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Zahir Shah becomes king
In 1933, "Zahir Shah becomes king ... [and] brings stability to the country. -
Mohammed Daoud Khan becomes prime minster
In 1953, "Mohammed Daoud Khan ... becomes prime minister ... [and] introduces a number of social reforms." -
Khan overthrows the king
In 1973, "Khan overthrows the last king, Mohammed Zahir Shah, in a military coup. Khan abolishes the monarchy and names himself president." -
Khan modernizes state
In 1975-1977, "Khan proposes a new constitution that grants women rights and works to modernize the largely communist state [,] he also ... forces many suspected of not supporting Khan out of the government." -
Last time running a kite
In the winter of 1975, when Kabul hosts its kite fighting tournament, foreshadowing occurs, "I saw Hassan run a kite for the last time" (55). During the kite tournament, there's a foreshadowing of Hassan not helping Amir run the kites anymore. This is significant because it foreshadows a part later in the book that explains why Amir didn't see Hassan running the kite again -
Hassan and Ali leave Amir and Baba
In the summer of 1976, Amir breaks apart from all the guilt of hiding what happened to Hassan. He plants a watch underneath his bed to try to make Hassan and Ali leave. Baba finds out and forgives them but Ali and Hassan, "have made our decision... 'life here is impossible now, Agha sahib. We're leaving'" (106). This quote shows how after Amir's constant loyalty tests to Hassan and his acts of betrayal had forced Hassan and Ali to leave. -
Khan dies, new president
In 1978, "Khan is killed in a communist coup. Nur Mohammad Taraki, one of the founding members of the Afghan Communist Party, takes control of the country as president." -
US cuts ties with Afghanistan
In 1979, "American Ambassador Adolph Dubs is killed. The United States cuts off assistance to Afghanistan." -
USSR invades Afghanistan
"The USSR invades Afghanistan on Dec. 24 to bolster the faltering communist regime. On Dec. 27, Amin and many of his followers are executed." -
CONT. Amir and Baba flees to Pakistan
There's a power shift because, before Baba had had cars and even servants back in Afghanistan and now they have to go along with everyone else and even have to get smuggled inside a fuel tank to avoid the war. This is significant because it marks a point the in the story in where Baba starts to lose his power and has to adjust to it -
Amir and Baba flees to Pakistan
In March of 1981, Baba and Amir decides to leave Afghanistan and flees to Pakistan. During the trip struggles come up as Karim had not provided the truck they needed. So Baba and Amir were forced to, "climb the rear access ladder and slide into the tank" (121). This quote shows a huge power shift in Baba and Amir. (CONTINUED IN OTHER EVENT BECAUSE OF DESCRIPTION LIMIT) -
Afghans fleeing
In 1982, "Some 2.8 million Afghans have fled from the war to Pakistan, and another 1.5 million have fled to Iran." -
Baba and Amir arrives in San Francisco
In the 1980's, Baba and Amir settles in Fremont, California to have a new life. After they settled, Amir remembers the first things he saw in America, "I remember the two of us walking through Lake Elizabeth Park in Fremont..." (125). This is significant because it marks a new point in the story when Baba and Amir changes their old lifestyle. -
Baba dies
About 1 month after the wedding, "Baba never woke up ... Now he was gone. Baba couldn't show me the way anymore." (173-174). This quote shows how the story would change because Baba died. This event is significant because the quote shows how in the past Amir was shaped by who Baba wanted him to be but now he doesn't have him anymore. This would drastically affect him because he wouldn't have a figure to guide him anymore and might make more mistakes like what happened with Hassan. -
Amir and Soraya get married
When Soraya was on the phone with Amir, "'Nothing you said changes anything. I want us to marry... I suspected there were many ways in which Soraya Taheri was a better person than me. Courage was one of them." (165). This quote is significant because it's the first time Amir is going into a relationship. It is also important because Amir chose to start his relationship with a lie about Hassan and not telling her even when Soraya had told him her secret. -
Amir publish his first novel
In the summer of 1988, Amir, "finished my first novel ... There was so much goodness in my life. So much happiness. I wondered whether I deserved any of it." (182-183). This event is significant because Amir had finally accomplished his goal of being a writer. It also shows that Amir is still regretting what happened to Hassan when they were little and if he had deserved this after that. -
Taliban rises to power
In 1995, "Newly formed Islamic militia, the Taliban, rises to power on promises of peace. Most Afghans, exhausted by years of drought, famine and war, approve of the Taliban for upholding traditional Islamic values." -
Amir visits Rahim Khan
In 2001, Rahim Khan calls Amir to ask if he could go visit him. When he went there, they talked about the Taliban, Rahim's health, and finally, "tell you about Hassan..." (202). This event is significant because Amir finally would know what happened to Hassan after he had betrayed him when he was young. It also might determine whether or not Amir would atone for his sins. -
Amir finds Sohrab along with Assef
Amir finally finds where Sohrab was the entire time, with Assef. After trying to convince Assef to give Sohrab back, Assef decides to have a fight to the death with Amir. During the fight, Assef clearly wins and as Amir was about to die, Sohrab shoots a brass ball into Assef. Amir and Sohrab escapes and leaves. -
Amir finds Sohrab along with Assef CONT.
