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Hassan is attacked by Assef
When Amir sees Hassan being assaulted by Assef and his friends, Amir notices Hassans face, saying that "it was the look of the lamb" (76). His look of defeat shows how loyal he is to Amir that he will take this violent act upon him. It also shows how Amir is, so much that it causes him to not help his friend but hide on fear of being in trouble. -
Amir turns 13
The summer that Amir turns 13 was "Afghanistan's nest to last summer of peace and anonymity" (93). This foreshadowing shows that something may happen in the future that will turn Afghanistan into an unpeaceful land. I am interested to see how Amir and his family will deal with those possible changes. -
Invasion by Soviet Union
the Soviet Union went to Afghanistan to assist the then president with a coup that had occured within the Afghan Communist leaderhsip. Moscow said that it was in a response to a plea for help, "but most Western analysts say the Soviets engineered the coup as a pretext to replce Hafizullah Amin, the Afghan leader, who had lost their trust" (2). -
Baba and Amir leave Kabul
Amir, even at eighteen, is still desperate to impress his father, is upset when he is feeling car sick and his father "saw [his] car sickness as yet another array of weakness" (110). His obsession with what his father thinks makes Amir do many things throught his life to impress his father, even something as small as worrying if Baba dislikes his car sickness. It also shows how cold and unloving Baba is to his son and how much heis disappointed by Amir. -
Escape from Kabul
Baba and Amir attempt to escape Kabul because of the Taliban. The group they are traveling meets Russians who "pointed [a] barrel to Baba's chest" (116). Baba' near death and Amir's fright shows that although Baba can be mean, Amir loves him very much. -
Baba and Amir in America
Amir and Baba are now living in Frement, California. Amir loves America, but Baba feels differently. Baba "missed the sugarcan fields of Jalalabad and the gardens of Paghman" and is having touble adapting to life in the US (129). -
Amir graduates high school
Amir finally graduates High school at an old age, 24. Amir is very excited, but his father's persence makes the day even better. He is overjoyed when Baba tell him that "Proud. His eyes gleamed when he said that and [Amir] like being on the recieving ide of that look" (131). -
Amir meets Soraya
During the summer Amir meets a beautiful young woman. He is immediately infatuated with her, a feeling the reader has had yet to see in Amir. He obsesses over her, his "heart [shuttering] at the thought of her" (142). -
Amir and Soraya marry
Amir and Soraya become better friends over time. Unforutnately, Baba becomes sick and as a dying man, asks the permission of Soraya's father for Amir to marry her, and he agrees. The day is joyous, especially Baba is alive and living through the "happiest day of [his] life" (166). -
Soviet tropps leave Afghanistan
Finally, the Soviet troops leave Afghanistan, but in their midst they "left behind a country that was not only devestated by the war but that had become a beacon to Islamic extremists from accross the globe..." (2). -
The Creation of the Taliban
Nearing the end of 1994 Mullah Omar, the leader of the Taliban, had nearly 12,000 followers. He wanted to "[restore] the centrality of Islam to daily life, [so] he created a genuinely popular movement in a country weary of corruption and brutality" (2). -
The Taliban is helped by Pakistan
Although the Taliban was very popular at the time, "[it] might have withered were it not for the intervention of Pakistan." The Taliban was aided by the Pakistani who "began funneling arms, money, and supplies...as well as military advisers to thelp guide them in battle" (3). -
Arrival of Osama bin Laden
The Taliban helped bin Laden and the al Qauda. The arrival of the Al Qeada influenced the Taliban greatly. They may have persuaded Omar to destroy 800 year old Buddha statues. Although their actions were condemned, "international criticism of the Taliban's harsh measures had little effect on the regime, which seemed almost to welcome pariah status" (3). -
Taliban in control
With help from Pakistan the Taliban had taken control of Afghanistan, "imposing strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law, banning movies and music and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqa clothing" (3). -
Baba dies
Shortly after his marrige, Baba passes away. It was something that was expected, and although it is sad, it is also a test of Amir and Soraya's relationship. They pass the test, supporting each other even through such a hard time. Fortunately, Baba's death is after he has had time so become closer with his son and see him marry, allowing him to be happy and tell Amir the night before he dies that "there is no pain tonight" (173). -
Rahim Khan calls Amir
Amir revcieves a distressing call from Rahim Khan. He learns that Rahim is sick. In addition, Rahim hints at there being some sort of way for Amir to make up for what he did as a child when he tells him that "there is a way to be good again" (192). -
Rahim Khan tells Amir what happened to Hassan
Once he arrives in Pakistan Amir finds Rahim Khan. He is very sick, but he also has a story to tell about what happened to Hassan. When Rahim Khan informs Amir that the Taliban "shot [Hassan] in the back of the head" Amir is extremely despressed, and this news is what causes him to want to make up for what he did as a child (219). -
Assef and Amir fight
Amir meets with the man who took Sohrab. He is shocked to discover that it is Assef, his childhood enemy. Assef tells Amir that he "[can't] take [Sohrab] for free" and that he must fight him. They fight, Assef with his brass knuckles, and Amir is nearly killed but Sohrab slingshots Assef and they escape -
Amir goes to the orphanage
Amir and Farid travel to the orphanage where they believe Sorhab is living. Unfortunately, he is no longer living there. The orphanage manager informs them that a man from the Taliban "took Sohrab a month ago" (257). -
Sohrab tries to kill himself
Amir promised Sohrab that he wouldn't leave him, and that they would go to America together. However, Amir is having trouble getting permission to leave with Sohrab. When sohrab finds out about the problems Amir is having he is extremely upset and yells at Amir "you'd promised you'd never put me in one of those places, Amir" (341). Later that night, Amir discovers Sohrab's body in the bath, nealy dead. Luckily, Sohrab doesn't die but he is very depressed for a long time. -
Sohrab in America
The book ends with Sohrab and Amir back in America. After his attempted suicide Sohrab is quiet and despresed, very different from how he used to be. In the end, Amir manages to cheer him up by showing him kite running, and he manages to get "one corner of [Sohrab's] mouth [to] curl up" (371). -
Post 9/11 invasion
After 9/11 President George W. Bush told the Taliban to hand over bin Laden, which they refused. The US and reble groups joined forces in an attack that "drove the Taliban our of the major afghan cities by the end of the year" (3). -
Election of Karzai
In 2002 Hamid Karzai took office, promising to "secure peace for afghanistan and win the country much-needed international aid" (3). -
Obama's War
Many commanders and leaders were considered for leading the wars in the Middle East. After contemptuous quotes from General McChrystal appeared in the Rolling Stone magazine, "Mr. Obama tapped Gen. Petraeus to lead the war effot there" (4). -
When will the tropps be deployed?
Origianlly, Obama had plans to deply 30,000 troops from Afghanistan by 2011 because of the cost of fighting there. However, " the Obama administraion changed its tone to increasingly emphasize the idea that the United States will have forces in in the country until at least the endof 2014" (4).