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Period: to
History of Afghanistan and Time Setting of The Kite Runner
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Hassan got plastic surgery
On Hassan's birthday that year, Baba told him that he has "summoned Dr. Kumor from New Delhi," (45), to conduct a plastic surgery on his mouth. In a way, this present recognized Hassan's flaw, and displayed a sense that it should be fixed. Hassan probably felt uncomfortable with the fact that they felt that way. -
Amir wins the kite competition and Hassan gets raped
After Amir won the kite contest, Hassan took the kite on a spin around the town. He was encountered by Assef, and got sexually violated by him, while Amir watched in silence. Amir had a decision to make on whether to run or to help him. "I ran because I was a coward," (77) was how Amir described it. This is the incident Amir was referring to when he said, "the winter of 1975 came along and changed everything. And made me what I am today," (2), because of the events that followed. -
Amir turned 13
Amir "turned thirteen that summer of 1976, Afghanistan's next to the last summer of peace and anonymity," (93), and the same year he won the kite contest. By this, he means the summer two years before the war. This was the year that Baba threw Amir a huge thirteenth birthday party, partly as a reward for winning the kite flying competition. -
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan
As one of the first Afghani invasions, "the first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979". -
Amir marries Soraya
It was around 1985 that Baba told Amir that he wants him "to ask General Taheri for his daughter's hand," (161). The general accepted, and they got married soon after that to ensure Baba's presence at the wedding. The traditional Afghan wedding was a big success, and Amir finally married the woman of his dreams. -
Baba dies
A month after Amir and Soraya got married, Baba was very ill. He went to sleep, but "Baba never woke up," (173). He never got better because he never accepted treatment. Because he was so stubborn, he put himself at risk and finally his body failed him. -
Rahim Khan goes to look for Hassan
Rahim Khan, "went to Hazarjat to find Hassan in 1986" (203), because he missed him and felt lonely. When Rahim Khan arrived, he found Hassan living with his wife Farzana. They took Rahim's offer and went to live with him in Baba's house in Kabul that year. -
Farzana had a miscarriage
"Late that fall, Farzana gave birth to a stillborn baby girl," (209), which was devastating to her and Hassan. Not only was it hard because of the loss, but because they have yearning for a family for so long, and they were so close. This left Farzana very depressed, but soon after that, she became pregnant again. -
Amir finished his first book
Amir finished his first novel in the "summer of 1988," (182). The book was a "father-son story set in Kabul" (182). He was later accepted by an agency six weeks later. He was finally pursuing his life-long dream, and his first story being something he can relate to. -
The last Soviet troops left Afghanistan
Because "peace talks moderated by the Unied States," were occuring, "the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989." -
Sanaubar returned
Sanaubar, being in really bad shape, came back suddenly in the beginning of 1990. Sanaubar came in asking, "[w]here is Hassan," (210), immediately. Although her appearance made Hassan angry at first, he soon grew closer to her. He finally got to love the mother he never thought he would be able to love. -
Sohrab was born
"It was Sanubar who delivered Hassan's son that winter of 1990," (211), and the baby boy was named Sohrab. Sohrab was the name of "Hassan's favorite hero from the Shahnamah," (211). He and Hassan were inseperable, and they had a really close father-son bond. -
Afghanis fought for power among themselves
"By the summer of 1994, power was anarchically didvided among competing warlords and individual fifedomes," because of the Soviet force's devastating stay. -
Sanaubar died
Sanaubar "lived to see [Sohrab] turn four," (211), then she died in her sleep one morning. She lived a long life, and seemed peaceful in her death bed. Although he was too young to understand what happened, Sohrab was left devastated when he never saw her again. -
Mullah Omar Gained Control
Because Mullah Omar made a "promise of restoring the centralirt of Islam daily life," he was very respected. -
The Taliban officially took control of Afghanistan
Because the Taliban was "imposing strict enforcement of fundamental Islamic law," they had taken full control of Afghanistan by 1996. -
Osama Bin Laden arrived to Afghanistan
The Taliban, "provided a haven for Mr. bin Laden," considering they were on the same side. -
Hassan and Farzana were killed
The Taliban thought that Hassan and his family were unrightfully staying at Baba's house in Kabul because he is a Hazara. He was "shot in the back of the head," (219), and Farzana was shot as well when she came to help Hassan. Both of them were shot in death in this tragic event. This left Sohrab orphaned. -
Rahim Khan asks Amir to come visit him
It was June of 2001 when Amir told Soraya that "[Rahim Khan] wants to see [him]," (191) because he was ill. They were worried at first because of safety, but he went anyway because of his relationship with Rahim. Amir knew Rahim was sick, but didn't know he had a story to tell when he arrived, and that the trip was going to change his life. -
Amir came home with Sohrab
"[Amir and Sohrab] arrived home...on a warm day in August 2001" (357), and their life as a family started. For the first year, Sohrab had been completely silent, not communicating to anyone, except for maybe in his dreams. Sohrab spent most of the day sleeping, and isolated from the 'family.' -
Al Queda attacked the World Trade Center in New York
After 9/11 occured, George W. Bush propsed a peace offering by asking the Taliban to "hand over Mr. bin Laden," however, they refused. -
The Taliban's leadership failed
Many campaigns were held after 9/11 that "drove the Taliban out of major Afghan cities by the end of the year." -
Hamid Karzai took control of Afghanistan as chairman
Hamid Karzai, "the exiled former king of Afghanistan," took control, and "replaced the defeated Taliban." -
Amir and Sohrab flew a kite together
On a rainy day in March of 2002, Amir flew a kite again. "[He] hadn't flown a kite in a quarter of a century, but suddenly, [he] was twelve again and all the old insticts came rushing back. This was the first time since 1975 that he felt any sort of rush, and he was with Sohrab. He was flying a kite, which was the same thing he did about 30 years earlier, with Sohrab's father, when his life changed forever. -
Hamid Karzai took office as president
Saying that "he hoped to secure peace for Afghanistan and win the country much-needed international aid," Hamid Karzai was elected as interim president. -
General Petraeus took charge of U.S Central Command
In October of 2008, General Petraceus, an "Iraq commander," took "charge of United States Central Command." -
Obama announced his plans for troops in Afghanistan
President Obama, "announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops," to Afghanistan, and promised to bring home many American forces.