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The Boys' First Words
Amir and Hassan grew up and develped together, they fed from the same breast. Amir and Hassans first words demonstrated their relationship they would have with one another. Amir's first word was Baba. [Hassan's] was Amir," (11). The first words spoken by one another shows the future relationships for each person. Amir's first words were Baba, this shows Amir wants to be loved by Baba. Secondly, Hassan's first words were Amir showing he loves Amir in their relationship. -
Amir is Called a Coward
After a Buzkashi tournament where a man was trampeled on, Baba is talking to Rahim Khan and Amir overhears the conversation. Baba says, "A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything," (22). Baba is saying that Amir is a coward and needs to stand up for himself. If Amir doesnt start standing up for himself, he will become a coward. Baba wants his son to be able to take care of himself and stand up for what he believes in. -
Baba Disbelieving Amir is His Son
After Baba calls Amir a coward, Baba is struggling to believe that Amir is his child. Baba tell Rahim Khan that, "If I hadn't seen the doctor pull [Amir] out of my wife with my own eyes, I'd never believe he's my son," (23). Baba says this while Amir is still listening which hurts Amir. Amir now has to make Baba proud, because Baba doesn't see any of himself in Amir. Amir now will do anything to get his father's approval which leads to consequences later on in the novel. -
Hassan Stands Up to Assef
When Assef, the neighborhood bully, is about to beat Amir, Hassan steps up and is about to shoot Assef in the eye with a slingshot. Hassan threatens Assef saying, "If you make a move they'll have to change your nickname from Assef 'the Ear Eater' to 'One-Eyed Assef,' because I have this rock pointed at your left eye," (42). Hassan is standing up for Amir, his best friend. Hassan believes Amir would do the same for him. Also this makes Assef seek revenge ruining the boys' lives. -
The Incident
Amir and Hassan have just won the kite fighting tournament. Hassan tracks down the last fallen kite, but is ambushed by Assef and his friends. Amir starts looking for Hassan, but finds that Assef has "[unzipped] his jeans. Dropped his underwear. He [has] positioned himself behind Hassan," (75). Assef is violating a little boy, showing he will seek terrible revenge no matter the crime. This event ends Amir's and Hassan's relationship, because Amir didn't stop the violence against his friend. -
Hassan and Ali Leave
After Hassan said he stole Amir's gifts, even though he didn't, Baba forgives Hassan. The problem is Ali and Hassan say, "We are leaving, Agha sahib," (106). The two leave, because they figure out Amir witnessed Hassan's violation and did nothing. This tension is not an envoirment Ali wants himself and Hassan to live in so they leave. This destroys Baba, but lets Amir feel less guilt so he can walk around his house without being constantly reminded of what he didn't do. -
Soviet Invasion
In the winter of 1979, "the first soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27," (New York Times 2). This marks an end of a peaceful time in the nation. -
Amir and Baba Leave
Baba and Amir are being smuggled "out of Shorawi-occupied Kabul to the relative safety of Pakistan," (111). With this action Baba and Amir are leaving their old lives for a new one. They are taking a risk to get to this new life, because they can be caught and possibly tourtered. Also this new life will be harder on them, because they won't have al the friends they had in Kabul. -
Baba Standing Up for the Woman
When Baba and Amir are getting smuggled out of Afghanistan a soilder will only let them and the other people on the truck go, if he gets thirty minutes with a woman on the truck. Baba, in anger, starts standing up for the woman. Baba later says, "Tell [the soilder] I'll take a thousand bullets before I let this indecency take place," (116). Baba shows his morals by protecting this woman he doesn't even know. He shows no matter the situation, he will stick to his morals even if it means dying. -
Baba's Incident in the Store
One day Baba goes into a store while Amir is across the street and is angered by the store owner. Baba had written a check and was asked to show ID, he then breaks things and is kicked out. Amir goes back in and says, "My father is still adjusting to life in America," (128). Baba struggles with life in America, because it is so different than Kabul. Since life is so different it causes Baba stress, which leads to other social problems. -
Soraya Moves In
