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Amir's mother dies giving birth to him
A key plot event is when Amir's mother dies at birth. Amir tells the reader, "I always felt like Baba hated me a little ... After all, I had killed his beloved wife ... The least I could have done was to have had the decency to have turned out a little more like him. But I hadn’t" (Hosseini 19). All throughout Amir's childhood, he doesn't have a good relationship with his father, which greatly affects the plot. The idea that Baba somehow blames Amir for Sofia's death contributes to this tension. -
Daud's Coup
Mohammad Daud takes advantage of the recent power struggles in Afghanistan and "seizes power in a coup and declares a republic" (BBC). -
Amir's life changes forever
A main plot point is seen at the end of chapter 5, when Mohammed Daud takes control of Afghanistan. As Amir, Baba, Hassan, and Ali are “Huddled together in the dining room ... none of [them] had any notion that a way of life had ended” (Hosseini 36). As the turmoil unfolds in the years that follow this event, Amir will be forced to abandoned his carefree life of peace and luxury. He will need to start completely over as a peasant in America, and his social status will be forever changed. -
Period: to
Kite Runner & the History of Afghanistan
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Hassan's Rape
Another key plot event is Hassan's rape at the end of chapter 7. After letting the rape happen, Amir thinks, “I actually aspired to cowardice, because ... Hassan was the price I had to pay ... to win Baba" (Hosseini 77). Here, Amir makes a decision that will haunt him for the rest of his life. To Amir, Hassan is a friend, but he's expendable. This event plays a big part in the characterization of Amir, sets up themes in the book, and develops the relationship between Amir and Hassan. -
Hassan and Ali leave
Another key plot event after Amir's 13th birthday. When Baba asks Hassan if he stole Amir's things and he says yes, Amir "flinched, like I'd been slapped… Then I understood: This was Hassan’s final sacrifice for me… He knew I had betrayed him and yet he was rescuing me once again" (Hosseini 105). This event pushes all of Amir's guilt over the edge. He didn't plant the moeny to get rid of Hassan, he did it to somehow possibly be scolded for his actions. However, Hassan's firm loyalty trumps Amir. -
Coup d'etat
In 1978 the USSR begins their take over when, "General Daud is overthrown and killed in a pro-Soviet coup. The People's Democratic Party comes to power but is paralysed by violent infighting and faces opposition by US-backed mujahideen groups" (BBC). -
Soviet Invasion
In December 1979 the "Soviet Army invades and props up communist government" (BBC). -
USSR Assigns Afghan Leader
In 1980, the leader "Babrak Karmal [was] installed as ruler, backed by Soviet troops ... opposition intensifies with various mujahideen groups fighting Soviet forces" (BBC). -
Amir and Baba flee Kabul
Amir and Baba abandon life in Kabul after the soviet takeover hoping to find a better place to live. As they drive, Amir realizes "we'd left the house where I'd lived my entire life" (Hosseini 112). Here, Amir comes to the realization of how much his life is about to change. Amir leaving Kabul is so important because it is a way for him to try and escape his traumatic past, and it also means that his rich and respected life is over. Exiting Afghanistan is also a time of independence for Amir. -
Baba stops rape
During Amir and Baba's escape from Kabul, Russian soldiers attempt to rape one of the women in their truck. Baba stands and says "'I want you to ask this man something... Ask him where his shame is'" (Hosseini 115). This is yet another example of Baba trying to impress the importance of courage upon Amir. Baba does not know the whole truth about Amir's cowardly character, so this moment means more to Amir than Baba thinks. Events like this eventually lead Amir to become a better person. -
Baba's death
Baba's death has a huge impact on the plot and on Amir. After Baba passes, Amir thinks to himself, "I realized how much of who I was... had been defined by Baba… Now he was gone. Baba couldn’t show me the way anymore; I’d have to find it on my own" (Hosseini 174). Baba was Amir's guide all throughout life, and now that he is gone, Amir takes a step towards independence and becoming 100% responsible for his actions. This results in Amir starting down his long path to true atonement. -
Soraya's confession/breakdown
Shortly after Baba died, Amir and Soraya revisit the topic of her past. Even though it is scandalous, Amir realizes that "I didn’t care about Soraya’s past [because] I had one of my own. I knew all about regret" (Hosseini 180). The main reason that Amir is indifferent, is that he is jealous of Soraya to be able to admit her past, and he remains distracted with his own. Soraya having the courage to talk however, nudges Amir along to atone for his sins and acknowledge what he has done. -
Soviets leave
