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Hassan is born
Hassan was born in 1964 with a abandoned mom and a happy smile. The process consisted of, "A few grunts, a couple of pushes, and out came Hassan. Out he came smiling"(10). This sparked a new beginning for the little boy and his complicated lifestyle. -
Baba builds an Orphanage
Baba decided to pay, "for the construction of the two-story orphanage, just off the main strip of Jadeh Maywand south of the Kabul River, with his own money"(13). He was trying to atone for what he did to Ali's wife and for neglecting Hassan. -
Hassan's rape
The scene of Hassan's rape was a symbol of how hazaras were discriminated because of their ethnicity. Assef had justified raping Hassan because he was irrelevent. The action happened when, "Assef knelt behind Hassan, out his hands on Hassan's hips and lifted his bare buttocks"(75). Amir witnessed this happen to Hassan, yet he stood still, silent, and left Hassan. This was the start of Amir snd Hassan's crumbling relationship. -
Amir wins the kite competitiom
After leaving Hassan with Assef, Amir ran to get the kite and won. He wanted to please Baba because Hassan always won the races against Amir. Amir ran with his kite and said,"Then I saw Baba on our roof. He was standing on the edge, pumping both of his fists...seeing Baba on that roof, proud of me at last"(66). Amir was being selfish and just wanted approval from Baba. This was the day Hassan lost trust with Amir. -
Hassan and Ali leave
After Amir between Hassan and Ali, they lost all trust and decided to leave. They didn't feel welcome at the household and needed to leave. Ali said, "Life here is impossible for us now, Agha sahib. We're leaving"(106). This was such a key moment in the story because it led to Amir and Baba moving to America and finding closure. -
The first Soviet troops enter into Kabul
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union gained interest in partnering up Babrak Karmal, in order to spread communism and to take control of the area. The Soviet troops came, "...on Dec. 27, 1979, to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become president in a coup within the Afrghan Communist Leadership." The two parteners sucessfully took over in a coup and the country was weak and their authority over the people grew more and more. -
Amir graduates from High School
Amir reached the important milestone and, "...graduated from the high school at the age of twenty, by far the oldest senior tossing his mortarboard on the football field that day"(131). This was an importsnt moment for Amir and Baba because they worked so hard to get to America. Baba was so proud of Amir and how long it took him to walk across the platform. -
Sohrab marries Soraya
RIght before Baba passed away he decided to spend, "...$35,000, nearly the balance the balance of his life savings, on the awroussi, the weddings ceremony".(169) Amir and Soyraya were able to have the wedding of their dreams due to Baba's atonement. -
Baba dies
Since Baba was recently in a lot of pain, he needed to take medicene. The night Baba passed away, he told Soraya that he wasn't in pain. Soraya then, "...pulled up his blanket. We closed the door. Baba never woke up"(173). This was expected to happen soon because of Baba's final atonement for paying for the wedding and his cancer. Amir and Soraya were prepared for this day. -
Amir finishes his first book
Amir finally got to live hs dream and achieved his life long goal of writing his first novel. Amir said,"In the summer of 1988, about six months before the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, I finshed my first novel, a father-son story set in Kabul, written mostly with the typewriter the general had given me"(182). This helped boost Amir's confidence and added to his strength. -
The last Soviet troops leave Afghanistan in a mess
During the end of the Cold War, the Soviet Union backed out of Afghanistan taking their troops in,"...February 1989, in what was in effect a unilateral withdrawal. They left behind a country that was not only devastated by the war but that had become a beacon to Islamic extremists from across the globe..." This lead to the founding of Al Qaeda and many other groups that have created chaos throughout the world. -
Sanubar comes back to visit Hassan
Sanubar had left Hassan at birth and didn't feel she could take the responsibility of caring for a child. Amir said, "I sat with Sanubar all day as the sky went from bright blue to purple. Hassan still had not come back when night fell and moonlight bathed the clouds"(210). Hassan had reacted horribly because he felt that Sanubar shouldn't have come after all these years and then leave again. -
Power distibution was a mess in Afghanistan after the Soviet leave
After the Soviet troops left, Afghanistan was left in a mess and the people had no sense of direction. Afghanistan was in disorder, "...by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms." This mean't that many groups were trying to gain control and the political structure was diminished. -
Mullah Omar had 12,000 followers that he led throughout the middle east
