Obama carries out his plans
After a speech, President Obama "announced his plan to deploy 20,000 additional troops."(NYT)