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Hassan defends Amir
Hassan demonstrated the meaning of true friendship, coming with peace through proxy at his own risk, simply requesting "please leave us alone agha." (Hosseini 43) -
Amir is born
Sofia, Amir's now dead mother, died during childbirth which left an absence of Amir's historical personality of his mothers -- poetry, reading, and writing, -- something Baba despised of a man, disclaiming "I wouldn't believe he was my son if the doctor didn't pull him out of my wife" (Hosseini 21). Amir's personality directly impacts the relationships he has with others even with his hero, his own Baba. -
Mohamed Daoud Khan seizes power
Mohamed took over his cousin-in-law's position, ruling out a previous monarchy for a presidency in a bloodless coup. He ultimately got assassinated in 1978 during the Saur revolution. -
Amir develops his storytelling
As Amir began reading stories to Hassan, he changed it, marking it as a defining point that changed his dedication after Hassan recalled it as "being the best stories you've read to me in a long time." (Hosseini 30) Amir learns from Hassan that he has grown to be dependent, even from complements by Hassan to live. Amir must learn to strive to be independent, -
Hassan gets Upper lip fixed
Hassan is gifted the normality of a lip by Baba, who cares so deeply about Hassan and probably almost as much as Amir because it foreshadows the fact that Hassan is the son of Baba. Amir didn't know this and he "wished [he] too had a scar that would beget Baba's sympathy. It wasn't fair. Hassan hadn't done anything to earn Baba's affections; he'd just been born with that stupid harelip." (Hosseini 46) -
Period: to
Afghanistan History since 1975
Major Events
War & Conflicts
History
Culture -
Assef rapes Hassan
Amir's choice of his future was determined by what he would do with Hassan and Assef. "In the end [he] ran... Was it a fair price? Maybe Hassan was the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba." (Hosseini 77) Amir suffers through the thoughts of betrayal forever now because of his choice to run. -
Hasaan shares his dream
Hasaan dreamed of how "[Amir] swam immediately in the center of [a] lake," which was deemed to have a monster in it. With true loyalty, Hasaan followed and there was no monster until the winter of 1975, disclaimed that Amir himself saying that "[he] was the monster" (Hosseini 149) This troublesome dream represented a happy start with no monster, but in the end, the monster or Amir rose up and attacked, or in Amir's case betrayed Hasaan. -
Amir pelts Hassan with pomegranates
After cowardly running away from Assef and not standing up for Hassan, Amir begins to seek atonement by any means possible. Ironically, even after Amir betrays Hassan, Hassan continues to express his loyalty to Amir, which worsens his guilt. When he and Hassan go out for a walk, Amir takes out his aggression by pelting Hassan with pomegranates in hopes that he will be pelted back. Amir “hit him with another pomegranate, in the shoulder this time” and Hassan does not respond with any violence. -
Soviet Afghan War
The Soviets invade Afghanistan in an attempt to replace the current communist government with a better one.
The mujahadeen was the primary resistance force against the Soviet military while some other factions fought, some supported by the United States. -
Amir and Baba arrive in America
When Amir and Baba arrived in America, it was like a fantasy that drugged them of their long lost pride and history in the heart of Kabul. Baba's everything, his accomplishments, and hopes in Afghanistan had been simplified to almost nothing to "the idea of America." This flowed through Amir's brain as well as he tried to remember his history, the past betrayal that changed his life, while Baba would be saying, '"There are only [a few] real men in this world... [one,] America the brash savior. -
Amir graduates high school
Amir graduates at the age of 20 which ultimately shows Amir's independence in Baba's eyes. Baba celebrates, saying "'I am moftakhir, Amir,' ...Proud. His eyes gleamed when he said that," (Hosseini 131) tightening their relationship as father and son. -
Amir decides to major in English
Amir faces the decision to follow his father's footsteps and expectations or his own interests and he chose his own path, telling Baba, '"I think I'll major in English,' I said. I winced inside, waiting for his reply."(Hosseini 134) Amir's decision brings him to a change in his character that helped him go against his values when it's right -- now, Baba's dissapointment, then Sohrab's ill captivity. -
End of Soviet Afghan War
The Soviets withdraw their troops after failed attempts to seize power.
The Afghanistan cities and towns were left in ruin and destruction after massive bombardment; they were therefore financially and emotionally devastated. -
Collapse of the Communist Najibullah Government
The proposed reforms and reactions of the government failed to suffice with its people properly. -
Peshawar Accords
Development of the Islamic State of Afghanistan
Government would now be headed by Council members -
Taliban rises to power in Afghanistan
Taliban defeats government and instructs its power with abuse and terror among its people. -
US invades Afghanistan
Missile air strikes target bases led by al Queda. -
Amir fights Assef for Sohrab
"The relief," as disclaimed by Amir had been the punishment and pain he absolutely needed in order to forgive himself. Assef forces Amir into a pinned fight, where he is beaten. Though he endures a lot of pain, he receives it as a relieving factor of atonement that healed his sinful cuts from the betrayal of his long lost step brother. -
Amir revisits his home in Afghanistan
As Amir passes his childhood home, he quickly rushes out of the car to visit the site that caused him painful memories. Even though the Afghanistan taxi driver Farid advises Amir that it is “best to forget,” “[Amir] doesn’t want to forget anymore” (Hosseini 263). Amir knows that remembrance is the first step toward atonement. Remembering his betrayal, Amir is showing his determination to not repeat the wrongs of the past, and desires to see Hassan to ultimately make up for his mistakes. -
Amir revisits Afghanistan
Amir reminisces the winter of 1975 that changed his life completely. Hassan was running a kite with Amir and was suddenly raped by Assef. Amir saw this and cowardly running away from Hasaan possibly forever, who happened to be his step-brother. Twenty six years later, Amir still remembers the sight of Hasaan getting raped, "because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years." (Hosseini 1) -
United Nations Aid for War-Devastated Afghanistan
The United Nations take lead in stabilizing the political future for Afghanistan by installing reforms and a government system. -
Amir reads Rahim Khan's letter
Amir learns that his suffering from not being punished pushed him as a matter of fact to be a better man even though he thought he wasn't. “A man who has no conscience, no goodness does not suffer” (301).....Amir finds some comfort in knowing that his pain and desire for atonement are evidence that he is a good person even if he wants to believe he is beyond redemption. -
Amir tends Sohrab in America
By the end of Amir’s processing of memories, he comes to a place of peace that surprises. As he watches Sohrab sleep, he sees the polaroid photo and this tender moment releases Amir unexpectedly. That “forgiveness,” as he terms it, comes “not with a fanfare of epiphany but with pain gathering its things and slipping away” (Hosseini 364). By personifying pain itself, Amir faces his wrongdoing but also welcomes in the peace that has become a surprising gift. -
Afghanistan Official First Parliamentary Election
Afghans are able to vote for their president since the past 30 years. -
Saur Revolution
People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) takes power in a military coup d' etat. Following this coup, several uprisings against the PDPA have occurred.