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Amir wins the Kite Tournament
The moment that Amir cuts the last kite of the tournament he mutters to himself, "I didn't need to hear the crowds roar to know. I didn't need to see it either" (66). Amir knows that he is now the victor of the biggest kite tournament and is a hero to his family and friends. Not only is Amir just a hero, but he also finally recieved a moment where Baba is finally proud of his own son. -
Hassan is sexually violated.
After the kite tournament, Hassan gets trapped in an alley with Assef who "put his hands on Hassan's hips and lifted his bare buttocks" (75). Assef sees this moment as a chance to get revenge on Hassan for almost putting Assefs eye out with a slingshot. Also, not only does Assef do this terrible thing, but Amir watches it and does nothing what so ever to stand up for his best friend and half-brother. -
Period: to
Kite Runner and the History of Afghanistan
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Amir's thirteenth birthday.
Amir "turned thirteen that summer of 1976" (93). Amir's birthday contained many important events. First, Amir almost confessed about what he witnessed to Rahim Khan, demonstrating their close relationship. Also, Hassan was passing out drinks to Assef, which could possibly mean that Hassan moved on, but Amir is still receiving blowback from that event. -
Hassan and Ali leave.
When Baba found out about Hassan and Ali leaving, he "cried" and said "please dont do this" (106-107). Based on Baba's reaction towards the flee of Hassan and Ali, one can see that there is a deeper connection between the two families than just being servants to one another. This moment truly shows that Baba loves Hassan as a son, which is found out later in the story. -
Soviet troops invade Afghanistan
To assist Babrak Karmal, "The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979" (2). -
Amir and Baba move to America.
Amir talks about how ever since he and Baba had left Kabul, his "innards had been roiling" (110). Amir has mixed feelings about leaving his home country and moving so far away. Also, he feels that things will not be the same and he will have trouble in such a different country. -
Baba works at a gas station
Amir descirbes how "six days a week, Baba pulled twelve-hour shifts pumping gas" (130). Baba is now a completely different man than he was in Kabul. He is forced to work to support Amir in America whereas in Kabul he was rich and had servants of his own. -
Baba has no money to buy food.
Baba walks into a store to pay for oranges but "it turned out that Baba had had no cash on him" (127). Based on this misunderstanding, Baba said he will bring the money tomorrow, but they will not allow that. This shows how different America and Afghanistan are and that Baba is having trouble adapting to the new environment. -
Amir graduates high school.
Amir says how he "graduated from high school at the age of twenty" (131). Since Amir came to America, he now has a better education than he would have received in Kabul. Now, he is closer to becoming a writer that he has always dreamed of. -
Amir is taking writing classes.
Amir tells Baba that he "would enroll in juinor college classes" in the field of creative writing (134). Amir is finally able to follow his dream of publishing stories. Ever since he moved to America, he was opened up to education to help him follow his dream. -
Baba buys Amir a car.
Amir says how "Baba sold his Buick and bought a Volkswagen bus" for Amir (136-137). Baba is becoming more of a father now that he is helping Amir by buying him a car. Ever since they moved to America, Baba and Amir have become closer to each other becuase now they only have each other. -
Amir goes to find Hassan.
Amir says that there were " a lot of reasons why [he] went to Hazarajat to find Hassan" (203). The main reason that Amir went to find Hassan was to be forgiven by Allah. This shows that Amir truly wants to atone for his sins committed as a child. -
Soviet air forces attacked.
After 1986, "the Soviet Air Force was also rendered largely useless by advanced Stinger antiaircraft missles supplied by the United States to the rebels" (2). -
Amir finishes his first novel.
Amir says how he "finished his first novel, a father son story set in Kabul" (182). Amir was finally able to finish his first story and follow through with his dream of becoming a writer. Not only does he succeed to do this, but he also is able to incorporate Baba into his story demonstrating his love for his father -
Amir and Soraya cannot have kids.
When the doctor told Amir and Soraya that they couldn't conceive a child, "Soraya cried all the way home" (186). Although they want to have a child really bad, they refuse to adopt because it isn't an Afghan custom . This also weakens their relationship because they have nothing to talk about now and cannot bond with a child of their own. -
Power was divided into kingdoms.
When the summer came of the year "1994. power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" (2). -
Mullah Omar had many followers.
When the end of the year "1994 Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east" (2). -
Pakistani intelligence offuicers started fueling arms.
The new alliance to Afghanistan was Pakistan. As stated in the article, "as early as 1994, Pakistani intellegence officers began funneling arms" to Mullah Omar's men (3). -
Taliban has control of Afghanistan.
With aid from Pakistani troops, "the Taliban had taken control of Afghanistan" (3). -
Osama bin Laden arrived in Jalalabad.
The Taliban provided a place for " Mr. bin Laden, who arrived by a chartered jet at Jalalabad Airport in May 1996" (3). -
Hassan dies.
Amir finds out that the Taliban "massacred the Hazaras in Mazar-i-Sharif' (213). Because of the fact that Amir finds out Hassan is dead, he feels more inclined to help out his nephew. This is resulting from the Amir causing Hassan and Ali to leave, which now build up guilt inside of Amir. -
Amir and Sohrab return home.
Amir says how he never "realized how much [he] had missed her"(357). Amir risked everything he had at home to help his nephew. He put his life on the line and sucessfully atoned for his sins. -
Attack on the World Trade Center.
The attack "on the World Trade Center in New York" occurred on September 11, 2001 (3). -
Hamid Karzai became leader of the country.
A supporter and relative to the Shah "defeated the Taliban, making him leader of the country" (3). -
Obama announces to send in 30,000 more troops.
In a speech given by Obama, he "announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (4).