Kite Runner and the History of Afghanistan

By 19stuarts44

  • Hassan is Born

    Amir explains how, "Hassan's mother, Sanaubar gave birth to him one cold winter day in 1964...Hassan lost his [mother] less than a week after he was born" (6). This evidence explains hoe Hassan did not know too much about his mother but his wanting to learn more.

  • Hassan is Violated by Assef

    After slashing the kite, Hassan begins running to go retrieve it. Once he finally captures it, he finds himself in a dark alley and Assef and some others come over to him and violate him. Amir watched this happen and did not stick up for him He explains that he "saw Hassan run a kite for the last time" (55). Amir refuses to intervenee in the situation because he believes his is a Hazara and does not want to be characterized as a coward.

  • Amir Won the Kite Fighting Competition

    Amir sliced a bue causing it to "[spin] wildly like a tire come oose from a speeding car" and won the contest (66). This was a very important part of the plot for it was right before the violation of Hassan. It also helped Amir feel loved and made Baba proud.

  • Ali and Hassan Flee

    Amir attempts to get rid of Hassan and Ali by "lifting Hassan's matress and... [planting the] new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it" (104). Though this was a plan for Amir to get rid of Hassan, Baba forgives him, however, in this moment, Ali butts in and declares that the two of the were to leave.

  • Soviet Russia Invades

    "The last troops parachuted into Afghanistan" (2).

  • Soviets Attack Afghanistan

    The beginning of the attack resulted in the "troops parachuting into into Kabul...to assist Babrak Karmal" (2).

  • Amir Leaves Afghanistan

    Baba and Amir smuggled themselves out of Afghanistan to the "realitive safety of Pakistan" (111). In this time, Baba is threatened and almost killed. From here, they continue onto the United States.

  • Amir's Marriage

    Right before the death of Baba, Amir planned his wedding so that Baba could be there with him. Baba expresses his feelings that day saying that os was "the happiest day of [his] life" just before passing on (165).

  • Baba Passes On

    "Baba never woke up" after going to sleep that night (203). This event was expected for after he was diagnosed with cancer, he would surely die soon.

  • Amir finally completes his first novel

    After finally completing his first novel, "the publisher sent [Amir] on a give-city tour" (183). Especially after the death of Baba, this tour really helped him regain his confidence.

  • Soviets Leave

    "The last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989" (2).

  • Soviets Leave Afghanistan

    After peace talks took place in the United Nations, the "last Soviet troops left Afghanistan" (2).

  • Hassan Meets Sanaubar as a Young Adult

    Sanubar comes and finds Hassan. She helped deliver Hassan's wife's baby by "clutching that baby in her arms like she would never want to let it go..." (211). This shows how even though she was not present in the beginnings of his life, she wants to be there now.

  • Mullah Omar Gaining Followers

    Near the end of 1994, "Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warloads to the north and east" (2).

  • The Taliban Takes Over

    The Taliban was in responsible for the movemnets and "though they were popular, the Taliban have withered were it not for the intervention of Pakistan" (3).

  • U.S. military involved in Afghanistan

    The United States military has "been involved in Afghanistan since, 2001, when it led the invasion after" the attack on the World Trade Center" (1).

  • Hassan Is Shot and Killed

    The Taliban arrives at Baba's house, now occupied by Hassan, his wife, and child, and makes them leave the house. When this protest, the Taliban began to "sho[o]t [Hassan] in the back of the head" (219). After this occurance, Rahim Khan calls Amir to come help and find Hassan's son.

  • The Taliban Takeover Ends

    "Despite their defeat in 2001," the Talibans comtinue to be a "guerrilla warfare" (3).

  • Al Qaeda blows up twin towers

    The "attack on the World Trade Center" in the month of September in 2001, had resulted in "George W. Bush...joining forces with the rebel groups" (2).

  • Amir Receives a Call from Rahim Khan

    From Pakistan, Rahim called Amir and "asked to come see him" (1). This event marks the beginning of the Afghanistan adventure.

  • Amir's Return to Afghanistan

    Rahim Khan offers to return Amir to Afghanistan. He accepts. In Afghanistan he exclaims how he feels "like he is a tourist in [his] own country" (231). After the wars that have been occuring, his town and country have drastically changed for the worse.

  • Sohrab is Rescued

    Rahim Khan and Amir set out to find Sohrab. When they do not find him at the orphange, the look at the stadium, where Amir is surpised to see a familiar face, "the name escapes his lips: Assef" (281). Amir finds Sohrab, Assef took him, and the run to the car to drive to safelty.

  • Sohrab Attempts Suicide

    Amir exclaimed to Sohrab that he would eventually have to return to the ophanage. Because of these words, he attempted suicide causing "almost a year till before [he] would hear Sohrab speak another word" (356). This caused many of the characters to give up hope on the orphan.

  • Amir Runs Sohrab's Kite

    One rainy day, Amir saw many kites fighting and asked Sohrab if he wanted to go and together, the both of them sent a "green kite spinning...out of control" (370). This event summed up and finished off the rest of the plot.

  • Combat Forces leave Afghanistan

    Obama called for "combact forces to withdrawl from Afghanistan" (1).