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Baba Opens the Orphanage
During Baba's speech before opening the orphanage, the wind knocks off Baba's hat so Baba, "motioned for me to hold his hat or him and I was more than glad to, because theneveryone would see that he was my father, my Baba" (Hosseini 14-15). In this quote the reader sees how badly Amir craves the attention and power Baba has. Amir starts to really wants to be Baba's favorite and needs the attention so that he can feel good about himself. -
Baba Tells Amir About Sin
Baba tells Amir that there is only one type of sin, "[a]nd that is theft" 9Hosseini 17). Baba tells Amir that although ismlam teaches many sinonly one sin really matters and that sin is theft. This line and motto stays with Amir through his life and troubles him at times as he tries to find a way to follow that belief. -
Baba Tells Rahim Khan What He Thinks of Amir
Amir over hears Baba telling Rahim Khan, that "'If I haden't seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I'd never believe he's my son'" (Hosseini 23). When Baba tells Rhaim Khan this sad fact it causes Amir to feel ashamed of himself. This action sets up many of Amir's actions as from now on Amir's onlly goal is to impress Baba. This goal makes Amir do things he normally wouldn't do, so that he can look better in Babb's eyes. -
Rahim Khan Reads Amir First Story
When Amir shows off his story to Baba, Baba passes on reading while Rahim Khan says, "'My I have it Amir jan? I would very much like to read it'" (Hosseini 31). Amir's path changes when he first starts to write as it puts him ontrack to be a writer. This decision shows that although he may want to impress Baba, he still wants to follow his dreams. He accomplishes this goal once he gets to America. -
Amir and Hassan Hear Gun Shots at Night
Late at night Amir and Hassan hear, "[s]omething [roar] like thunder. The earth shook a little and we heard the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire" (Hosseini 35). Amir and Hassan are hearing gun shots as the Afghanistan monarchy is over thrown. This attack leads to Afghanistan being attacked by the Soviets and forcing many upper class citizens, like Baba and Amir to flee Afghnaistan in fear of punishment. -
Hassan Defends Amir from Assef with His Slingshot
When Assef and his friends decide to attack Amir, Hassan "held the slingshot pointed directly at Assef's face" (Hosseini 42). Hassan is seen showing his willingness to do anything for Amir. Hassan also says that Assef will be one eyed Assef if he attacks them, this quote fore-shadows what will happen when Assef and Amir fight again. -
Hassan gets Violated by Assef
After Amir and Hassan's victory in the kite tourament, Hassan runs after the final cut kite. Once Hassan gets the kite he is stopped by Assef and his friends who demand the kite or Hassan will get beat up. Hassan refuses, saying it is for Amir so Assef, "put his hand on Hassan's hips and lifted his bare buttocks... He unzipped his jeans. Dropped his underwear. He positioned himself behind Hassan" (Hosseini 75). This violent attack at the hands of Assef cause Amir great pain. Amir had the.. -
Amir Wins the Winter Kite Tournament
The biggest goal in almost every Afghan kid is to win the kite touaranment. This is more than a goal for Amir as he sees it as the only way to win Baba's approval when Amir does win he sees Baba, "standing on the edge [of the roof], pumping both of hi fists. Hollering and clapping" (Hosseini 66). Amir has been working all his life to impress Baba, and now after one event he has Baba's love. This moment of joy and power makes Amir crave attention from Baba more and more later in the story. -
Hassan Gets Violated by Assef (continued)
chance to save Hassan and stop the attacks. Instead Amir runs away in fear of harm, and this action is what drives Amir to live his life in a new way. he now spend the rest of his life finding a way to relieve himself of the guilt he has from not protecting his friend, his brother. -
Amir Frames Hassan for Stealing
Amir begins to have trouble living with Hassan, as he sees the person he betrayed every day and is reminded of his sins. This causes Amir to, "[ift]Hassan's mattress and planted my watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it" (Hosseini 104). This act of selfishness by Amir leads to Hassan and Ali leavving the house. Amir's actions stay with him through out life, as he later goes back to Afghanistan so that he can be good again and forgive himself. -
Soviet Union First Invades Afghanistan
On December 27th, 1974, "[t]he first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul... to assist Babrak Karmel" (New York Times 2). -
Amir and Baba Flee Afghanistan
Due to the war getting closer and closer to Kabul, Baba decides it is time for him and Amir to flee to America for safety. Amir remembers that, "we'd left Kabul just after two in the morning" (Hosseini 110). This call be Baba is very unusual for a man Amir sees as powerful and bold. Baba's decision to flee shows just how bad the situation was for him and Amir. Baba's decision although not great for him is perfect for Amir. Amir gets to follow his dreams and become a writer. -
United States Aids the Rebels
The New York Times writes, "After 1986, the Soviet Air Force was also rendered largely useless by the advanced Stinger antiaircraft missiles supplied by the United States to the rebels" (New York Times 2). -
