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Hassan's Rape
In chapter seven Hassan gets cornered by Aseff and his friends and raped. Amir knows this when he hears Aseff's "quick, rythmic grunts"(Hosseini 67). After this event Amir is greatly affected by his guilt for not stopping the rape. His guilt and remorse for what he did lead him to seek atonement in any way possible throughout the rest of the story. -
The pomegranates...
In an effort to right his wrong deeds, Amir spends time with Hassan under the pomegranate tree. Things take a turn for the worst when Amir "...hurled the pomegranate at him... 'Get up! Hit me!' I said... I wished he'd give m,e the punishment I craved..."(Hosseini 80). When Amir pelts Hassan with pomegranates all he wants is for Hassan to hurt him back and stand up against him. Amir tries to make Hassan fight back so that he can finally feel atonement and make things right between them. -
Hassan leaves
After Amir plants his watch and money beneath Hassan's matress, he blames Hassan for stealing his belongings. Ali breaks the news that "'we are leaving, Agha sahib'... Life here is impossible for us now...'"(Hosseini 92). Amir frames Hassan for theft because he comes to the conclusion that only one of them can stay in order for life to go back to normal. Despite what he hopes to achieve, Amir is just doing worse things and making himself feel like he has to atone for all of it. -
Soviet Union assists Babrak Karmal in a coup within the Afghan Communist Leadership
"The first soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979, to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become president in a coup..."(NYT 2). -
Amir, Hassan and Ali listen to the coup happen.
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Baba stands up to the Russian Soldier
On their way to safety, the truck that Baba and Amir are being transported in gets stopped at a Russian checkpoint. When a drunken soldier tries to have sex with a woman Baba steps in and exclaims "Tell him I'll take a thousand of his bullets before I let his indecency take place..."(Hosseini 101). In this moment Amir compares himself to his father and regrets all his past decisions. But when He has the chance to decide to redeem himself, Amir goes back to caring only about his future. -
Moving to America
From Amirs first experiences in America he laerns that Baba "...loved the idea of America. It was living in America that gave him an ulcer"(Hosseini 109). This foreshadowing shows that America will cause more problems for Amir and Baba than they thought. Though Baba thought America was a paradise, he soon realizes that it is far from his dreams. -
Baba dies
A month after the wedding, Baba says his final goodbye to Amir. Amir says "Baba never woke up"(Hosseini 151). With Baba gone, Amir feels like he has to atone for his sins and fix what he has done to people in the past. These feelings are what make him do certain things later on in the plot. -
Baba gets cancer
After Baba gets a vicious cold Amir takes him to the doctor and recieve grave news. The doctor tells baba that he has "Oat Cell Carcinoma. Advanced. Inoperable... Dr. Amani bit his lip, used the word grave"(Hosseini 136). After learning that his father is going to die, Amir feels like it is his duty to be the best son that he never was. The situation forces Amir and Baba to make drastic choices and hasty decisions that prove fatal for Baba. -
The Soviet troops leave Afghanistan
"...the last soviet left Afghanistan in February 1989..."(NYT 2). -
Power is anarchially devided among competing forces
"...by the summer of 1994, power was aniarchaly devided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms"(NYT 2). -
Mullah Omar and the creation of the Taliban
"By the end of 1994 Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers... With his promise to restoring the centrality of Islam to daily life, he created a genuinly popular movement..."(NYT 2). -
Pakistan starts helping the Taliban
"As early as 1994, Pakistani intelligence oficers began funneling arms, money and supplies to Mullah Omar's men"(NYT 3). -
The Taliban takes control
"...the Talaban by 1996 had taken control of Afghanistan, imposing strict enforcement of fundamental Islamic law..."(NYT 3). -
Bin Laden joines the Taliban...
"The Taliban also provided a haven for Mr. bin Laden... and for Al Queda"(NYT 3). -
Rahim Khan calls...
On a random day Rahim khan calls Amir, telling him some important news. On page 167 he tells Amir that he is very sick and that there is a way to be good again. When Rahim khan syays this Amir realizes that he knew about the rape and how Amir did nothing. Rahim Khans small comment motivates Amir to go to Afghanistan and fix what he has done. -
brothers
In one last effort to get Amir to find Sohrab, Rahim Khan tells him an important secret. Rahim tells Amir that "Ali was sterile"(Hosseini 195). Amir realizes that this means that Baba was Hassan's father and not Ali. With this news all of Amir's suppressed guilt and shame for his treatment of Hassan come flooding back and make him save Sohrab. -
Amir meets Aseff
During his meeting with the Taliban leader, the man reveals his true identity by saying "whatever happened to old Babalu anyway?"(Hosseini 245). By saying this, the Talib reveals that he is Assef and Amir starts putting the pieces of Assef's revenge plot together. Amir realizes that Assef's entire life has been dedicated to getting revenge on Hassan. -
Amir visits Rahim Khan
Amir's talk with Rahim Khan starts as light hearted but he soon reveals his true purpouse for bringing Amir to Afghanistan. He tells Amir that he needs him "...to go to Kabul. I want you to bring Sohrab here"(Hosseini 193). Rahim Khan makes Amir recognize this as an opportunity for atonement so Amir agrees. Even after all the pain he has caused others, Amir is still focused on what will affect him the best. -
Sohrab saves Amir
In the heat of the fight, Assef gets distracted by Sohrab when he starts pleading for Assef to "Stop hurting him... please stop...Dont hurt him anymore"(Hosseini 254). In this moment Sohrab shows his courage and his true similarities to his father Hassan. This was Hassan last sacrifice for Amir, in the form of a son. This is because even Sohrab stands up to save Amir's life. -
a new life
After deciding to take Sohrab home with him, Amir realizes that Sohrab is very cut off from him. Amir only realizes that their is hope when he sees "A smile... Hardly there. But there"(Hosseini 323). This small moment gives Amir hope that Sohrab can accept Amir and Soroya as a family and make a new life for himself. With this small smile, Amir is able to let go of his grief and move forward. -
Amir visits the orphanage
When Amir and Farid visit the orphanage they have a strange experience. After they ask the director if he knows Sohrab he immediately replies "Nay sorry..."(Hosseini 220). It later turns out that the director had Sohrab as an orphan but did not want to open his door because he thought that Amir was with the Taliban. Fear of the Taliban grips the people so violently that they are afraid to open their homes to help others. -
Hamid Karzai becomes leader
"In December 2001, Hamid Harzai... the exiled former king of Afghanistan... making him the leader of the country"(NYT 3). -
The Taliban makes a comeback
"Despite their defeat in 2001, the Taliban continued to wage guerrila warfare from a base in the mountains...the Taliban regrouped and began to extend its influence..."(NYT 3). -
Obama states his plan for the Taliban
"In a speech delivered Dec. 1, 2009, 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..."(NYT 4).