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Afghanistan - Background Information
Afghanistan holds an important position, as it is "at the crossroads of Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East, has long granted it a pivotal role in the region." (NYT) -
Amir's Birth
Amir talks about the winter of 1975, and in doing so, he says,"I am... the age of twelve." (1) A little bit of math tells us his birth year, and this is significant because the main character is born. Without the main character, the plot would have to be completely different. -
First Words
At the beginning of the book, Amir explains that his first words were, "Baba, His was Amir. My name." (11) This foreshadows Amir and Hassan's relationship in the future. This relationship of theirs impacts how both Amir and Hassan react in important situations throughout the book. -
Hassan's Cleft Lip
Hassan's cleft lip is fixed, and Amir explains, "That was the winter that Hassan stopped smiling." This quote is a very obvious foreshadow, but is important because what occurs in the winter of 1975 is the main issue Amir must atone for. -
Amir Runs
Amir witnesses Assef raping Hassan, yet Amir "was afraid of getting hurt... [so he] ran because [he] was a coward." (77) Hassan's value to Amir was not worth risking for the love of Baba or getting injured. Amir only saw Hassan as a servant, and not a friend. -
The Unspeakable Tragedy
After Assef is done with Hassan in the alley way, Amir goes to check on him and he say that Hassan "had the blue kite in his hand; that was the first thing [he] saw." (78) Even though Amir knows that Assef was either beating Hassan up, or something horrific, Amir checks for the kite before anything. The kite represents the need for Baba's love, which is held higher than Hassan, a Hazara servant. -
Ali and Hassan Move Out
When Baba confronted Hassan about the watch, and Hassan replied with a lie, Amir thought, "Then I understood: This is Hassan's final sacrifice for me." (105) As a servant, Hassan is thought to have no power, yet in this situation, Amir is the one unable to speak about what happened. No matter what his social class, Hassan's understanding of the situation has caused Amir to feel like he's being controlled. -
Amir's 13th Birthday Party
Assef gives a "thoughtful" gift to Amir, which is the "biography of Hitler. [He] threw it amid a tangle of weeds." (97) This causes Amir to go away from the party, yet Rahim Khan finds him. Rahim Khan then gives Amir a leather bound notebook to create his stories, which later leads to Amir's future job as an author. -
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The Soviet Invasion and After
To assist Babrak Karmal, the president at the time, "Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979... Soviet troops stayed in the country for more than nine years, fighting a conflict that cost them roughly 15,000 lives and undisclosed billions of rubles." (NYT) -
Baba Standing His Ground
The start of the trip to America began with a truck, and Baba was not dealing with any "indecency [that] takes place." (116) This scene of Baba defending the woman really shows what Baba views as a real man because Amir tried to stop him. Amir somewhat realizes that this kind of bravery and attitude he must show to impress his father. -
Moving to America
While in America, Baba and Amir soon realize that there are "homes that made Baba's house in Wazir Akbar Khan look like a servant's hut." (135) The lives that Baba and Amir lived were considered luxurious in Afghanistan, but to be compared to a servant's hut means that they were not aware of how different their lives would be in America. This is significant because Baba and Amir will have a hard time adapting the American lifestyle. -
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The Taliban Takeover Beginning
The Taliban started with a student movement, but "by the end of 1994 Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east." (NYT) -
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The Taliban Takeover
Mullah Omar was persuaded by Al Qaeda to destroy an 800 year old Buddha statue, which is "an act condemned around the world. International criticism of the Taliban's harsh measures had little effect on the regime." (NYT) -
Assef and Amir's Unfinished Business
Assef beat up Amir so badly, that Amir had to think, "I gave him a good fight. I think I gave him a good fight." (287) Amir was so disappointed in how he was unable to do anything to Assef that Amir had to think of something to help him cope momentarily. Assef's power over Amir has now been shown physically, therefore making Assef an even bigger threat than he was originally. -
The Taliban Resurgence
The Taliban were defeated in 2001, yet they, "continued to wage a guerrilla warfare from a base in the mountainous and largely lawless tribal area on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. As the American military focus was diverted to the invasion and occupation of Iraq, the Taliban regrouped and began to extend its influence in the Southern part of Afghanistan." (NYT) -
Afghanistan - General Summary
The invasion in 2001 removed "the Taliban from power, but not in eradication either group... The Taliban made a steady comeback, fueled by profits from the opium trade, dissatisfaction with the weak and often corrupt Afghan government, and sage havens in Pakistan." (NYT) -
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Post 9/11 Remnants
The true Al Qaeda and Taliban followers went to "Tora Bora in the mountains along the Pakistan border and eventually escaped after a battle there." (NYT) -
Rahim Khan's Secrets
When Amir traveled to see Rahim Khan, he explains, "It was a shameful situation. People would talk." (223) Rahim Khan and Baba believe that people talking would cause everyone to not respect Baba, and while that is probably true, Amir feels that he deserved to know Hassan was his half brother no matter what. Amir now feels obligated to retrieve Sohrab back, which causes many other problems. -
Sohrab's Decision
Amir received good news from the lawyer, but as he walked into the restroom to tell Sohrab, Amir starting "screaming through his clenched teeth... [he] was still screaming when the ambulance arrived." (343) This affected Amir greatly because he hasn't prayed in 15 years, but as a result Amir has become devoted to his religion once again. This is symbolic because Amir felt no need to pray after moving to America, but because Sohrab is so important to Amir, he wants to try everything he can. -
Seeing Soraya Again
Amir arrives at the airport, and he tells Soraya, "You're still the morning sun to my yelda." (357) I believe that Amir is not only trying to be romantic, but to tell Soraya how needed she is in Amir's life. Whether it's to just get by everyday struggles, or to help distribute some of the major pressures that have been effecting Amir for a lot of his life. -
Amir Defending Sohrab
General Sahib and Khala Jamila were having a nice dinner with Amir, but General Sahib brings up the topic of Sohrab, Amir gets angry and responds with, "You will never again refer to him as 'Hazara boy' in my presence. He has a name and it's Sohrab." (361) This quote illustrates that Amir wants the cultural difference of being Hazara to be stopped. Amir might thing this because his half-brother, Hassan, was Hazara too, and Amir must make up for what he had done wrong. -
Sohrab's Smile
As Amir is making a fool of himself, Sohrab smiled, and Amir thought, "Only a smile. A tiny thing." (371) Nothing is resolved through Sohrab's smile, but it reassures Amir that there could be a brighter future. After all the sad things that have happened in Amir's life, there is now something to look forward to. -
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Post 9/11 Invasion
The attack on the world trade center forced "president George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. bin Laden, When it refused, the united States joined forces with the rebel groups that had never accepted Taliban rule." (NYT) -
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More Information on Obama's War
President Obama's administration changed their attitude on the subject bring up awareness on how the "United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014." (NYT) -
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Obama's War
On Dec. 1, 2009, President Obama had "vowed to start bringing American forces home from Afghanistan in the middle of 2011, saying the United States could not afford and should not have to shoulder and open-ended- commitment." (NYT)