Amir Gets Mrried to Soraya
Amir is madly in love with Soraya, another Afghani girl who has a controlling father. During their wedding he whispers to her, "that I loved her. A blush, red like henne, bloomed on her cheeks" (Hosseini 171). Amir shows his passion for Soraya, stepping out of the rigid Afghani marriage cycle to whisper his feelings. His relationship with Soraya shows him that sometimes you have to tell the truth, as Soraya confesses to her sins before the wedding. Soraya is also there for him hard times. -
Baba Dies From Cancer
Baba, has been fighting cancer long before Amir's wedding, and it is starting to catch up to the once powerful man. One night Amir and Soraya tend to baba and find that the next morning, "Baba never woke up" (Hosseini 173). This event changes Amir forever as he no longer has someone he has to impress. This may sound good at first, but now Amir holds himself to his high standrads, as he makes big decisions in the hopes of becoming the best man he can be. -
Soviets Leave Afghanistan
The Soviet Union finally left Afghanistan, "after peace talks by the United Nations, the last Soviet troops left Afganistan in February 1989... They [the Soviets] left behind a country that was not only devestated by the war, but had become a beacon to Islamic extremists from across the globe who had come to assist in the fighting" (New York Times 2). -
Afghanistan is Controlled by Warlords
After the Soviets left the governement in shambles "Afghanistan descended into vicious internecine strife; by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" (New York Times 2). -
The Taliban Starts to Gain Power
As reported by the New york Times, "By the end of 1994 Mullah Omar had nearly 12,00 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east. With his promise os restoring the centrality of Islam to daily life, he created genuinely popular in a country weary of corruption and brutality" (New York Times 2). -
Pakistan Starts to Aid the Taliban
Pakistan helped the Taliban out by sending, "arms, money supplies... as well as military advisors to help guide them in battle" (The New York Times 3) -
Taliban Gains Full Control of Afghanistan
Thanks to help from Pakistan the Taliban, "had taken control of Afghanistan, imposing strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law, banning movies amd music and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqa clothing" (New York Times 3). -
Taliban Begins to shelter Al Qaeda
The New York Times reports that, "[t]he Taliban also provided a haven for Mr. bin Laden, who arrived by charter jet at Jalalabed Airport in May 1996, and for Al Qaeda" (New York Times 3). -
Rahim Khan Tells Amir the Truth
Amir has lived his life not knowing the truth about Hassan and Baba. This all changes when Amir comes to visit Rahim Khan who tells him that Hassan is the child of Baba and Sanabar, Amir thinks to himself, "My brother's face. Hassan had loved me once" (Hosseini 227). When Rahim Khan tells Amir the truth it makes Amir want to do good for Hassan, his brother. This little push makes Amir go on the greatest trek of his life to save a boy that he has never met, all because of family. -
Amir Fights Assef
In Amir's search for his nephew Sohrab he comes across his childhood enemy Assef. Assef gives Amir Sohrab but only if the men fight. During the fight, "I [Amir] started laughing... And the harder I laughed, the harder he kicked me, punched me, scratched me" (Hosseini 289). Amir risks his body for a child he doesn't even know. This self-less act shows that Amir is a new person and that he will do anything for family. Amir is so relivede that he no longer has to carry the guilt of Hasssan... -
Amir Fights Assef (continued)
that he begins to laugh from the feeling that he has atoned for his sins. -
Amir Brings Sohrab Back to the United States (continued).
man who will fight for what he believes is right and just. Amir has become the person he has always wanted to be. -
Amir Brings Sohrab Back to the United Stats
After Sohrab recovered from his attempt at suicide Amir brings him back to America to be his adopted son. Amir remembers when, "We [Amir and Sohrab] arived home... Soraya picked us up at the airport" (Hosseini 357). When Amir brings Sohrab back to the United States he completes his atonement to Hassan, as he has taken his nephew in like and treated him like a son. Amir's actions in this final major plot point showing his change from a little boy who was selfish and needed attention, to a... -
Al Qaeda Attacks the World Trade Centers
Due to the terrorist attacks on American people, "President George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. bin Laden. When it [the Taliban] refused, the United States joined forces with rebel groups that had never accepted the Taliban rule... An air and ground campiagn began that drove the Taliban out of the major Afghan cities by the end of the year" (The NewYork Times 3). -
Karzai Gains Control of Government
In December of 2001 Hamid Karzai, "was named chairmen of an interm governemnt that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country" (New York Times 3). -
Taliban Begins to Resurface
Even after their removal from power by the American s in 2001 the Taliban, "continued to wage a guerrilla warfare from a base in the mountainous and largely lawless tribal area on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border" (New York Times 3).