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Two Men Arrested for Killing Two People
The two men, after killing a husband and a wife, were brought before the court and "after hearing the brothers' account... [Hassan's] grandfather ordered the two young men to go... and enlist in the army for one year..."(24). This even is a cornerstone of both Baba's and Hassan's life, since Amir wants to live up to his grandfather's ideals. Baba wants to preserve his father's memory, as soon after, his father was murdered. -
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Start of Book Dates To End
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The Birth of Hassan
Hassan is born on "one cold winter day in 1964"(6). Hassan was born into a poor social status, born to serve a boy who had been given more power than Hassan was since the beginning. The power difference is evident since the beginning, as Hassan was born inside a shack outside Amir's home. -
Amir wins Kite Fighting Competition and Wins
Amir enters the competition in order to make "Baba proud of [him] at last"(66). Amir's entire childhood revolves around making his father proud of him, causing him to sacrifice parts of his childhood for Baba. Since he doesn't have the athleticism, and doesn't appear the behave like the man Baba wants him to be, he uses Kite Fighting as a gateway for Baba's approval. -
Hassan is Sexually Abused by Assef
After Hassan is separated from Amir, he is caught inside an alleyway and sexually assaulted by Assef. As Amir looks on, too cowardly to intervene, he describes the situation: [Assef] positioned himself behind Hassan. Hassan didn't struggle. Didn't even whimper"(75). The rape of Hassan is a major plot point in the novel, serving the exemplify the cowardly and unwillingness Amir has to even help his childhood best friend. Later, Amir's guilt leads to him pushing Hassan away. -
Ali and Hassan Leave Baba and Amir
Amir plants money under Hassan's mattress to make it look like Hassan had stolen from him, leading to Baba stunning Amir by saying "'I forgive you'" to Hassan(105). For Amir's entire life, Baba had always condemned stealing and considers it to be the ultimate sin. However, Amir is confused when Hassan is forgiven, as he did not yet know that Hassan was secretly Baba's son. -
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Timetable of Afghanistan's history
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Start of Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
On December 27th, 1979 "The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul" under the presumption of assisting Kabrak Karmal (New York Times 2). However, most analysts in the west say that the Soviets had actually been the ones to put Karmal in power, through a military coup. -
Baba Saves Woman from Russian Soldier
As Amir and Baba escape from Afghanistan, Baba saves a young woman from being raped by a Russian soldier, even as the soldier "pointed the barrel to Baba's chest"(116). Baba is a hero is Amir's eyes, and even as Amir wants desperately to be like Baba, he is unable to feel worthwhile in Baba's eyes. Baba standing up to the Russian soldier serves as a reminder to Amir about his failure to save Hassan. -
Kamal's Death, Kamal's Father Kills Himself
Kamal dies on the bus by suffocating on the fumes, and Kamal's emotionally decimated father threatens to shoot Karim, however at the last moment "Kamal's father shoved the barrel into his own mouth"(124). This scene is another point where Amir loses his innocence and is exposed to the terror and inhuman acts in Afghanistan. -
Soviets Leave Afghanistan
The UN convinces the Soviet troops to leave "Afghanistan in February 1989"(NYT). -
Sanaubar Returns to Hassan
Sanaubar returns to Hassan after never being in his life, and Hassan forgives her and "took Sanaubar's hand in both of his and told her she could cry... but needn't, she was home now..."(210). Hassan, like many other characters, had grown up without a mother. Sanaubar gives new insight into the life of women in Afghanistan, and how double standards effect them more than men. -
Pakistani Intelligence Funnel Support to Taliban
The Pakistani begin funneling support, and "buoyed by Pakistani aid, the Taliban... had taken control of Afghanistan"(NYT 3). -
Mullah Omar Gains Followers
Mullah Omar, a man who was sick and tired of the corruption going on, organized a movement and by "the end of 1994 [he] had nearly 12,000 followers..."(NYT). -
Taliban Take over Afghanistan
The Taliban Take over Afghanistan, and impose "strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law", changing the way many lived(NYT 3). -
Taliban Defeat
The Taliban continued to fight the US using guerrilla warfare, even after "their defeat in 2001"(NYT 3). -
Sohrab Attempts Suicide
Sohrab, upon hearing the news that he has to return to the orphanage, uses Amir's razor to attempt suicide, and Amir "[Screams] through clenched teeth. Screaming until [he] thought [his] throat would rip out..."(343). Sohrab's desperate situation leads to him attempting to kill himself, and Amir is horrified at the boy even thinking of ending his life. He later realizes that it was he himself who was partially responsible for Sohrab, as he'd given the information. -
The Start of Book
The book begins with Amir contemplating how he became the person he was, saying "I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975"(1). This quote is designed to hook the readers attention and generate interest on who Amir is, and what led him to become the person he is now. Furthermore, this scene links to the end of the book, and sets up foreshadowing for events to come. -
Rahim Khan Tells Amir of Hassan's Death
Hassan and his wife stay at Baba's home to keep the Taliban away, however, they are murdered by the Taliban and "dismissed as a case of self defense"(219). Amir is devastated at the news, as he realizes that if Hassan had gone to America with him, Hassan might have survived. He has lost yet another family member. -
Amir Fights Assef Over Sohrab
Sohrab (Hassan's son) had lived in an orphanage until Assef takes him away and sexually assaltuls the boy. Amir confronts Assef over Amir, and decides to fight over the boy, describing the fight: "Getting hurled against the wall. Lying on the floor, blood from mt split upper lip..."(288). This scene serves as a flashback to Hassan's rape, except this time, Amir decides to do something. As he fights, he remembers Hassan's sacrifice, and Amir tries to atone. -
Hamid Karzai becomes leader of Afghanistan
After the Taliban were defeated, "Hamid Karzai... was named chairman of an interim government"(NYT). -
Amir and Sohrab Go Kite Fighting-End of Book
Around a year after arriving in America, Sohrab still hasn't spoken, however, when going Kite Fighting with Amir "his face was a little flushed, his eyes suddenly alert. Awake. Alive. I had forgotten that, despite everything, he was still just a child"(369). Sohrab's innocence plays a huge role in Amir's life, as it reminds Amir of himself and Hassan long ago. Sohrab starts to open up after the traumatizing events of his attempted suicide, and Amir hopes that it is the start of a new beginning. -
Removal of Gen. McChrystal, and arrival of Gen. Petraeus
Gen. McChrystal was kicked from his position "after contemptuous quotes from the general and his staff... appeared in an article in Rolling Stone"(NYT 4). -
Day American forces were supposed to Leave
After the Obama Administration stated that they planned on having troops stationed until the end of 2014, "administration officials are trying to convince Afghans that the United States is not walking away"(NYT 4). -
9/11
The World Trade Center in New York was attacked on "Sept. 11, 2001, [and] President George W. Bush gave Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. Bin Laden"(NYT 3).