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Period: to
Kite Runner & the History of Afghanistan timespan
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Daud Khan becomes president of Afghanistan
Daud Khan decided he's fit to be king and, "overthrows the last king, Mohammed Zahir Shah, in a military coup," causing the monarchy to be destroyed and creating strong ties with the USSR.(https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan) -
Hassan defends Amir from Assef
Assef and his friends come up to Hassan and Amir as they're going to climb a tree and Assef starts to say some discriminatory stuff against Hazaras. Hassan can see how uncomfortable Amir gets, so Hassan decides to use his weapon, "[Amir] turned around and came face to face with Hassan's slingshot," and then back around to see the Assef backing down. (Hosseini 41) -
Amir wins the kite race
Amir and another kid were competing against each other to be the last kite flying, both of them trying to cut off each other but still trying to stay up. It was until Amir heard, "Bravo! Bravo, Amir agha!" (66) from Hassan, he finally realized that he had cut the other kid's kite down, ending up being the last kite flying. -
Assef rapes Hassan
Hassan goes running after the kite that Amir cut, to finish the tradition and help Amir warm his father's approval, as he was running, he bumped into Assef and his friends at an alleyway. They quickly gained power over the situation and Assef undid his pants, "he positioned himself behind Hassan" (75) and then raped him . -
Ali and Hassan decide to move away
Amir plants some of his birthday presents under Hassan's bed and accuses him of stealing them. Baba quickly forgives him, but Ali refuses the apology and decides they need to leave for their well-being, he "drew Hassan closer... [and] glanced my way in his cold, unforgiving look" (106). -
Nur Mohammad Taraki become the new president of Afghanistan
Another president was killed, Daud Khan died in a communist coup. and then "one of the founding members of the Afghan Communist Party, takes control of the country as president," Nur Mohammed Taraki. He announces liberty from the Soviet Russian ways, but creates a peace treaty with them, to remain friends. -
The Soviet Union invade Afghanistan
After many years of peace, "the USSR invades Afghanistan on Dec. 24 to bolster the faltering communist regime." This causes Amin, a person who didn't want a peace treaty with the USSR, to be killed, with many of his followers and a war to breakout. -
Baba and Amir escape Afghanistan and move to San Francisco
After escaping Afghanistan and going through many checkpoints, and difficulties to get where they are now. Baba admitted to "lov[ing] the idea of America" (125), since it was so different than his own. -
Amir meets Soraya and marries her
Soraya and Amir had met at a flea market, they both often go to, and when Amir first laid his eyes on her, he had already taken a liken to her. A little later they had gotten married and Amir feeling like he was the king, sitting on his sofa, almost "like [it was] a throne, [and] Soraya's hand in [his]' (171). -
Baba dies of cancer
A while after the wedding, Soraya and Amir helped Baba back into his bed to sleep, she then offered to bring some pills to Baba. He rejected and said he didn't feel any pain today, and that night," Baba never woke up," (173). -
Sohrab was born
After Farzana and Hassan buried their first child, they tried again for another one and at this time, Hassan's mother, Sanaubar, came to make amends with him. When it was time to deliver Sohrab, "Sanaubar... delivered Hassan's son that winter of 1990," (211) by herself. -
The Taliban rises to power
After many years of war, the people are exhausted and just openly allow the Taliban to rule. As they take over Afghanistan, they start to dictate the country with rules such as, "outlaw cultivation of poppies for the opium trade, crack down on crime, and curtail the education and employment of women." -
Hassan and Farzana get shot by the Taliban
Rahim Khan left for a business trip and left Hassan and Farzana alone at Amir's old house, the Taliban came to visit. They asked why a Hazara was at a rich house like this and told them to move out, Hassan resisted and the Taliban "ordered him [and Farzana] to kneel -- and shot [them] in the back of the head," (219). -
Amir finds out Hassan was his brother
Rahim Khan gave Amir Hassan's letters before his death, then told him that Hassan was his brother. Amir was bombarded with emotions and ran off, he thought to himself that Baba had stolen "[his] right to know [he] had a brother, [and] from Hassan his identity...," (225) -
Amir finds Sohrab and tries to adopt him
After finding Sohrab in Assef's hands, Assef can see the worry in his eyes and challenges him to fight, the winner gets to take Sohrab, after Sohrab shot Assef in the eye, they ran and got away. Amir with him goes to the American embassy in Islamabad and meets with Raymond Andrews, he says," I want to adopt this boy,[and] take him back to the States with me," (328). -
Sohrab almost bleeds to death in the bathtub
Amir told Sohrab that he wouldn't take take him back to the orphanage, but then broke his promise when Amir found out he couldn't adopt him if he didn't bring him there, Sohrab left the room for the bathroom. Amir was walking in to tell Sohrab the good news of being able to go to America with a VISA,but instead he saw "the water drops dripping from the faucet, and landing with a plink into the bloody bathwater, [with Sohrab's] left arm dangling over the side of the tub," (347). -
Amir and Sohrab finally make it back to America
After spending countless night sin the hospital, for Sohrab to recover his suicide attempt, they fly back. Soraya then picked them up and embraced Amir, " [he] realized how much [he] had missed her," (357) -
Hamid Karzai becomes the leader of the government of Afghanistan
The Taliban is dissolved and no longer in power, making then next candidate, "Hamid Karzai, a royalist and ethnic Pashtun, is sworn in as the leader of the interim government in Afghanistan." -
Sohrab smiles from the first time
It was Afghan New Years and everyone was out, Amir decided to buy a kite and fly it for Sohrab, to bring back some memories for him and create new ones with Sohrab. When they cut down another kite, "[Amir] looked down at Sohrab [and] one corner of his mouth has curled up just so. A smile," (370).
