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Afghanistan Timeline
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Hassan Is Raped
Amir watched his life change in front of his eyes as he realized, "I was weeping. From around the corner, I could hear Assef's quick, rhythmic grunts"(Hosseini 77). This quote shows the moment when Hassan is raped and Amir decides not to intervene. This alters the course of Amir's life completely. -
Amir Turns 13
Baba through a huge party for Amir on his 13th birthday, "three-quarters of the four hundred-plus Kakas and Khalas were going to bring me gifts and congratulate me for having lived to thirteen"(Hosseini 94). This quote describes the type of party that Baba enjoyed, not necessarily Amir. During this party Amir becomes jealous of Baba's relationship with Assef. -
Ali and Hassan Leave
After being asked if Hassan stole Amir's new watch, he "repl[ied in] a single word, delivered in a thin, raspy voice: 'Yes'"(Hosseini 105). This is how Hassan says goodbye, jumping in front of another bullet for Amir. Ali and Hassan would later leave despite Baba's hysterical pleading. -
Soviet Invasion
Afghanistan wasn't always a country in war and turmoil, "Three decades ago, Afghanistan was stable, relatively prosperous and relatively secure country. The turmoil and extremism that have dominated its history since then can be traced to the 1979 invasion by the Soviet Union" (Afghanistan - An Overview). -
Amir Graduates High School
Amir manages to make his dad proud again when in the "summer of 1983, I graduated from high school at the age of twenty, by far the oldest senior tossing his mortarboard on the football field that day" (Hosseini 131). This marks the point in which Amir graduates school and grows up in a way. Amir is now ready to face the world himself, and he is acclimated with his new country. -
Baba is Diagnosed With Cancer
In 1985 Baba was diagnoses with "'Oat Cell Carcinoma.' Advanced. Inoperable. Baba asked Dr. Amani for a prognosis. Dr. Amani bit his lip, used the word 'grave.' 'Ther is chemotherapy, of course,' he said. 'But it would only be palliative'"(Hosseini 156). This quote marks the time when all of Baba's smoking catches up to him. Baba would later decline chemotherapy saying that he was going to fight it himself and he didn't want anyone's pity. He handled cancer his own special way. -
Soraya Accepts The Marriage Proposal
On Amir's request, Baba payed the Taheri's a visit and asked Soraya to marry Amir, when he got an answer Amir heard "the phone [ring] just before noon. It was Baba. 'Well?' 'The general accepted.' I let out a burst of air. My hands were shaking" (Hosseini 163). This was Baba's last fatherly deed for Amir. He may have lost his father and idol, but at least Amir now had a wife. -
Soraya and Amir Get Married
Amir remembered walking down "toward the stage, now in my tuxedo, Soraya a veiled pari in white, our hands locked. Baba hobbled next to me, the general and his wife beside their daughter" (Hosseini 170). This quote marks Soraya and Amir's wedding. It is also the last happy moment of Baba's life and essentially his replacement ceremony. -
Baba Dies
Baba refused to take his medication, "'Not tonight,' he said. 'There is no pain tonight.' 'Okay,' she said. She pulled up his blanket. We closed the door. Baba never woke up"(Hosseini 173). After months of fighting lung cancer, Baba finally loses the battle, but only on his own terms of course. Baba dies in his sleep peacefully surrounded by family. -
Amir Becomes A Published Author
Upon completion of Amir's first novel, Martin Greenwalt offered to represent him and he "called and informed me I was going to be a published novelist. When I told Soraya, she screamed" (Hosseini 183). This quote shows the progression of Amir's life and his ability to now follow his dreams. It marks a new chapter in Amir's life. -
Soviet Union Extracts Troops
After 10 Years of occupation and "peace talks moderated by the United Nations, the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989" (Afghanistan - An Overview). -
Sohrab Is Born
After Sanaubar arrived at the house, she "delivered Hassan's son that winter of 1990... I remember Sanaubar came out of the hut holding her grandson" (Hosseini 211). This marks a great time of happiness for Hassan, Farzana, and Sanaubar. This event marks the birth of a child and a rebirth of hope for Amir. -
1994 Power Crisis
By the summer of 1994 "power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" (Afghanistan - An Overview). -
Sanaubar Dies
One morning, shortly after Sohrab's 4th birthday, she "just did not wake up. she looked calm, at peace, like she did not mind dying now" (Hosseini 211). While this marks the departure of Sanaubar from the novel, she does not leave without helping the moral of the story. Sanaubar helps the story advance by atoning for her sins in coming back to be with Hassan after abandoning him. This was all part of the build up to Amir finally atoning for his sins. -
Taliban Takes Control Of Afghanistan
With Pakistan aid, "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"(Afghanistan - An Overview). -
Hassan and Farzana are Killed
In refusal of giving up his childhood home, Hassan protested so the Taliban "took him to the street ... and order[ed] him to kneel... and shot him in the back of the head.... Farzana came screaming and attacked them ... shot her too" (Hosseini 219). As Hassan and Farzana are killed, the possibility of Amir apologizing to Hassan directly are squandered. However, there death posses a new possibility in Sohrab who is now an orphan. -
Osama Bin Laden Arrives
Following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, bin Laden "arrived by chartered jet at Jalalabad airport in May 1996" (Afghanistan - An Overview). -
Assef Two People With Rocks
Amir watched on as Assef gave his speech to the onlooking crowd, "WHAT DOES GOD SAY? God says that every sinner must be punished in a manner befitting his sin" (Hosseini 270). Assef proceeded to murder these pour people. This shows what Assef has become in the past 25 years. -
Assef Fights Amir
Amir goes looking for Sohrab and a meeting is scheduled, during this meeting Assef yells "'WHAT'S SO FUNNY?' Assef bellowed. Another rib snapped, this time left lower. What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace" (Hosseini 289). This quote describes the beat down Assef was applying on Amir. It also reveals the point at which Amir is finally freed of his guilt. -
Sohrab Attempts Suicide
After telling Sohrab he may have to go back to an orphanage, Amir "pushed the door open. Stepped into the bathroom. Suddenly [Amir] was on [his] knees, screaming" (Hosseini 343). This comes after Sohrab's attempted suicide. This reveals deeper information about what the orphanage life was like for Sohrab. -
September 11 Attacks
The September 11th Attacks were "a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda on the United States on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. The attacks killed 2,996 people, injured over 6,000 others, and caused at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage" (September 11 Attacks). -
American Invasion
The US military has been in Afghanistan "since 2001, when it led and invasion after the sept. 11 attacks by Al Qaeda" (Afghanistan - An Overview). -
Hamid Karzai's Elected
Karzai took office as interim president in 2002 saying "he had hoped to secure peace for Afghanistan and win the country much-needed international aid. Mr. Karzai was elected to a five-year term as president in 2004. -
Obama's Plan For Afghanistan
In a speech delivered " at West Point, Mr. 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" (Afghanistan - An Overview). This promise was not kept due to the lack of improvement in Afghanistan. The same reason has kept troops in Afghanistan since 2011. -
Osama Bin Laden's Death
Almost 10 years after 9/11 "Osama bin Laden, the founder and head of the Islamist group Al-Qaeda, was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011 shortly after 1:00 am PKT ... by United States Navy SEALs"(Death Of Osama Bin Laden).