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Amir and Hassan are only a year apart, yet Hassan is the servant's son. The two grew up in the same home although Hassan resided in the slave's quarters. Because they lived together, Amir spent the "first twelve years of [his] life playing with Hassan." (25) The difference in social status prevented them from developing a real friendship. Hassan always considered Amir a friend, yet he did not reciprocate, constantly testing Hassan's loyalty; hence, their relationship can be described as one-way.
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As the boys are heading to their special tree, they are confronted by Assef and his two friends. Assef harasses Amir and Hassan. In self-defense, Hassan brings out his slingshot aiming it at Assef, stating that if he didn't leave them alone, he'd be known as One-Eyed Assef." (42) Because Hassan had threatened Assef, he was told that he would pay later. This quarrel signified a budding enmity between the two groups.
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Hassan runs the blue kite, and gets confronted again by Assef in an alley. Assef tells him to hand over the kite to pay for his actions last time. The loyal Hassan refuses, and Assef "flung himself at Hassan." (73) Assef proceeds to rape Hassan, all the while, Amir is around the corner letting it happen. Hassan promised Amir the kite, so he bore it as the price, proving his loyalty, whereas Amir disproved his loyalty, demonstrating the imbalance in their "friendship."
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Amir and Hassan enter a kite fighting contest with many participants in hopes of winning. The pair are left facing a single blue kite, yet the boys' kite cuts it and leaves the "blue kite spinning wildly." (66) Amir had been hoping to win this contest as a way to make his father proud. After he won, in keeping with the festivities, Hassan, a skilled kite runner, promises to bring Amir back the losing kite, a trophy to present to Baba.
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After Amir failed to help Hassan, their bond deteriorates and Amir treats Hassan coldly. He proceeds to plant his "new watch and a handful of Afghani Bills under [Hassan's bed]." (104) This action intended to frame Hassan, and have Baba discharge Hassan. Amir cannot bear the guilt, and he believes the way to alleviate it is to rid himself of Hassan, demonstrating the power guilt can have over an individual.
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After Hassan's framing and Baba's forgiveness, Ali announces that they are leaving because "life [there] is impossible for [them] now." (106) Ali figures it is best to leave because he knows about the events that transpired between Hassan and Amir. Given the circumstance, Amir assumes the guilt will disperse, yet when he watches them drive away, he feels more remorse. This event demonstrates that problems cannot be solved when one refuses to face them.
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The origin of extremism in surrounding Afghanistan "can be traced to the 1979 invasion by the Soviet Union" (NYT)
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When Kabul became unsafe, Baba and Amir left with other passengers for "the relative safety of Pakistan." (111) This event marks a significant change in the pair's lives. They left their wealthy life in Kabul in order to ensure safety for themselves in the war-ridden country.
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In the 1980's, the two moved to America where they lived in a small complex where Amir graduates and they sell items at a flea market for extra money. At the flea market, Amir met soraya, and he asked Baba "to go khastegari... to ask General Taheri for his daughter's hand." (161) America was a place of growth for Amir. There were fewer standards since their departure, and hence he was able to accomplish more, demonstrating the opportunity and heroism of America.
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The Soviet troops had remained in Afghanistan for nine years, and in 1989, "after peace talks moderated by the United Nations, the last Soviet troops left." (NYT)
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Baba had been diagnosed with cancer. He took morphine in the nights until one night when he said "there is no pain tonight." (173) The following morning, Baba did not wake up. Baba's death signified a huge change in Amir's life. There was no one left to take care of him, to guide him. This he would have to manage on his own. His funeral brought many past acquaintances, all saddened by his passing, for he had touch them each in some way.
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The Taliban's purpose was to purify the country, and to "[restore] the centrality of Islam to daily life" (NYT), and "by the end of 1994 Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east" (NYT)
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Aid from Pakistan helped keep the Taliban alive, and in 1994, "Pakistani intelligence officers began funneling arms, money and supplies to Mullah Omar's men." (NYT)
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Following the departing of the Soviet troops, "power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms." (NYT)
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As the Taliban took over Afghanistan, they began to impose "strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law, banning movies and music and forcing women out of schools." (NYT)
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The Taliban became a "haven for Mr. bin Laden... and for Al Qaeda." (NYT) which is said to have persuaded "Mullah Omar to order the destruction of the 800-year-old Buddha statues at Bamiyan." (NYT)
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On Sep. 11, 2001, the World Trade Center was attacked, and the Taliban was told to "hand over Mr. bin Laden," (NYT) to which they refused. As a result the "United States joined forces with rebel groups that had never accepted Taliban rule... [and] an air campaign began that drove the Taliban out if the major Afghan cities by the end of the year." (NYT)
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Amir receives a call from an old friend, Rahim Khan. Amir is compelled to go to Pakistan, for "Rahim Khan is very sick." (191) Returning to Afghanistan is a daunting feat, mostly because of the memories surrounding it. Not only do personal reasons complicate the situation, but the state the country is in influences him as well. When Rahim Khan calls Amir to visit him, he is also alluding him to close some unfinished business.
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In Pakistan, Rahim Khan explains that he brought Hassan back for company. He brought his wife too, and they eventually had a surviving child, Sohrab. The two were killed and he asks Amir "to go to Kabul... to bring Sohrab [there]" (220) A little boy was not worth the risky trip. When Amir figures out he and Hassan are brothers, the mission becomes personal, a way to atone, demonstrating the power of guilt
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Amir searches for Sohrab, and he is not in the orphanage, he had been taken by a Talib official. The official turns out to be Assef, and he has Sohrab with his head "shaved, his eyes darkened with mascara, and his cheeks... an unnatural red." (279) Sohrab has been put into a similar position as his father had been in, by the same person as well. Both knew they cannot fight it, and did as they must to stay alive.
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In order to rescue Sohrab, Assef proposes a fight. After a while of fierce combat, Sohrab demands they stop, with a loaded slingshot aimed at Assef's eye. When Assef lunged, "the slingshot made a thwiiiiit sound when Sohrab released the cup." (291) Sohrab carried out Hassan's threat to Assef, which was sue long ago. He aimed the slingshot at Assef's eye, which was replaced with the brass ball. He then became "One-Eyed Assef"
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When Amir was released, he planned to adopt Sohrab upon finding out there is no American couple. He promises not to put him back in an orphanage, until the adoption faces complications and it is reconsidered. Sohrab refuses to go and Amir sees "the left arm dangling over the side of the tub, the bloodsoaked razor sitting on the toilet tank." (347,348) Sohrab's experiences in the orphanage were traumatizing. He disliked it to the extent where he'd rather die then go back into one.
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After Sohrab was discharged, he detached from everybody until a kite fight began during the Afghan New Year celebration. Sohrab and Amir cut the last kite, everyone cheered, and when Amir looked to Sohrab, "one corner of his mouth had curled up just so." (370) Amir had flown kites with Hassan, and Hassan with Sohrab, demonstrating a connection between them. A game which they all loved, bonding them together, bringing them closer. In it, they are finally able to connect through common interests.
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In 2002, Hamid Karzai was named interim president, but in 2004, he was "elected to a five-year term as president." (NYT)
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After many consultations, Obama announces in a speech that he plans to "deploy 30,000 additional troops." (NYT)
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Once again, Obama changes his stance back to getting involved, and he states that "the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014." (NYT)
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Two years later, in 2011, Obama said that "the United States could not afford and should not have to shoulder an open-ended commitment." (NYT)