After 10 years of soviet control, Afghanistan is free of foreign rule. In 1989, the USSR "troops leave, but civil war continues" (BBC). -
Amir and Soraya consider adoption
When Amir and Soraya think about adopting, Amir thinks about why he cannot father children. He thinks to himself, "Maybe this was my punishment, and perhaps justly so" (Hosseini 188). Here, Amir toys with the idea that being unable to have kids is a punishment for all of his sins. When Amir formulates this idea, it is so important because he feels he must get rid of his burden. This thought helps lead him to Afghanistan, where he gains both Sohrab and atonement. -
Civil War
After the government was overthrown, "a devastating civil war" (BBC) was started, which completely tore apart the country. -
Taliban Control
In 1996, the "Taliban [seized] control of Kabul" (BBC). The Taliban told the people that they would bring order and stability to the country, but they did this by implementing brutal islamic law. Many Afghans that had a chance to leave took the opportunity to seek refuge in countries such as the U.S. -
Rahim Khan celebrates, Hassan lives in fear
When the Taliban took control of Kabul, Rahim and Hassan exchanged words, saying to each other, "'God help the Hazaras now, Rahim Khan sahib,' [Hassan] said... 'The war is over Hassan,' [Rahim Khan] said" (Hosseini 213). Here, Rahim Khan doesn't realize it, but Hassan's life will never be the same. The Taliban are the reason for everyone's momentary peace, but they are also responsible for Hassan's death and Sohrab's sexual/physical abuse. These two things change Amir's life forever. -
U.S. Assault
In the late 90's, the United States began to "[launch] missile strikes at suspected bases of militant Osama bin Laden" (BBC). This helped slow the rebuilding of Afghanistan's infrastructure. -
Amir returns to Afghanistan
When Amir returns to his country, a revelation is made to him. When Amir is with Farid, Farid "pointed to an old man dressed in ragged clothes... a large burlap sack... tied to his back. 'That’s the real Afghanistan... You’ve always been a tourist here, you just didn’t know it'" (Hosseini 232). When he says this to Amir, Amir realizes that he never knew the true Afghanistan. Coming back does not only serve to atone for his sins, it also lets Amir see other's perspectives and views of the world. -
Amir plants money, for a second time
At Wahid's house, Amir realizes that Wahid's family is in desperate need of money for food, so "[Amir] planted a fistful of crumpled money under a mattress" (Hosseini 242). The fact that Amir betrayed Hassan and made him leave his own home was something he hoped to atone for in Afghanistan. When Amir puts the money under Wahid's mattress, he does it to make good on his sins. This parallel to early in Amir's life is yet another instance where his return to Afghanistan led him to atonement. -
Assef re-enters the story
During Amir's search for Sohrab in chapter 22, he's severly beaten by the Taliban official who turns out to be Assef. Amir recalls that “My body was broken ... but I felt healed. Healed at last" (Hosseini 289). In this quotation, Amir believes he has finally found peace. In his eyes, this beating is one he deserved many years ago, when Hassan got raped. This is really a turning point in Amir's life because the immense guilt has been lifted from his shoulders. -
Amir achieves atonement
Amir finally makes up for his past decisions the instant he tells Sohrab, "You have a visa to go to America, to live with me and my wife" (Hosseini 355). Sohrab was Amir's final chance to repay everyone he had betrayed. By rescuing him from his cruel life, he atoned for letting Hassan get raped, getting Hassan and Ali kicked out of their house, and for all of Baba's sins. Amir was rid of his guilt and sin at this exact moment, which resolved the conflict of the entire novel. -
9/11
On September 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden's followers "commandeer four commercial airplanes and crash them into the World Trade Center Towers in New York, the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and a Pennsylvania field, killing thousands" (PBS). This was in response to the U.S.'s actions against the the Taliban and bin Laden himself. -
Amir runs the kite
In the very end of the book, just as Amir starts to run the kite for Sohrab, he says "'For you, a thousand times over,'" (Hosseini 371). This is so key, because Hassan says the same thing to Amir when Amir wins the tournament in Afghanistan as a child. However, when Hassan said that, it was the last time Amir saw him smile, and when Amir says this to Sohrab, it is the first time he sees Sohrab smile. This is the authors way of showing that Amir has achieved true atonement. -
Peaceful Politics
Finally, after years of instability, in October 2004 Afghan "Presidential elections are held...Karzai is elected with 55 percent of the vote" (PBS). This marks one of Afghanistan's major breakthroughs in its pursuit of peace and equality.