Soraya and Amir have just been married when Soraya suggests she moves in with him and Baba. Amir says, "I thought you might want us to have our own place." She questions Amir by saying, "With Kaka Jan as sick as he is," (172). When Soraya says she will move in with Amir and his father she shows she is in love with Amir and will doing anything for him. She is putting herself behind other people showing how nice she is. -
Baba's Death
A month after the wedding, Soraya's relatives comes over for dinner. They eat and play, while Baba is watching contently under a wool blanket. Later after Soraya and Amir get Baba into bed they offer to get him morphine, but he declines saying, "Not tonight. There is no pain tonight," (173). During the night Baba dies, but he passes away happily. When he declined morphine he was showing he felt happy and had no pain. Baba was ready to die and accepted it, because he was happy for his great life. -
The Soviets Leave
Peace talks, controlled by the United Nations, make "the last Soviet Troops [leave] Afghanistan in February 1989," (New York Times 2). -
Summer of Anarchy
Although the Soviets had departed from Afghanistan, all wasn't peaceful. Many people tried to take over, but, "by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms," (New York Times 2). -
The Taliban Gets Help
The Mullah Omar, the Taliban leader, had many followers by the end of 1994. The problem was they wouldn't have succeded without the help from, "Pakistani intelligence officers [who] began funneling arms, money and supplies to Mullah Omar's men, as well as military advisers to help guide them in battle," (New York Times 3). -
The Taliban Aids bin Laden
The Taliban, after their takeover, "provided a haven for Mr. bin Laden, who arrived by chartered jet at Jalalabad Airport in May 1996," (New York Times 3). -
Buddha Down, Buddha Down
Al Qadea wokred with the Taliban when they had control of Afghanistan. He supposely, "helped persuade Mullah Omar to order the destruction of the 800-year-pld Buddga statues at Bamiyan," (New York Times 3). -
Rahim Khan Tells the Truth
Amir goes to Pakistan to meet his father's friend, Rahim Khan. Amir is told "Ali was sterile," (222). This is a major point in the story, becuase we learn that who we thought was Hassan's father, Ali, wasn't actually his father. Later we learn that Amir's father, Baba, is the father of Hassan and the kids never knew. This shows us that Baba has a major sin he never stoned for and Amir will have to atone for Baba. -
Amir's Beating
Amir goes into Afghanistan to save Hassan's son, Sohrab. When he enters a building where Sohrab is being held, he figures out that Assef is the one keeping and abusing Sohrab. Assef later starts beating Amir, Amir starts to laugh. He starts to laugh, because "for the first time since the winter of 1975, [he] felt at peace," (289). Amir has been craving this beating forever, it is a punishment he has needed all of his life. He also has his guilt lifted so he can go on with his life guilt free. -
Post 9/11 Retaliation
President George W. Bush, after the attack on the World Trade Center, told the Taliban to hand over bin Ladn. When the Taliban didn't accept this, "the United States joined forces with rebel groups," (New York Times 3) to take down the Taliban and bin Laden. -
Sohrab Attempts Suicide
Sohrab, after getting news he will be put back into an orpahnage, attempts suicide. In the hostpital Amir prays to Allah saying to save Sohrab. Amir also says, "My hands are stained with Hassan's blood; I pray od doesn't let them get stained with the blood of his boy too," (346). Amir knows he has to atone for his sins against Hassan, but he won't be able to do this if Sohrab dies. Amir also needs to atone for Baba's sins against Hassan by taking care of Sohrab. -
Sohrab is Taken to America
After Sohrab had been asked if he wanted to go to America in the hostpital, "[he] never accepted [Amir's] offer. Nor did he decline it... So what [Amir] took as a yes from [Sohrab] was in actuality more of a quiet surrender," (356). Sohrab was forced along to America, because he was just an orphan if he stayed. Sohrab didn't want to go, because Amir had broken Sohrab's trust by saying he would never put him back in a orphanage. Sohrab is now scared and uncertain about his uncle, Amir. -
Out with the Taliban
The Taliban was thrown from government which let the former king take over. Hamid Karzai, the former king, "took office as interim president in June 2002," (New York Times 3). -
New Man in Charge
A new man had taken charge of the United States Centeral Cooman during the October of 2008. His name was General Petraeus and he had, "responsibility for military missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and across the region," (New York Times 4). -
Additional Troops Deployed
Obama announces during a speech at West Point, "his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops," (New York Times 4) to Iraq.