Kite Runner & the History of Afghanistan

By 19yanj72

  • (Kite Runner) Baba is born

    Amir tells "1933 [was] the year Baba was born..." (Hosseini 24). Baba was born the same year Zahir Shah began his reign of Afghanistan. Baba grew up with Ali, his childhood playmate.

  • (Kite Runner) Hasssan is born

    Hassan's mother bore Hassan "one cold wintry day in 1964" (Hosseini 6). Hassan mother was named Sanaubar, whom left shortly after she bore Hassan. Hassan was born in a small shack, which he lives in while still in Amir's service.

  • (Kite Runner) Baba builds an orphanage (late 1960s)

    Amir tells that "when [Amir] was five or six, Baba decided to build an orphanage" (Hosseini 13). Baba was a good man, and used his money to build an orphanage. He succeeded and payed for the entire project.

  • (Kite Runner) Amir wins the kite fighting competition

    After Amir cuts down the last kite, Hassan cheers "You won, Amir agha! You won!" (Hosseini 66). Hassan cheers for Amir's victory, as this was Amir's first ever victory. Amir brought down a blue kite, the other one last standing, and Hassan goes run for it.

  • (Kite Runner) Hassan is violated

    After Hassan retrieves the blue kite Amir cut down, Hassan "was standing at the lind end of the alley in a defiant stance... Blocking Hassan's way out of the alley were three boys" (Hosseini 71). Hassan retrieves the blue kite Amir cuts down, but Assef and his gang manage to corner him and try to take the kite. Hassan refuses and Assef violates Hassan as a punishment.

  • (Kite Runner) Hassan and Ali leave Baba's house

    Amir sets up Hassan for departure by placing money and a watch under Hassan's bed, and Ali tells Baba "Wer are leaving, Agha Sahib" (Hosseini 106). Amir felt so guilty for not intervening when Hassan was violated, he attempted to get rid of Hassan. After Baba confronts Hassan, Hassan schockingly admits that he stole the money, despite him not actually doing it.

  • First Soviet troops come to Afghanistan

    According to the NYT article, "the first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979, to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become president in a coup within the AFghan Communist leadership" (NYT 2).

  • (Kite Runner) Baba and Amir escape Kabul

    During March, 1981, Amir and Baba "left Kabul just after two in the morning" (Hosseini 110). Amir and Hassan are forced to leave Kabul after the Russians invaded Afghanistan. They rode a truck away from Kabul, and Russians eventually stop the truck and confront the escapees.

  • (Kite Runner) Amir graduates high school

    After Baba and Amir move to America, in the "Summer of 1983, [Amir] graduated from high school at the age of twenty" (Hosseini 131). Amir studies at an American school and manages to graduate form it while Baba was still alive. After Amir graduates, he aims to become a world class writer.

  • (Kite Runner) Amir and Soraya have their first conversation

    Amir leaves his home and claims he is buying drinks for Baba, but he instead "[stared] at Soraya across curling irons and old neckties" (Hosseini 145). Amir has a conversation with her and they get to know each other. Amir then brings home peaches instead of drinks.

  • (Kite Runner) Baba dies (year not exact)

    After Amir and Soraya help Baba to bed, "Baba never woke up" (Hosseini 173). Baba contracted cancer and has severe symptoms later. This ultimately leads to his death on the bed. Many respected him at his funeral.

  • Last Soviet troops leave Afghanistan

    After nine years of fighting, "the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989, in what was in the effect of a unilateral withdrawal" (NYT 2).

  • Power in Afghanistan was anarchially divided among warlords and fiefdoms

    According to NYT, "by the summer of 1994, power was anarchially divided among competing warlords an individual fiefdoms" (NYT 2). (not exact date)

  • Mullah Omar has 12,000 followers

    Acoording to the NYT, "By the end of 1994, Mullah Omar had nearley 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east" (NYT 2).

  • Osama Bin Laden arrives at Jalalabad Airport in AFghanistan

    (not exact date) The Taliban supported Bin Laden, whom "arrived by chartered jet at Jalalabad Airport in May 1996" (NYT 3).

  • Taliban takes control of Afghanistan

    (random date and month, real year) During the Taliban movement, they were "Buoyed by Pakistani aid, [and] the Taliban by 1996 had taken control of Afghanistan" (NYT 3).

  • (Kite Runner) Amir leaves for Pakistan

    After AMir recieves a phone call from Rahim Khan, Amir "sat on a window seat aboard a Pakistani International Airlines flight..." (Hosseini 194). Amir hears that Rahim Khan is sick, and must ravel to Pakistan to take care of him. Later, Amir learns of the truth from Rahim Khan.

  • (Kite Runner) Assef is seen again (date estimated)

    In a meeting with a Taliban leader, the Taliban leader says "Whatever happened to the old Bablu, anyway?" (Hosseini 281). Amir realizes it is Assef due to him being one of the only ones whom he knew insulted Baba this way. Assef could identify Amir even with a fake beard on.

  • (Kite Runner) Amir and Farid see the Taliban execute someone with stones (date estimated)

    In a speech at the stadium, the cleric says "what manner of punishment, brothers and sisters, befits the adulterer?... WE SHALL THROW THE STONES BACK!" (Hosseini 270). In an attempt to find the pserson responsible for taking children from an orphanage, Amir and farid travel to find a Talibe leader. This lead them to a stadium and an execution of a couple by throwing stones.

  • (kite runner) Amir arrives home at America

    After all the chaos, Amir "arrived home... on a warm day in August 2001" (Hosseini 257). Amir finally manages to get Sohrab to America in August 2001. Soraya planned many things for Sohrab, bu Sohrab instead walks around the house most of the time.

  • September 11 attacks

    There was an "attack on thw World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001..." (3).

  • (Kite Runner) sohrab tries to commit suicide (date estimated)

    Amir leaves Sohrab to take a shower, and when Amir "pushed the door open... suddenly [Amir] was on [his] knees, screaming" (Hosseini 343). Amir opened up the bathroom door and finds that Sohrab tried to kill himself. Sohrab hated orphnages so much, he was willing to die than go to one.

  • Hamid Karzai named chairman of Afghanistan government

    After the Taliban were defeated"In December 2001, Hamid Karzai, a supported and relative of Mohammad Zahir Shah, the exiled former king of Afghanistan, was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country" (NYT 3).

  • Karzai elected to a five-year term

    After taking the place of chairman, "Mr. Karzai was elected to a five-year term as president in 2004" (NYT 3). (not exact date)

  • Obama plans to deploy 30,000 more troops in Afghanistan

    According to NYT, "a speech delivered Dec. 1 2009... Mr. Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (4).