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Hassan Is Born
Hassan was born to his mother Sanaubar "in that little shack, that [he] was born in the winter of 1964" (Hosseini, 6). This event is significant because Hassan is the person that causes Amir to spend his entire life feeling guilt for what he did to him. When Hassan was violated, and Amir witnessed it and did not stop it, it causes Amir to question his ethics, values, and morals for the rest of his life. -
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Major Events in Afghanistan
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Sanaubar Leaves the Family
A week after Hassan was born, his mother Sanaubar left the family and "ran off with a clan of traveling singers and dancers" (Hosseini, 6). This event illustrates the way that Sanaubar and Ali never truly loved each other. It also causes Hassan to feel upset that he never had a mother and causes him to be taunted for having an unscrupulous mother. -
Hassan's First Words
Hassan and Amir have been together since day one and "under the same roof, [they spoke [their] first words. [Amir's] was Baba. [Hassan's] was Amir" (Hosseini, 11). This event is symbolic in the way that it shows how Hassan will remain loyal to Amir for his entire lifetime. No matter what Amir does, Hassan will always stay by his side, which is illustrated in just his first word. -
Baba Builds An Orphanage
Baba decided to build an orphanage and despite having no architectural experience and despite having others telling him not to, he drew the blueprints himself and "personally funded the entire project" (Hosseini, 13). Baba's actions demonstrate his generosity and stubbornness. His high socioeconomic status is also demonstrated because he has enough money and people who support him and his power to build an orphanage -
Ali is Teased by Neighborhood Children
Ali's leg was crippled from polio and he also had a congenital paralysis of his lower face muscles, resulting in kids who "chased him on the street, and mocked him when he hobbled by" (Hosseini, 8). This demonstrates the way that Ali was strong and had to be resilient as he was often made fun of for his unusual looks. Due to having polio, ali not only had to deal with being taunted, but also with having difficulties and disadvantages through out the war. -
Amir and Hassan Win the Kite Fighting Tournament
Amir and Hassan knocked down the last kite and won the tournament when Amir saw Baba cheering "and that right there was the single greatest moment in [his] twelve years of life, seeing Baba on that roof, proud of [him] at last" (Hosseini, 66). This event in the novel is significant because it shows the moment that Amir thinks his troubles will be over with Baba proud of him at last. However, in reality is the moment before his life is forever changed because of his actions. -
Hassan is Violated
When Hassan is about to be violated, it is clear to Amir that he should help his friend. He knows that he can "step into that alley, stand up for Hassan-the way he'd stood up for [Amir] all those times in the past-and accept whatever would happen to [him]. Or [he] could run. In the end, [he] ran" (Hosseini, 77). This event is symbolic in showing how the relationship between Hassan's great morals and Amir's lack caused many problems. Amir could never forgivehimselfforhisactionsb/cofHassan'smorals -
The Soviet Invasion
"Afghanistan was a stable, relatively prosporous and relaticely secular country"(The New York Times, 2) until the Soviet invasion when troops invaded Afghanistan and stayed there for ten years. -
Baba Almost Takes A Bullet
When standing up for a woman who is about to be sexually violated, Baba says "Tell him I'll take a thousand of his bullets before I'll let this indecency take place" (Hosseini, 116). Baba's actions demonstrate that he is selfless and heroic. It is also shown that Baba has strong ethics, values, and morals, and will sacrifice himself for them. -
Baba and Amir Arrive In America
Baba and Amir fleed Afghanistan and started a new life in Fremont where the "smog stung [Baba's] eyes, the traffic noise gave him headaches, and the pollen made him cough" (Hosseini, 126). This symbolizes the way that the move to America causes Baba to change. He experiences a major shift in socioeconomic status, and it can be interpreted through this quotation that Baba has to work really hard and begins to age after the move. -
Baba Spends Life Savings On Amir's Wedding
When Amir marries Soraya Taheri, Baba spends "nearly the balance of his life savings, on the awroussi, the wedding ceremony" (Hosseini, 168). This event demonstrates Baba's kind heart and generosity, especially because Baba and Amir have moved to America, and are now much poorer. It is also reflected through this event that Baba and Amir have a healthy and loving relationship, unlike they did while Amir was a child. -
Baba Passes Away
At Baba's funeral, Amir listens to things others had to say that defined Baba as a person such as "'helped me build a house in Taimani,' 'bless him,' 'no one else to turn to and he lent me'" (Hosseini, 174). This moment is impactful because Amir reflects on who he is and realizes how deeply his life and his choices had been influenced by Baba. This event also marks Amir's growing up because he no longer has Baba to lead the way and has to make his own choices in his life. -
Soviet Troops Leave
In February of 1989, the Soviet troops "left behind a country that was not only devastated by war but that had become a beacon to Islamic extremists from across the globe who had come to assist in the fighting" (The New York Times, 2). -
Sohrab Is Born
Hassan's wife Farzana gives birth to their son and "they [name] him Sohrab, after Hassan's favorite hero from the Shahnamah" (Hosseini, 211). This event is important because Sohrab is the way that Amir can finally atone for his actions after endless years of guilt. Sohrab also restores happiness into the marriage of Amir and Soraya. -
Amir and Soraya Can't Have a Child
After a year of trying to have a child, Amir and Soraya visited a doctor who "couldn't explain why [they] couldn't have kids" (Hosseini, 185). This event in the novel is the beginning of a new phase of the relationship between Amir and Soraya. Because they cannot have a child, their marriage grows boring and depressing, as if something is missing in their lives. -
Power Divide
During the summer of 1994 there was competition for power as it was "anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual firedoms" (NYT, 2). -
Mullah Omar Power
Mullah Omar, a man who organized a group of men who had raped a girl and shaved her head "had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east" (NYT, 2) by the end of 1994. -
Taliban Takeover
By 1996, a group called the Taliban who wants to purify the country by "imposing strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law, banning movies and music and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqa clothing" (NYT, 3) has taken over Afghanistan. -
Hassan Sacrifices His Life Out Of Loyalty
Hassan took responsibility in watching over Amir and Baba's old house, however because of his race the Taliban wanted him to leave the house. Out of loyalty, Hassan refused, and the Talib officials "'shot him in the back of the head'" (Hosseini, 219), as Rahim Khan states. Looking back on Amir's first words, the way that Hassan passes away is symbolic to the life long loyalty Hassan had to Amir. It also turns Amir's life around by influencing his decision to save Sohrab -
9/11 Attack
The Taliban made an "attack on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001" (NYT, 3). -
Karzai Takes Over
The former king of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai "was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban" (NYT, 3). -
Amir and Soraya Adopt Sohrab
Amir and Soraya adopt Sohrab and take him kite flying. As Amir runs Sohrab's kite he says, as Hassan used to say to him, "'For you, a thousand times over'" (Hosseini, 371). Amir and Soraya's undertaking of Sohrab gives them the child they always wanted and makes their marriage happier. Amir can finally atone for his actions almost thirty years ago by showing loyalty to Hassan, and being a great father to Sohrab, as Hassan had always wished for Sohrab to have in life. -
Karzai Elected
Karzai was first elected as "interim president in June 2002" (NYT, 3). -
Karzai Becomes President
In hopes "to secure peace for Afghanistan and win the country much-needed international aid" (NYT, 3), Karzai was elected as president for a five-year term in 2004. -
Obama's Plan
On December 1, 2009, President Barack Obama stated in a speech, "his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (NYT, 4).