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Baba is born and Zahir Shah began his forty-year reign of Afghanistan
Amir tells the readers that, "In 1933, the year Baba was born and the year ahir Shah began his forty-year reign of Afghanistan..." (24). This quote is significant to the novel because it shows when the story takes place. It also gives some additional information about the history of Afghanistan. -
Amir meets someone that knew his mother from teaching at a university
When Amir went back to Kabul to find Sohrab, he met a man on the streets that taught at the same university as his mother. The man told him, "We used to sit and talk after class. The last time was on a rainy day just before final exams when we shared a marvelous slice of almond cake together," (249). This was an impactful moment because it talked about Amir's mother. It not only tells you about her relationship with Baba, but it finally reveals who she was and what she was like. -
Baba decides to build an orphanage
In the novel, Baba is seen as a good, kind man because, "In the late 1960s, when I was five or six, Baba decided to build an orphanage," (13). It was an important part of the Kite Runner because it showed the morals and values Baba has. Baba decided to make an orphanage because he was trying to atone for sleeping with Ali's wife and having Hassan as a child. Due to the fact that he had sinned, he chose to live by strict morals, values, and ethics. -
Amir was born
Amir tells the readers about his birth as well as Hassan's. "It was there, in that little shack, that Hassan was born in the winter of 1964, just one year after my mother died giving birth to me," (6). Amir's birth is significant to know because he is the main character of the novel and it is important to know details of his life. Also, the author included this piece of information because it explains why Amir does not have a mother and how Sofia died. -
Hassan was born
In the beginning of the novel, Amir explains how "It was there, in that little shack, that Hassan was born in the winter of 1964, just one year after my mother died giving birth to me," (6). Hassan's birth is also an important part of the book because the reader learns that Amir and Hassan are the same age and have known each other since birth. It gives the two characters a very close relationship, and because of it, it makes Amir's betrayal to Hassan even more dramatic. -
Hassan gets his cleft lip removed
On Hassan's birthday, Baba gives him a very special gift. "Early that following wintder of 1974, Hassan and I were playing in the yard one day, building a snow fort, when Ali called him in. 'Hassan, Agha sahib wants to talk to you!'" (44). The gift that Baba gives Hassan is a plastic sergeon that removes his cleft lip. This was a significant part of the book because it shows that Baba cares about Hassan, even though he is just his servant. -
Amir takes advantage of Hassan's illiteracy
Amir tells how he took advantage of Hassan's iliteracy. "One day, in July 1973, I played another little trick on Hassan. I was reading to him, and sudddenly I strayed from the written story. I pretended I was reading from the book, flipping pages regularly, but I had abandoned the text altogether, taken over the story, and made up my own," (30)
Hassan said he loved the story, so Amir decided to write on his own, and eventually it became his job. Amir became a successful writer because of it. -
Hassen is sexually assaulted
Amir reflects back to when he was a child and watched a terrible event. "I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek," (1) The day Amir was talking about was when he saw Hassan get raped. The reason that Amir looks back on that day with guilt was because he did not intervene and help, even though Hassan was his best friend. -
the Soviet Invasion Begins
The Soviet invasion began in Afghanistan when, "The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979, to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become president in a coup within the Afghan Communist leadership," (2). -
Amir and Baba flee to Pakistan
Because Afghanistan gets too dangerous, Amir and Baba flee to Pakistan. "I heard Baba and Kasrim discussing the arangement in Jalalabad over a smoke. Karim was reassuring Baba that his brother had a big truck of 'excellent and first-class quality,' and that the trek to Peshawar would be very routine," (113). The decision to flee from Afghanistan was an important part of the book.It changed the entire course of their lives; if they had stayed, they could have gotten in trouble with the Soviets -
Amir and Baba move to San Fransisco
Baba and Amir move to America because it was not safe in Afghanistan anymore. Amir and Baba have very different experiences, though. Amir explains that it was hard for Baba in America. "The Bay Area's smog stung his eyes, the traffic noise gave him headaches, and the pollen made him cough," (126). Amir and Baba moving to America was significant. They had to live in a new place. It was fairly easier for Amir to adapt to San Fransisco than Baba because he never completely fit in in Afghanistan. -
