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K.R. Amir "Atones"
Having been consumed with the weight of knowing what happened to Hassan, Amir finally attempts to put things back the way they were. Amir had hurled a pomegranate at Hassan saying "Hit me back!" (Hosseini 92). Amir wished Hassan would give him punishment he wanted, but to his dismay Hassan had not helped out. Amir's first attempt of atoning for his actions had ended in a failiure. -
K.R. Assef and Hassan
This event caused the biggest impact in the book, making Amir what he is "today... on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975” (Hosseini 1). Amir seeing this act, caused guilt he would feel for years. Eventually the guilt caught up to him, seeing a chance to atone for his mistake. -
K.R. Ali and Hassan Leave
In Amir's second attempt to get rid of his guilt, he tries to get rid of Hassan. Amir tries to frame Hassan planting his "new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under" (Hosseini 104) Hassan's matress. This only gave Amir heavier guilt, for it had affected Baba more than he'd expected. Once again, Amir had failed to be complete again. -
Soviet Union Invades Afghanistan
It all started when "The first Sovitet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27,1979..." (The New York Times 2) -
K.R. Escaping Afghanistan
This chapter begins quickly stating that Amir and Baba too were leaving Kabul. When Amir was getting car sick he thought “as is you weren’t supposed to get sick when you were eighteen” (Hosseini 111). Interstingly this showed the quick passage of time from when Hassan and Ali had also left. The two families had left for different reasons though. -
K.R. SanFrancisco Move
Finally out of Kabul, Baba and Amir live in SanFrancisco. Amir “For two years, tried to get Baba to enroll in ESL classes to improve his broken English" (Hossenini 126). They both are rather fond of eachother, now being in the same position. In a different setting now, Baba and Amir can finally have a stronger bond. -
K.R. Amir's Gift
Beginning “The following summer, the summer of 1984... Baba sold his Buick and bought a dilapidated ’71 Volkswagen bus for $550 from an old Afghan acquaintance who’d been a high-school science teacher in Kabul.” (137). As Baba and Amir grow apart of the community, their bond strengthens. This is can be due to the setting of the flea market as well. -
K.R. Amir's Love:Soraya
Finally getting the opportunity to talk to the girl he's been admiring, Amir makes the move while the general is away from the stand. In a nervous attempt to start conversation with Soraya, Amir quickly asked "Can I asked what you're reading?" (Hosseini 146). This had set his fate for he had taken the leap. As Amir notices, if she answered, they would now be chatting. -
K.R. Baba's Passing
This year, Baba is told he has cancer. Instead of going through chemotherapy, Baba declines saying "it wouldn't change the outcome, just prolong it" (Hosseini 156). Amir saddened by this starts, but is interupted by Baba. Baba shows he too is frustrated by the news when he bursts. After Amir's wedding Babas dies. -
K.R. Amir Marries
Knowing of Baba's near death, Soraya's hand in marriage would have to be soon. Amir requests Baba to "ask Gerneral Taheri for his daughter's hand" (Hosseini 161). The General accepts and Amir and Soraya get married. -
U.S. Assists Rebels
In aim to assist the Afghanistani rebels, the U.S. supplied them with new weaponry, rendering the Soviet Air Force "largely useless by advanced Stinger antiaircraft missiles..." (New York Times 2) -
K.R. Amir's Book
A couple weeks after the publishing of Amir's book, he is asked to be represented. Amir thought "so much goodness in my life. So much happiness. I wondered whether I deserved any of it" (Hosseini 183). During his height, Amir was still reminded of the weight he carries on his shoulders. -
Soviets Withdraw
Through peace talks moderated by the United Nations, "the last Soviet troops left afghanistan in February 1989" (New York Times 2). -
K.R. Soraya's Baby
Amir and Soraya find out that the doctor "couldn't explain why they couldn't have children" (Hosseini 185). It was called "Unexplained Infertility." Adoption had been mentioned but not considered when the importance of "blood" was mentioned. -
New Groups Take Over Afghanistan
Although the Soviets "reign of terror" had ended, "by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms. But one group would eventually take over" (New York Times 2). -
Mullah Omar's Movement
Because the Pashtun, Mullah Omar had "promise of restoring the centrality of Islam to daily life, he created genuinely popular movement in a country weary of corruption and brutality" (New York Times 2). By then, he had about 12,000 follower and was rolling up warlors to the north and east. -
Talibans Rule Country
The Taliban group had taken over, but they "might have withered were it not for the intervention of Pakistan" (New York Times 3). From the aid of their neighbors to the east, the Taliban recieved money and supplies for Mullah Omar's men. -
Osama Bin Laden Arrives
After the terrorist attack in New York City, "The Taliban provided a safe haven for Mr. bin Laden, who arrived by chartered jet... and for Al Qaeda" (New York Times 3). -
K.R. Amir's Calling
Amir's "uncle" and Baba's old friend, Rahim Khan had called telling Amir "there is a way to be good again" (Hosseini 1). Rahim Khan was refering to the weight still carried by Amir. But little did Amir know this is not the only reason Rahim Khan wanted to meet with Amir. -
K.R. Rahim Khan's Task
Amir meets with Rahim Khan catching up on eachothers lives. Rahim Khan gets to the point and explains how Amir can "be good again" (Hosseini 2). Amir finds out that he had a nephew because of the reveal that Hassan was his half brother. After recovering from the info, Amir set off. -
K.R. Sohrab and Assef
Finally reaching Sohrab, Amir finds out Sohrab's owner was Assef. Having to fight Assef, Amir is badly injured until he is saved by Sohrab. They escape because, although Assef was a pyscothpath, he told the guards to "let him pass" (Hosseini 287) no matter what. -
Taliban Defeated; Karzai Takes Over
Before becoming interim preident, "In December 2001, Hamid Karzai... was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban..." (New York Times 3) -
K.R. Sohrab Smiles
With the struggle of Sohrab's depression, Amir finally makes his nephew smile. Amir "looked down at Sohrab. One corner of his mouth had curled up just so" (Hosseini 370). After introducing Sohrab to kite flying Amir might've finally found something for Sohrab. For Sohrab, Amir would do anything a thousand times over. -
Obama Responds To Afghanistan
Obama had given a speech for "his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (New York Times 4) into Afghanistan. Obama had "vowed to start bringing American forces home from Afghanistan..." (New York Times 4). -
Incorrect Presumptions
Although the U.S. administration "emphasize[d] the idea that the United States will have forces in the country till at least the end of 2014" (New York Times 4), they have yet to do so.