Mullah Omar led the Taliban with his "promise" of repairing the daily life of Islam, but unfortunately her managed to corrupt the middle east and create lots of violence. He created a huge support group, "By the end of 1994 Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east." -
The Taliban take control of Afganistan
With Mullah Omar's convincing message, many officers funded him with money, supplies, and weapons. This gave him more power and eventually led to the Taliban taking control in 1996, "...of Afghanistan, imposing strict enforcement of fundementalist Islamic law..." He created crazy laws such as"...banning movies and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqa clothing." These unreasonable laws caused people to feel angry with the lies they were told, but they had no authority. -
Osama Bin Ladan lands at Jalalabad Airport
At this time, many Islamic terrorist groups have been gaining control using Islamic beliefs to draw people in. The Taliban is the main group that has gained power currently in Afghanistan. "...Mr.bin Laden, who arrived by chartered jet at Jalalabad Airport in May 1996, and for Al Queda helped persuade Mullah Omar to order the instruction of the 800-year old Buddha statues at Bamiyan, an act condemmed around the world." -
Amir saves Sohrab from Assef
When Sohrab was kidnapped by Assef, Amir decides to make a move and get the kid out. After a long fight of punching snd craxking riibs,, '"Assef rolled on the carpet. Rolled side to side, shrieking..."Let's go!" Sohrab said. He took my hand"(291). The two left Assef and were safe. -
Sohrab attempts suicide
Amir requested that Sohrab would be put in an orphanage until he got them visas to get back to America. In reaction to Amir's task, Sohrab attempted to kill himsekf in the bathroom. After being saved by Amir and rushed ti the hospital, Amir was is trauma. Amir imagined the scene and, "...pictured Sohrab filling it with warm water. Saw him undressing. Saw him twisting the razor handle and opening the twin safety hatches on the head..."(350) This was how Amir imagined Sohrab attempted. -
Amir arrives home with Sohrab
Amir brought Sohrab to America, "...about seven months ago, on a warm day in August 2001"(357). It took them so long to get back due to their medical conditons and the adoption guidlines. Sohrab wasn't talking at all and it was difficult for him to adjust. -
Hamid Karzai replaced the Taliban in Afghanistan governent
The Taliban's power drifted away in December 2001, when Hamid Karzai,"...a supporter and relative of Mohammad Zahir Shah...was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country." It was great that the Taliban were out of the picture in Afghanistan, but Karzai was thought to have been a threat to thr country's politcial stability. -
Ali runs Sohrab's kite
When Sohrab came to America, he showed no emotions. One day Amir saw a bunch of kites floating in the sky and decided to run one for Sohrab. Amir told Sohrab that Hassan was the best kite runner he knew. Amir eventually won the race with the kite and finally Sohrab showed some emotions by giving ,"A smile. Lopsided. Hardly there. But there"(370). This smile from Sohrab was symbol of hope for the little boy and hopefully a sign for a great beginning for the both of them. -
General Petraeus takes conrtol of the U.S. Central Command
The United States needed someone with military experience to take the upper hand in making decisions regarding the military control in Iraq. So we got, "General Petraeus, the Iraq commander...had taken charge of United Staes Central Command in October 2008, with responsibilty for military operations in Iraq." This gave the U.S. citizens some hope that we could make some reasonable and careful decisions when regarding wars. -
Obama announced his plan to expand troops
The violence in the Middle East made Obama weary on whether he should invade. He decides to do so when he delivered a speech on, "...Dec. 1, 2009, at West Point, Mr.Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops." The United States is still fighting this war against the Taliban and he has made it clear that he will end the constant destruction this group has made around the globe. -
The United states emphasizes that they will be having forces in Afganistan
The United States became aware that the actions and goals of Al Qaeda were very threating to the U.S. and would later become a global issue. "...in the summer of 2011, the Obama administration increasingly emphasizes the idea that the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014..." The United States needed to make sure that Afganistan's security was secure and safe for the people and the government. -
Amir flees Afghanistan
Amir and Baba had to cross the border in a fuel tank because their trcuk broke down. In the following scene, Amir mentions, "We left that night, Baba and I, Kamal and his father...Karim and his cousin, a square-faced balding man named Aziz, helped us get into the fuel tank"(121). After a long bumpy ride, Amir and Baba made it across the border. This was an important because it led to the two moving to America, when they created a close relationship and a fresh lifestyle.