Baba dies from cancer
Soraya and Amir help Baba go to sleep the last night of his life. "'There is no pain tonight.' 'Okay,' she said. She pulled up his blanket. We closed the door. Baba never woke up," (173). This is a very significant part of the novel because it means that Amir now is on his own and is responsible for his own life. Amir has finally stoped looking for Baba's approval because he is grown up and has become his own person, not having to rely on Baba for help. -
The Soviet Air Force was beaten
The Soviet Air force was beaten because, "After 1986, the Soviet Air Force was also rendered largely useless by advanced Stinger antiaircraft missiles supplied by the United States to the rebels," (2) -
The last Soviet troops leave Afghanistan
More than nine years after the beginning of the Soviet Invasion, "after peace talks moderated by the United Nations, the last Soviet troopsleft Afghanistan in February 1989, in what was in effect a unilateral withdrawal," (2) -
Afghanistan decends into violence and power was divided
After all of Soviets left, "Afghanista decended into vicious internecine strife; by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms," (2) -
Pakistan inteligence officers give the Taliban arms, money, and supplies
By 1994, around the time they came into power and takeover, "Pakistani intelligence officers began funneling arms, money, and supplies to Mullah Omar's men, as well as military advisers to help guide them in battle," (3). -
The Taliban gains many new followers
The Taliban grows quickly, "By the end of 1994 Mullah Omar [has] nearly 12,000 followers and [is] rolling up the warlords to the north and east," (2). -
Taliban takes control of Afghanistan
Because of Pakistan's help, "the Taliban by 1996 had taken control of Afghanistan, imposing strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law, banning movies and music and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqa clothing," (3) -
Amir is asked by Rahim Khan to visit him in Pakistan
Rahim is severley sick and asks Amir to visit him in Pakistan. "One day last summer, my friend Rahim Khan called me from Pakistan. He asked me to come see him," (1). Amir agrees to visit Rahim Khan, but soon realizes that seeing him was not the only reason why he was asked to come. He discovers that Hassan and his wife were killed and that their son was taken to an orphanage. He also learns that Hassan was his half-brother and is asked to find Sohrab. This event alters Amir's life drastically. -
Amir sees Assef again for the first time in years and fights him in order to bring Sohrab home
Amir meets with a Talib to find Sohrab, and is astonished to find out that it is the bully from his chilhood. "My past was like that, always turning up....But he was already here, in the flesh, sitting less than ten feet from me, after all these years," (281). This scene is significant because it forces Amir to face his fears and atone for his sins. Not only is he saving Hassan's son, but he also fights and wins (with Sohrab's help) showing that he was finally able to stand up for himself. -
Amir and Sohrab return to San Fransisco
Amir finally returns to San Fransisco with Sohrab. "We arriveed home about seven months ago, on a warm day in August 2001," (357). When Amir and Sohrab finally return home, they see Soraya for the first time in months. Amir's return marks the end of the book because he has atoned for his sins by finding and adopting Hassan's son. Due to Amir's kindness, Sohrab is safe and is able to recover and life a good life from then on. -
The Taliban attack the World Trade Center in New York
On the terrible day of 9/11, when the Islamic terrorists attacked the World Trade Center, "President George w. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. bin Laden. When refused, the United States joined forces with rebel groups that had never accepted Taliban rule," (3). -
Sohrab smiles for the first time since he tried to commit suicide
After being home in San Fransisco for few months, Sohrab is able to recover. "Then, four days ago, on a cool, rainy day in March 2002, a small wondrous thing happened," (363). The small, wondrous thing that Sohrab did was smile. This was significant because it was the first time he has been happy since he tried commiting suicide in Afghanistan. Although it would take a long time, Sohrab would be able get past the dark time of his life and start to recover from the terrible experiences. -
President Obama makes an announcement
In a speech, President Obama announced his plan to, "deploy 30,000 additional troops. He vowed to start bringing American forces home from Afghanistan in the middle of 2011," (4). -
The Obama Administration changes it's mind and doesn't bring troops home
American troops were supposed to come home by the July 2011 deadline, but, "the Obama administration changed it's tone to increasingly emphasize the idea that the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014," (4)