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Amir is Born
Amir tells us that, " While my mother hemorrhaged to death during childbirth, Hassan lost his less than a week after he was born. Lost her to a fate most Afghans considered far worse than death: She ran off with a clan of traveling singers and dancers"(7). This a copmlex quote because it has contradicting sides, on one side, Amir envies Hassan for having a mother. On the other, he feels pity for him because he was abandoned. -
Hassan is Born
Amir explains that ,"It was in that small shack that Hassan’s mother, Sanaubar, gave birth to him one
cold winter day in 1964"(6). This is a powerful quote, because it illustrates the humbleness of Hassan's family. Even though they lived right next to a mansion, they chose to have Sanaubar's childbearing done in their little shack. -
Hassan's Operation
When Amir thinks of Hassan's surgery, he writes that, " Hassan’s upper lip was a grotesque mesh of swollen, raw tissue. I
expected Hassan to cry with horror when the nurse handed him the mirror. Ali held his hand as Hassan took a long, thoughtful look into it. He muttered something I didn’t understand. I put my ear to his mouth. He whispered it again.This shows Hassan's extraordinary bravery and courage. It also shows his loyalty. -
Hassan is raped
When Assef's friend have doubts about the morality of raping Hassan, Assef tells them that, "“ there’s nothing sinful about
teaching a lesson to a disrespectful donkey”(40). This helps understand the Hitler-like delusionment of Assef. We understand the full evil of Assef here. -
Pomegranate Incident
When Amir recalls the incident with Hassan involving the pomegranates, he writes, “Hit me back!” I snapped. Hassan looked from the stain on his chest to me. “Get up! Hit me!” I said. Hassan did get up, but he just stood there, looking
dazed like a man dragged into the ocean by a riptide when, just a moment ago, he was enjoying a nice stroll on the beach"(42). This quote explains Hassan's innocence at first. But, as we know he then takes advantage of Amir's weakness. -
Amir's 13th Birthday
When Amir remembers his birthday, he writes that, "Baba’s motto about throwing parties was this: Invite the whole world or it’s not
a party"(38). This partly shows Amir's dissapointment in this belief of Baba's. It also reveals a socioeconomic aspect of Baba. -
People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan seizes power from the monarchial governmment
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Russian Invasion of Afghanistan
"The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979 to Babrak Karmal, who had become president in a coup within the Afghan Communist leadership. -
Amir and Baba leave Kabul
When Amir thinks about his home as he leaves, he says, "[i]n the morning, Jalaluddin--our seventh servant in five years--would probably think we’d gone out for a stroll or a drive. We hadn’t told him. You couldn’t trust anyone in Kabul any more--for a fee or under threat, people told on each other, neighbor on neighbor, child on parent, brother on brother, servant on master, friend on friend"(37). This shows Amir's growing dislike for his homeland. It also reveals BABA's reasons for leaving. -
Amir meets Soraya
The night after Amir meets Soraya he says, " I thought of Soraya Taheri’s sickle-shaped birthmark, her gently hooked nose, and the way her luminous eyes had fleetingly
held mine. My heart stuttered at the thought of her. Soraya Taheri. My Swap Meet Princess"(60). In this quote, we truly understand the love at first site situation of Amir and Soraya. It is quite the storybook love tale. -
Soraya and Amir are Married
When Amir recalls his wedding, he says, "I remember sitting on the sofa, set on the stage like a throne... We did Ayena Masshaf, where they gave us a mirror and threw a veil over our heads, so we’d be alone to gaze at each other’s reflection. Looking at Soraya’s smiling face in that mirror, in the momentary privacy of the veil, I whispered to her for the first time that I loved her.(80).First, the detail of memory reveals it's importance of the event. Second, he seems to be very happy. -
Baba Dies
Amir, thinking of Baba's death, dramatically paints the scene, "“I’ll come back with your morphine and a glass of water, Kaka jan,” Soraya said. “Not tonight,” he said. “There is no pain tonight.” “Okay,” she said. She pulled up his blanket. Weclosed the door. Baba never woke up"(94). This shows the power of Baba, even as an old man. Predicting one's own death is unnerving, but for Baba, knowing of his death was almost relaxing. -
Last Soviet Troops Leave Aghanistan
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Soraya is declared infertile
Amir writes that, " When the tests were over, he
explained that he couldn’t explain why we couldn’t have kids. And, apparently, that wasn’t so unusual. It was called “Unexplained Infertility""(108). From this we learn the solid information. Sadly enough, the couple cannot have children, and unexplainably. -
Amir enters Afghanistan
As Amir walks around his old home, he notes one of the changes, "The driveway extension that led from the gates to the yard, where Hassan and I took turns falling the summer we learned to ride a bike, didn’t look as wide or as long as I remembered it. The asphalt had split in a lightning-streak pattern, and more tangles of weed sprouted through the fissures"(126). This is just one of the many changes that Amir notices around his home. It is a sign of his dissapointment. -
Hassan Dies
Amir writes the dialogue between him and Rahim Khan, when Khan tells him about Hassan's death," So they took him to the street--”
“No,” I breathed.
“--and order him to kneel--”
“No. God, no.”
“--and shot him in the back of the head.”
“--Farzana came screaming and attacked them--”
“No.”
“--shot her too. Self-defense, they claimed later--”(129).
This quote reveals Khan's hate for the Taliban. More importantly, it reveals the love Amir has been building up for Hassan. -
Sohrab attempts Suicide
Amir, when describing the scene of the suicide, says, "A pair of small, bloody feet poke out from under the sheet and
I see that the big toenail on the left foot is chipped"(190). The detailed way in which Amir describes the scene, is a sign of the feelings that he has about Sohrab's suicide. He felt shock, and could only "write" by numbly describing what happened. -
Two Planes Crashed Into the World Trade Center
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American Operation Enduring Freedom Launched in Afghanistan
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Hamid Karzai is named chairman of interim government of Afghanistan
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Hamid Karzai named interim president
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Hamid Karzai begins 5 year term as president of Afghanistan
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Obama vows to deploy 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan
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Obama removes Gen McChrystal from Afghanistan for contemptuos quotes in a Rolling Stone article
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Ali and Hassan Leave
When Ali leaves he says, “Don’t make this even more difficult than it already is, Agha sahib,” Ali said. Then, Amir writes that, "His mouth twitched and, for a moment, I thought I saw a grimace. That was when I understood the depth of the pain I had caused, the blackness of the grief I had brought onto everyone, that not even Ali’s paralyzed face could mask his sorrow"(56). From this we see, the despair of Ali. The fact that he leaves his childhood friend for this explains the severity.