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Hassan's asult
Life for Hassan and Amir compltetly changes one winter. Amir forshadows by saying, "By the following winter, it was only a faint scar. Which was ironic. Because that was the winter Hassan stopped smiling." (47) This winter marks Hassan's asult. This incident affected the relationship between all the characters and the course of al the characters' lives. Amir lives with the guilt of what he witnessed for the rest of his life. -
winter 1975
The winter of 1975 marks a very significant time. Amir " saw Hassan run a kite for the last time." (55). The kite tournament is a huge part of Afghan culture, especially to Baba and Amir. This peticular run was important because Amir won. This was the only time Baba was truely proud of Amir and showed him off. In addition, this was the last time Hassan and Amir bonded before the iccident. -
Pomegranates part 1
Amir tries to relief his guilt by asking Hassan to throw a pomegrante at him. However, Hassan displaces his morals as he "crushed it against his own forehead" and said, " Are you satisfied? Do you feel better?" (93). Hassan has a power over Amir because he has Baba's affection and can make Amir both guilty and jealous. The power seems to become too much for Amir to handle because Amir states, "I let the tears break free, rocked back and forth on my knees.'What am I going to do with you Hassan? -
Pomegrantes part 2
But by the time the tears dried up and i truged down the hill, I knew the answer to that question." Amir's frustration is becoming unbearable. He is overwelhmed with guilt and desperatly wants to free himself. This quote foreshadows the watch situation -
1979
The first sign of the Soviet troops in Kabul was on "Dec. 27th 1979. to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become president in a coup within the Afghan Communist leadership." (2) -
tick tock
Amir could no longer with stand the guilt from Hassan. In effort to relieve this guilt, Amir tries to get rid of Hassan. Amir frames him for stealing his money and watch. When Baba asks, "Did you steal that money? Did you steal Amir's watch, Hassan?" Hassan replies with, "Yes." (105) This marks the moment when Hassan and Amir are seperated for the rest of their lives. Amirs guilt still stays with him forever, dispate this attempt to escape -
America
When the war starts to get bad, Amir and Baba flee to America. Although they only planned to leave until the war ended, they ended up staying in America. Baba, "loved the IDEA of America." (123). However, once they arrived, Amir seemed to be adjusting well while Baba had his head stuck in Afghanistan while living in America. Moving to America had an extremely significant impact on both Baba and Amir since they had both lost their socialeconomic status. -
Graduation!
Amir "graduates high schoolat age of twenty"(131), entering his adult life. This marks the moment in Amir's life where he can start making his own choices and develp his own beliefs. When Baba doesn't approve of him going to study writing, he disreguards this. Amir is grown up and has a sense of freedom without having to worry as much about what Baba thinks -
1986 air force
The Soviet Air Force was "Rendered largely useless by advanced Stinger antiaircrafts missiles supplied by the United States to the rebels" (2) in 1986. -
soviet withdrawl
After peace talks led by the United Nations, "the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in feb. 1989, in what was in effect a unilateral withdrawal." pg 2 -
Taliban takeover
The taliban had taken over control of Afgghanistan by 1996, "imposing strict enforcement of fundamentalist islamic law." pg 3 -
Amir and Soraya
Amir and Soraya finally wed shortly before Baba's death. Amir, "Lookied at Soraya's smiling face in that mirror, in the momentary privacy of the veil, [he] whispered to her for the first time that [he] loved her." (171) Amir's wedding with Soraya is significant on many different levels. This is Amir's first relationship that works out well because he no longer has the corruption of power in the way of his love. -
Baba's death
Soon after Amir and Soraya get married, Baba passes. Baba says " There is no pain tonight." (173). Baba "never woke up." (173). This marks a huge change in Amirs life. Baba's death causes Amir to finally be set free from the burrden of always having to fight for Baba's approval. Amir starts to develop his own morals and principles of life. -
War begins
Amir forshadows the great war that is coming to his homeland. He says, "The generation of Aghan children whos ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born....tin December1997 he russian tanks would roll down in the very same streets Hassan and I played in."(36). This war will impact not only Amir's family, but the entire Afghan people. Amir's move was all based upon this war. Amir would not have been the person he is if the war did not occur -
Wars began
Afghanistan was a country of peace up until 3 decades ago, "turmoil and extremism that have domincated its history since then can be traced to the 1979 invasion by the Soviet Union." pg 2 -
Amirs return to homeland
Amir unexpectedly has to "go to Pakistan." because "Rahim Khan is very sick." (191). This is an extremely important event because it marks the beginning of Amir's journey in Afghanistan. Throughout this journey, Amir learns much about himself and the land he grew up in. -
9/11
9/11 was the terroist "attack on the World Trade Center in New York on sept. 11, 2001." pg3 -
Karzai government
A new leader took over Afghanistan in 2001 post 9/ll, "Hamid Karzi...exiled former kking of Afghanistan, was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the deafeated taliban, making him rhe leader of the country." pg3 -
Baba's secret
Hassan's true father is reveled when Amir goes back to visit Rahim Khan. Amir is baffled by this news and wonders why Baba would hide this. Rahim Khan explains, "It was a shameful situation. People would talk. All that a man had back then, all that he was, was his honor, his name, and if people talked..." (223. This opens Amir's eyes and allows him to realize Baba's true values. Baba had gone against what he said was the only sin, theft. -
Atonement
Amir and Sohrab are participating in a kite running, much like the runs Amir ran with Hassan. Amir asks Sohrab, "Do you want me to run that kite for you?" As Sohrab nodded, Amir heard himself say, "For you, a thousand times over." (371). This marks a point in life where Amirs true morals come out. He is demontrating his true remorse and despite his background, he has put everything to saving Sohrab. -
ECR
Amir is experiencing some type of panic attack at the hopsital and comes to the realization of what he needs to do. Amir therew his prayer rug on the floor and "got on (his) knees, lowered (his) forehead to the ground, (his) tears soaking through the sheet. (He) bowed to the west. Then (he) remembered he hasnt't prayed for over fifteen years." (345). Amir is having a break through at the hopital. Sohrab has huge impact on Amir, continued on another event -
ECR PART 2
by making him worry so much. Amir turns to the only thing he can think of, praying; which he hasn't done in years. As he is praying, he comes to the realization that "Baba was wrong, there is a God, there always has beem. I see him here, in the eyes of the people in this corridor of desperation." (pg346). Amir is starting to develop his own morals and beliefs instead of basing them off of Baba's. This shows the growth of Amir's character. -
Obama's promise
President Obama announced in 2009, "his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops. He vowed to start bringing American forces home from Afghanistan in the middle of 2011," pg 3 -
2014
American forces planned to hand over responsibility to Afghanistan in 2014 and have "adknowledged that the 2014 date was based on the presumtion that the American military would be succesfull enouugh in fighting the Taliban." pf 4 -
Northern Alliance
This marked some of the most dangerous times for Kabul. Rahim Khan explains, "when the Northern Alliance took over Kabul between 1992 and 1996, different factions claimed different parts of Kabul." (199). During this time you "practically needed a visa to go from one neighboorhood to the other." This time period was extremely violent and enforced strict laws to the people of Afghanistan. Amir was unaware of this time until Rahim Khan explained to him.