Kite Runner & the History of Afghanistan

By Madeline Ishimoto

  • Women Rights

    Daoud Khan "proposes a new constitution that grants women rights," in order to improve and update their communist state. He becomes defensive toward his opponents and forces them to act a certain way. This soon fails because women still do not get the right to work etc. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan

  • Amir's Life Changes (KR)

    In the winter of 1975 where Hassan gets raped, Amir had "one final opportunity to decide who [he] was going to be" (Hosseini 77). Amir could either run away and not be loyal to Hassan, or try and stop the misconduct. He chooses to not get involved and soon feels guilty for what he had done. The guilt and shame stays with Amir throughout the whole story.

  • Amir's Birthday Party (KR)

    At Amir's party, he saw "Assef with his parents" (Hosseini 95). Even though Amir and his father never bond before this, Amir feels hurt because Assef talks with Baba and they seem to be enjoying their conversation. Their boding heartbreaks Amir because Assef reminds him of his distant relationship with Baba.

  • Rebellion

    After "Khan is killed in a communist coup," Mohammad Taraki replaces Khan and dissociates themselves from the Soviet influence. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan

  • Change in Afghanistan (KR)

    Amir first talks about a change in Afghanistan when "the communist coup d'etat" (Hosseini 36), in 1978. This event represents a time when Amir first experiences the harsh war. He says that the explosions ended their way of living because the commotion got in the way of daily activities.

  • Soviet Troops

    After Taraki dies, "the first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul ... to assist Babrak Karmal" (New York Times).

  • Out of Kabul (KR)

    After Baba sells his house to Rahim Khan, "he and [Amir] fled Kabul" (Hosseini 199). Since Amir no longer lives in Afghanistan, he can start a new life and try to forget the mistakes he made in the past. However, this decision to move interferes with his ability to forget and soon results in guilt.

  • Adjusting to America (KR)

    Subsequent to Amir and Baba's arrival in America, Amir suggests that they "should go back to Peshawar" (Hosseini 129). Amir sees that Baba still struggles to adjust to America and doubts his plan to succeed in such a country. In addition, Baba remembers how he was trusted in Kabul, but not trusted to write a check in America. This demonstrates the different goals the two have with coming to the U.S. because Amir wants to forget his old memories but Baba cannot let go of Kabul.

  • Evacuation

    Subsequent to the war starting, "2.8 million afghans have fled from the war to Pakistan" (Admin). https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan

  • High School Graduation (KR)

    In the summer of 1983, Amir "graduated from high school at the age of twenty" (Hosseini 131). For one of the first times in the novel, Baba shows Amir that he is proud of his graduation. They bond by going out to places and Baba soon surprises him with a new car. Amir enjoys this day because Baba does show his affection towards him on a regular basis.

  • Marriage (KR)

    After Amir gets married to Soraya, he "[discovers] the tenderness of a woman" (Hosseini 171). The marriage starts off as helpful because Baba gets sick around this time. Amir now lives with a woman and has to take care of Baba instead of Baba taking care of him. He undergoes the responsibility of running his own life and soon gets ready to start a family.

  • Baba Dies (KR)

    Baba goes to sleep and "never [wakes] up" (Hosseini 173). Because of Baba's death, Amir never gets to correct things and be satisfied with his and Baba's father-son relationship. In addition, Amir also feels that he has to be independent and not depend on his father influencing his decisions.

  • New Novel (KR)

    A moment before the Soviets leave Afghanistan, Amir "[finishes his] first novel" (Hosseini 182). Amir's writing career starts and he soon gets his book published. As a result of Amir's friends and family being gone, he starts to question the amount of pride they would have for Amir if they were able to witness his accomplishment.

  • Soviet Troops Leaving

    As the war in Afghanistan ended, "the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989" (New York Times).

  • Soraya and Amir Discover Their Inability to Conceive (KR)

    Amir finds out that adopting is the only way he can have a child and does not do this because "blood is a powerful thing" (Hosseini 187). In other words, Amir contemplates his choice because he does not want his child to live in question. Due to his wrongdoings in the past, Amir feels like his inability to conceive serves as a punishment for him.

  • Northern Alliance (KR)

    The Northern Alliance manipulates Kabul because they "[take] over Kabul between 1992 and 1996" (Hosseini 199). Different parts of Kabul get sectioned off and the NA threatens people to be shot if they go in a restricted area. These harsh conditions represent the problematic environment that Amir left behind.

  • Power Division

    In the summer of 1994 in Afghanistan, a destructive conflict happened and "power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" (New York Times).

  • Reinforcement

    The exhausted Taliban "rises to power on promises of peace" (Admin), and reinforces the Islamic law. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan

  • Shorawi Gets Defeated (KR)

    Violence takes over when "Kabul belonged to Massoud, Rabani, and the Mujahedin" (Hosseini 212). As an outcome, the rulers fill Kabul with chaos and affect their citizen's regular routines. Hassan and Sohrab have limited free time and do not know if they can survive through such harsh conditions.

  • Taliban Takeover

    After Mullah Omar was supported by the Taliban in 1994, "the Taliban by 1996 had taken control of Afghanistan" (New York Times).

  • Mr. bin Laden's Arrival

    The Taliban become extreme while "Mr. bin Laden ... arrived by chartered jet" (New York Times).

  • Finding Hassan and End to Daily Fighting (KR)

    Ten years after Rahim Khan finds Hassan in Kabul, "the Taliban rolled in and put an end to daily fighting" (Hosseini 213). Rahim and Hassan believe that they can live in peace with their families and not have to worry about violence. However, their happiness gets degraded when the Taliban ban kite fighting and Massacre the Hazaras two years later. Due to these events, Rahim Khan tells Amir about their loss of hope, Hassan's new life and the death of Ali.

  • Amir's Outrage (KR)

    When Amir flies to Peshawar to see Rahim Khan, he finds out that "Sanaubar wasn't Ali's first wife" (Hosseini 222). As a result of the lies Amir was previously told in his childhood, he has an emotional outburst and feels as if he was betrayed. Subsequent to Rahim Khan telling the truth about Hassan, Amir later realizes that he and Hassan are brothers and sees the significance in family. This causes Amir to atone for his mistakes and fly to Kabul to find Sohrab.

  • World Trade Center Attack

    Mr. bin Laden terrorized the World Trade Center and "the United States joined forces with rebel groups that have never accepted the Taliban rule" (New York Times).

  • Amir Takes Sohrab (KR)

    After Amir defeats Assef, he takes Sohrab to America and goes kite running with him. He looks at Sohrab and sees that "one corner of his mouth had curled up just so" (Hosseini 370). He shows a positive emotion and is the final outcome of Amir's atonement. Initially, Amir accepts that he can never make things between him and Hassan completely right. However, he thinks of his smile as progression and knows that his atonement was worth all of the fighting.