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History of Kite runner
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Baba is born
In 1933, the same year Zahir Shah started his reign"Baba was born"(Hosseini 24). At this time, Baba is born at a peaceful time into a wealthy family. This is significant because he helps Amir go through his life and he is one of the reasons he loves flying kites. -
Hassan is born
In the servant's quarters,"Hassan [is] born in the winter of 1964"(Hosseini 6). In this moment, Hassan is born in the small shack in the back of Baba's home where his family lives. This event is significant because Hassan becomes the main reason for why Amir goes through his journey of life. -
Hassan finishes his plastic surgery
After Rahim Khan told Amir what happened to Hassan, Amir reminisces about "that day in 1974... just after Hassan's harelip surgery"(Hosseini 219). At this time, Amir is thinking about how he spent time with Hassan after his surgery. This is important because it
allows Hassan to feel less different than everyone else. -
Assef rapes Hassan
Hassan gets trapped in an alley by Assef and his gang when Assef "put his hands on Hassan's hips and lifted his bare buttocks [and] kept one hand on Hassan's hips and lifted his bare buttocks" and raped him.(Hosseini 75).At this time, Amir is watching Hassan get raped by Assef instead of protecting him. This is significant because this is the event that breaks up the friendship of Amir and Hassan. -
Hassan runs for his last kite
When Amir looks back about this moment, he says that he "saw Hassan run a kite for the last time"(Hosseini 55) when he chased the kite that Amir cut down. At this moment, Amir is looking back on when Hassan ran for the kite that Amir cut down to win the contest. This is important because it shows how Hassan is loyal to Amir as a servant and a friend -
Amir wins the kite flying contest
Omar, the son of one of Baba' friends told Amir,"Congratulations"(Hosseini 68) on winning the kite contest. At this moment, an acquaintance of Amir is congratulating Amir for winning the prestigious contest. This event is significant because Amir knows that people will give him some recognition, especially baba which was his intention when he joined the contest. -
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History of Afghanistan
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Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
Afghanistan "has known little peace since the Soviet Union attacked in 1979" (The New York Times). -
Amir and Baba leave Afghanistan
While Amir and Baba are getting smuggled out of Afghanistan, a russian soldier tries to take a women out of the truck as a price to get out of Afghanistan but Baba says that he'll "take a thousand bullets before [he] lets this indecency take place"(Hosseini 116). Baba is willing to possibly give up his life to save an innocent women.This is significant because even though Baba has lost most of his power, he still could save an innocent person from death. -
Amir graduates from high school
Amir talks about how he "graduated high school in 1983 at the age of twenty"(Hosseini 131). At this time Amir is thinking about pursuing his dream of becoming a writer. This is important because it gives Amir an idea about what he wants to do for the rest of his life -
Amir marries Soraya
Once the wedding began, "One of Soraya cousins... held a koran over [Soraya and Amir's] heads as they [inched] along "(Hosseini 170). Amir has now married the girl of his dreams and he is very excited about it. This is significant because Amir has now achieved part of his dream and it gives hi even more of a reason to pursue his dream. -
Amir goes to Hazarajat to find Hassan
Amir talks about the "reasons [he] went to Hazarajat to find Hassan. The biggest one... was that [he] was lonely"(Hosseini 203) because all of his other relatives had been killed or escaped Afghanistan. In this moment, Amir talks about how he misses Hassan.This shows that even though he betrayed Hassan in his childhood, he still had feeling toward him -
Assef beats up Amir
Assef allows Amir to take Sohrab home if he can be him in a fight. he tells the guards that if Amir is the one who makes it out alive then they need to "let him pass"(Hosseini 287). Amir is having a fight for Sohrab's freedom and Amir feels that this is how he needs to atone for leaving Hassan in the alley alone. This is significant because it shows that Amir will risk losing his life to rescue Sohrab and atone for what he did to Amir. -
Amir publishes his first book
Amir's publisher Martin said that Amir "that [he] was going to be a published novelist"(Hosseini 182). Amir has just received word from his publisher Martin Greenwalt that he is now a author. This is significant because Amir has finally achieved his dream of becoming an american writer. -
Soviet Union troops leave Afghanistan
The war between Afghanistan and the Soviet Union ended when "The last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989" (The New York Times) -
Sanubar gives birth to Hassan's son
Amir talks about how "it was Sanubar who delivered Hassan's son that winter of 1990"(Hosseini 211). In this moment, Sanubar has just given Hassan his own child. This shows how Sanubar still really cares for Hassan and that there is still a bond between them. -
Sanubar comes back to Hassan
When a beaten up women tells Hassan that she is Sanubar,
Amir thinks about how "none of them had seen Sanubar since she eloped with a band of singers and dancers in 1964"(Hosseini 210).At this moment, Sanubar has comeback to see Hassan and see his face even though she left him. This is important because it shows that Sanubar is trying to atone for her sins of leaving Hassan at an early age. -
Pakistan give weapons and other supplies to the taliban
As early as 1994, "Pakistan intelligence officers began funneling arms, money, and supplies to Mullah Omar's[ leader of the Taliban] men" (The New York Times). -
Mullah Omar(future leader of the Taliban)has 12,000 followers
While the Soviet Union was leaving in "1994, Mullah Omar had about 12,000 followers"(New York Times). -
Taliban takes over Afghanistan
With the help of Pakistani, "the Taliban by 1996 had taken control of Afghanistan"(The New York Times). -
America deploys troops in Afghanistan
One that has helped Afghanistan is that the "The United States has been military involved in Afghanistan since 2001, when it led an invasion after the sept. 11 attacks by Al Qaeda"(The New York Times) -
Taliban forces are driven out of afghanistan
The United States, along with Afghanistan rebel started "An air and ground campaign...that drove the Taliban out of Major Afghan cities"(The New York Times). -
Taliban and Al Qaeda retreat to the borders of Afghanistan
The remaining "Al Qaeda and Taliban leadership retreated to Tora Bora in the mountains along the Pakistan border"(The New York Times). -
The Tailiban returns
Even thought the U.S. drove the Taliban out of most of Afghanistan,"The Taliban regrouped and began to extend its influence in the southern part of Afghanistan"(The New York Times). -
Sohrab flies his first kite
"His hand lifted from his pocket. [He] hesitated.[but he] took the string"(Hosseini 36). At this moment, Amir tries to teach Sohrab how to fly a kite, which was one of Amir's favorite things he did as a kid. This is important because Amir is finally atoning for the sins he committed as a child by taking care of Hassan's son. -
Hamid Karzai becomes the leader of Afghanistan
After the U.S drives the Taliban out of Afghanistan "Hamid Karzai...was named chairman of an interim government. ...He...was elected for a five year term as president in 2004" (The New York Times).