| Before Amir confronted Assef, he thought about what might happen, "There was a very realistic chance that I was going to render Soraya a biwa, a widow, at the age of thirty-six. This isn't you, Amir..." (275). This quote is important because it shows how Amir was scared about dying before, but later in the chapter he still went to confront Assef and rescue Sohrab. This shows how he is wanting to atone for his sins and return a final favor to both Rahim and Hassan. -
Amir receives final words from Rahim in the hospital
After rescuing Sohrab, Amir wakes up in a hospital and gets a letter from Rahim Khan telling him that he's sorry for lying all those years. He also wrote that he hopes Amir would forgive Baba, Rahim, and himself. Amir opens the letter from Rahim Khan and he reads, "I know that in the end god will forgive. He will forgive your father, me, and you too." (302). This is an important event, because it shows how Rahim finds out that Amir rescued Sohrab and knows that he had finally atoned for his sins -
Amir receives final words from Rahim in the hospital CONT
Despite Rahim Khan acknowledging, Amir still thinks that he didn't do everything to help atone for his sins like his father did. -
Amir finds out that the parents that Rahim mentioned don't exist
After Amir is able to walk, he decides to head out and send Sohrab to the parents that Rahim mentioned. But Farid later finds out, that those parents did not exist in Peshawar. Farid asks what to do with Sohrab and Amir tells him, "That's all right, Farid ... You have mouths to feed" (308). This quote shows how Amir isn't as selfish anymore and feels sympathetic for Farid and how he already has multiple children back at home that are close to starving and decides to take care of Sohrab for now. -
Amir decides to adopt Sohrab
After spending time with Sohrab in the mosques, Amir had asked Sohrab to come home with him. Amir asked Sohrab to, "Come home with me ... Then his hand squeezed mine back. And he nodded. He nodded" (324). This quote shows how Amir had finally decided his final step of atoning himself. The final words of Rahim and his reflection of what he did versus what Baba did had sparked him to do Hassan a final favor, take care of Sohrab instead of leaving him like he did to Hassan. -
Sohrab breaks down from hearing that he has to stay in the orphanages again
After visiting the lawyer to get suggestions on how to adopt Sohrab, Amir finds out that it's close to impossible to get Sohrab back to America. Then Amir tells Sohrab and he pleads, "Please! Please no! ... I am scared of that place. They will hurt me! I don't want to go!" (340). This events shows how Sohrab had suffered a lot when he had been taken away by Assef when he shot his parents. It also foreshadows a dilemma Amir has to solve. -
Amir doesn't want Sohrab's blood on his hands
Before telling Sohrab that he doesn't need to go back to the orphanages, Sohrab tries to suicide and cuts himself. Amir rushes to the hospital and prays to God that Sohrab is alive. When he was praying to God, Amir thinks to himself, "My hands are stained with hassan's blood; I pray God doesn't let them get stain with the blood of his boy too" (346). This quote shows how he regrets telling Sohrab to go back to the orphanages. He also questions himself if his sins had caught up to his atonement. -
In the end, Amir brings Sohrab to America
Amir had brought Sohrab to America but Sohrab never said anything about it, never accepted or refused. After a week, Amir thought to himself, "I bought Hassan's son from Afghanistan to America, lifting him from the certainty of turmoil and dropping him in a turmoil of uncertainty" (356).This quote shows Amir questioning whether bringing Sohrab to America to get him out of danger in Afghanistan and bringing him to somewhere unknown was a great choice. -
Amir and Sohrab finally bonds when they fly a kite
During March, Amir starts flying a kite and he tells Sohrab stories of Hassan being the best kite runner. Sohrab starts to get interested when Amir cuts another child's kite. After cutting down the kite, Amir asks Sohrab, "Do you want me to run that kite for you? ... I thought I saw him nod. 'For you, a thousand times over'" (371). This quote shows how Amir finally atone for his sins by treating Sohrab like how Hassan treated Amir. -
First parliamentary elections
In 2005, "The nation holds its first parliamentary elections in more than 30 years. The peaceful vote leads to the parliament’s first meeting in December."
