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The first gunfire Amir and Hassan heard
As Amir recalled, "I remembered gunfire and the sky lighting up silver--Ali had taken me and Hassan in his arms, told us not to be afraid, that they were just shooting ducks." (365). This was important becasue it was the first time that Hassan and Amir heard gunfire, and from Ali's actions, we can say that it was a scary occurance. Espcially if Amir was still talking about it with people he met in the market place. -
Amir's Flashback
According to Amir, "I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975." (1). This is important because, for Amir, this moment in time changed him. Life changing moments are significant for people and come at any time, and for Amir, it came in the winter of 1975. -
Amir turns 13
Amir, "turned thirteen that summer of 1976, Afghanistan's next to last summer of peace and anonymity." (93). Just as Amir turns 13, big changes are about to occur in his life. As this quote describes, Afghanistan is going to begin is power shift from the Russians to the Taliban which is significant because it means that Amir and Baba's lifes are going to drastically change. -
Soviet Union invade Afghanistan
Afghanistan has, "known little peace since, 1979, when the Soviet Union invaded" according to the New York Times (nyt.com) -
Initial Invasion
Things turned for the worst in Afghanistan when, "The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979, to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become president in a coup within the Afghan Communist leadership." according to a New York Times article (nyt.com) -
Amir and Baba's escape
When Amir and Baba were traveling to Jalalabad, Amir's, "innards had been rolling since we'd left Kabul just after two in the morning." (110). Despite this, Amir and Baba were taking the long and risky trip to Pakistan. This is significant becasue Amir and Baba were willing to leave all of their wealth behind for a new, safer, less wealthy life. -
Amir Graduates from High School
About one year into their new life in the US Amir, "graduated from high school at the age of twenty , by far the oldest senior tossing his mortarboard on the football field that day." (131). Although Baba was still struggling getting accustumed to America because of the new costums and language barrier, while Amir was already in the swing of things. He has graduated from high school, and ready to move on to a junior college -
Summer 1984; Amir Turns 21
Amir and Baba have been in America for at least three years by now. This is the summer that Amir turns 21. Recently, they, "bought a dilapidated '71 Volkswagen bus for $550 fron an old Afghan acquainteance who'd been a high-school science teacher in Kabul." (137). With the bus, Amir and Baba went all over the Bay Area and bought used items to sell at the flee-shop. Not only did they gain money from it, but they also enjoyed it, and continued to ease their transition into America -
Baba gets cancer
Once Baba contracted cancer, it still, "couldn't keep Baba from the flea market. We made our garage sale treks on Saturdays, Baba the driver and me the navigator, and set up our display on Sundays." (157). Despite the bad news of Baba's cancer, he is still active and procedes doing his normal daily activities. This is important because he still continues the good relationship between him and Amir, despite his cancer. -
Soviet Air Force rendered useless by rebels
With the rebels countinuing their success, "the Soviet Air Force was also rendered largely useless by advanced Stinger antiaircraft missiles supplied by the United States..." (nyt.com). -
Amir's First Novel
About half a year before the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, Amir had completed his first book. He said, "I finished my first novel, a father-son story set in Kabul..." (182). This was Amir's first of many novels that he was going to write. -
Soviet troops exit Afghanistan
With the fighting coming to an end, "...after peace talks moderated by the United Nations, the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989, in what was a unilateral withdrawal." (nyt.com). -
Amir's novel released
Amir said, "The novel was released in the summer of that following year, 1989, and the publisher sent me on a five-city book tour." (183) As shown by the quote, Amir's life in America is beginning right as the Soviets begin to pull out of Afghanistan -
Russia completely pulls out of Afghanistan in book
According to The Kite Runner, "That was the year that the Shorawi completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan." (183). This was occuring during the time when Amir released his first book, and was calling America home. -
Amir and Soraya see a doctor
Since Amir and Soraya couldn't have a baby, "Soraya broke the news to her parents the weekend after our last visit with Dr. Rosen." This was an important time in the lifes of the couple, it goes from happy with Amir's new book to sad becasue of their infertility. The signifcance of this event is shown throughout book and leads to the implications with Sohrab and Soraya's parents. -
Afghanistan is up for grabs
After the Soviet Union troops left, "power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual feifdoms." (nyt.com). Once the Soviets exited, the country was left up for grabs for whoever had the most militaristic power. -
Mullah Omar gains a following
Just beginning to form the Taliban, "...Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east." (nyt.com) -
Rahim Kahn's quest
Upon arrival at Rahim Kahn's, Amir was revealed a lot of information about his childhood and Rahim Kahn gives him a request, to save Hassan's child, Sohrab. Rahim Kahn said, "What I'm asking from you is to grant an old man his dying wish." (221). This is significant becasue Rahim Kahn requested to put Amir's safe and secure life on hold to attempt to save Sohrab in dangerous conditions. Rahim Kahn also coined it as his dying wish, which meant it was very important to him. -
Rahim Kahn's phone call
The news of Rahim Kahn's sickness was something that hit Amir hard. He said, "Rahim Kahn is very sick'. A fist clenched inside me with those words." Despite Amir's happy life in SF, he is willing to go to Rahim Kahn for a visit in Pakistan. The interesting becasue Rahim Kahn didn't spend a whole lot of time with Amir when he was a kid, but Rahim Kahn had a lot of influence over Amir, and that is why Amir is willing to put his life on hold and go to Pakistan. -
Amir and Sohrab arrive at the airport
Once Amir and Sorayas' eyes met she, "locked her arms around my neck, when I smelled appples in her hair, I realized how much I had missed her." (357). Amir and Soraya are obviously delighted to see each other after being separated from one another for a long time. This is important because despite being away from each other, they still retain their strong emotional connection. -
New Years for Amir, Soraya and Sohrab
A little while after the Twin Towers came done, according to Amir, "a small, wondrous thing happened." (363). Somebody in town was offered a ministry position in Afghanistan and Amir and the family were happy to go celebrate the occasion and New Years. This is significant becasue this is the time that Afghanistan has an organized government in a while, so Amir is happy that his country is back. -
Sohrab's first smile
As Amir remembers, "I looked down at Sohrab. Once corner of his mouth had curled up just so. A smile. Lopsided. Hardly there. But there." (371). This was one of the most powerful moments of the book. A kid, who has been tortured, raped and living under the worst decisions with the nightmares of parents being executed in his dreams, is able to smile, to the sight of laughter and kites, and for these reasons this was a significant event. -
Obama assigns a commander
Obama assigned General Petraeus, "with the responsibility for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and across the region." (nyt.com) -
Obama announces more troops
Obama made a speech about how he was going to, "...deploy 30,000 additional troops." to Afghanistan (nyt.com). -
Obama takes out Gen. McChrystal
In June of 2010, "Obama removed Gen. McChrystal after contemptuous quotes from the general and his staff about senior adminstration officials appeared in a Rolling Stones magazine." (nyt.com) -
Obama's promise
Obama vowes to bring American troops home from Iraq becasue, "the United States could not afford and should not have to shoulder an open ended commitment." (nyt.com).