Kite Runner & the History of Afghanistan

By 16greenen95

  • Baba is born

    In the Kite Runner, "in 1933...Baba was born". (pg 24). Simply put, this was the year of Baba's birth. This quote is a simple statement explaining so.

  • Baba's father is killed

    In the book, it is said that"when Baba was six, a theif walked into my grandfather's house in the middle of the night....the theif stabbed him in the throat.." (Pg 18). This scene is mentioned when Baba explain's the only sin that truly exists. Amir brings up this example, when Baba talks to him about this sin.

  • Amir is born

    In the kite runner, Amir explains how, "It was there, in that little shack, that Hassan was born in the winter of 1964, just one year after my mother died giving birth to me..." (pg 6). More or less, this is when Amir was born. In the quotes, he explains the circumstances around how he was born.

  • Hassan protects Amir

    in the book, Hassan protects Amir from Assef: "Please leave us alone, Agha, Hassan said in a flat tone" (pg 412). Hassan refers to Assef as Agha in the book, and in this scene, protects Amir by threating Assef with his slingshot. This is a definig moment in the story, as Hassan protects Amir from being attacked by Assef.

  • Hassan's final run

    In the Kite Runner, there exists a competiton, which involves running for kites, and it is stated that, "In the Winter of 1975, I saw Hassan run a kite for the last time" (pg 55). For those who have not read the book, they might be intriqued by this statement. For those who have read the book, this statement might sicken them, due to the reason this was Hassan's last run.

  • Ali and Hassan resign their post as servents at Baba's house

    In the story, after Baba forgives Hassan for a crime he didn't do, Ali anounces that, "We are leaving, Agha sahib" (pg 106). After finding out what had happened to Hassan, Ali decides that their current home is no longer suitable. He choses to leave, rather than tell Baba the full story on what had happened.

  • Soviet Troops parachute into Kabul

    The War in Afghanistan first began in 1979 when, "The First Soviet Troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979". (Pg2).

  • Amir and Baba's escape from Afghanistan

    In the story, Baba and Amir leave Kabul so as to have a new life in America: " My innards had been rolling since we left Kabul" (pg 110). The reasoning behind Baba and Amir leaving is not explained in the story. One can only assume that there was violence and war that caused them to seek a better life elsewhere.

  • Amir graduates from highschool

    In the summer of "1983, I graduated from highschool" (pg 131). This is a relativly importent event for Amir. Graduating from highschool was a defining moment in his life.

  • Amir's marriage to Soraya

    In the story, Amir is married to Soraya, while the ceremony is paid for by Baba: "Baba spent...his life savings, on...the wedding ceremony" (pg 169). For Baba, this was an important moment for both Amir and him. His son was now being married, so he could finally rest in peace.

  • Baba's Death

    In the Kite Runner, Baba passes peacefully away: "A month after the wedding....Baba never woke up" (pg 173). Translated, this means that Baba didn't awake from his sleep, and that he passed away in the night. More or less, this is a sad moment in the story.

  • Soviet Aircraft's rendered useless

    By the end of 1886, the Soviet's aircrafts were "rendered largely useless by advanced Stinger antiaircraft missles supplied by the United States to the rebels" (Pg2).

  • Soviet Union recalls the last of its troops.

    Finally, in 1989, "the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan". (Pg2).

  • Sohrab is born

    In Kite Runner, Hassan's son was born in the, "winter of 1990" (pg 211). In the story, Hassan has a son named Sohrab. More or less, this quote dictates the timeframe Sohrab was born at, winter in 1990.

  • Mullah Omar's followers totals at 12,000

    Before the Taliban took over, a man named IOmar was working to rebuild the country, an "had nearly 12,000 followers' (Pg2).

  • Taliban seizes control

    In 1996, Afghanistan was seized by "the Taliban, the extremist Islamic Group" (Pg1).

  • Hassan's Death

    In the story, Khan has Hassan watch his house for him, and "a month after I arrived in Pashawer, I recieved a phone call...they took him [Hassan] to the street...and shot him in the back of the head" (pg 218-219). Simply put, Hassan was killed by the Talibans because he was a "hazara". In that time period, the Talibans were a group, who participated in violent acts, such as the one listed above.

  • Amir meets with Khan

    In the story, in June of 2001, Khan calls and says, "Come, there is a way to be good again" 9pg 192). Merely a week later, Amir leaves to go see Khan. More or less, Amir is hoping to gain some form of forgiveness for his sins as a child.

  • Amir and Sohrab arrive in America

    In the story, after saving Sohrab, he and Amir go to America, and arrive, "on a warm day in August 2001" (pg 357). After everything that Amir and Sohrab went through, they finally arrive in America. While Sohrab is likely to be happy to have escaped certain doom in Afghanistan, at this point in the story, it is unknown whether Sohrab will beable to adjust to life in America.

  • 9/11 Attack

    On septemeber 11th, an attack was launced on, "the World Trade Center in New York on Sept 11, 2001" (Pg3).

  • Amir runs the kite for Sohrab

    In the story, a little while after Amir and Sohrab arrive in America, at a gathering in the park, Amir offers to "run that kite for you" (Pg 371). This, more or less, is the final event of the story, as at the event, Sohrab finally smiles again, for the first time since when he and Amir left Afghanistan. by offering to run the kite, Amir represents how even though there is pain, there is also joy, and that time marches on, and with it, life is begun anew.

  • Mr. Karzai elected Pres. of Afghanistan

    In 2004, Hamid Karzai "was elected to a five-year terma as president" (Pg3).

  • David Petraeus put in charge of American forces in Afghanistan

    In the year 2007, President Obama put "Gen. David H. Petraeus...in command of American Forces in Afghanistan"(Pg1).

  • Afghanistan situation anouncement

    In 2009, President Obama gave a speech announcing "his plan to deploy 30,00 additional troops" (Pg4).

  • All American Troops are out of Afghanistan(?)

    It has been stated, that all troops will be out of Afghanistan by "the end of 2012"(Pg1).