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Hassan's Birth
Hassan's mother Sanaubar, gave birth to Hassan on "one cold winter day in 1964. While my mother hemorrhaged to death during childbirth, Hassan lost his less than a week after he was born" (Hosseini, 6). Hassan and Amir experience similar losses, which helps form their relationship. Hassan and Amir's similarities begin with the loss of their mothers, forming a relationship in which they can understand each other. -
Baba decides to build an orphanage
Amir hears the story of Baba building an orphanage "through Rahim Khan. He told me Baba had drawn the blueprints himself despite the fact that he'd had no architectural experience... Baba had personally funded the entire project" (Hosseini, 13). What this shows is how Baba tries to do great feats by giving back to his community and the world. This allowed for a method for Baba to atone for his sins of lying to Amir about Amir's life. -
Amir's life drastically changes
Amir remembers in the past in the winter of 1975 when he "remeber[ed] the precise moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley... I've learned, about how you can bury it[the past]. Because the past claws its way out" (Hosseini, 1). As a result of the events that occurred in the winter of 1975, Amir feels guilt as his sins from the past have come to haunt him. However, instead of trying to atone for these sins, Amir tries to handle his guilt through forgetting. -
Amir tries to get Hassan to hurt him in order to atone
After Amir was worn out after throwing multiple pomegranates at Hassan, "Hassan did pick up a pomegranate.... He opoened it and crushed it against his own forehead" (Hosseini, 93). While Amir tried to get Hassan to get back at him, Hassan stays loyal to Amir and squeezes a pomegranate over his head, thinking it will make Amir feel better. Although Amir tried to alleviate the guilt for his sins, Hassan's loyalty by not hurting Amir prevents Amir from compensating for his sins. -
Russian tanks invade Afghanistan
Amir explains how "in December 1979...Russian tanks would roll into the very same streets where Hassan and I played, bringing the death of the Afghanistan I knew" (Hosseini, 36). This means that Amir has the choice to either flee Afghanistan or deal with the terror the Russians bring with it. Furthermore, either decision would make a major change in Amir's lifestyle, having to struggle to survive either way. -
Beginning of Afghanistan's Struggle for Peace
The United States realizes that "Afghanistan...has known little peace since 1979", therefore Afghanistan is now "the central military struggle for the United States... to help a weak and corrupt government tame a stubborn insurgency" (The New York Times, 1). The struggle began when "The first Soviet troops parachuteed into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979" (The New York Times, 2). -
Amir and Baba try to escape Afghanistan
In the Kite Runner, trouble occurs with Baba, Amir, and others escaping when "The Russian soldier's grin never faltered...clicked the safety on the gun. Pointed the barrel to Baba's chest" (Hosseini, 116). Due to the Soviets invading Afghanistan, Baba and Amir decide to flee and escape to the United States, in order to avoid the chaos and hard life. However, running into trouble with the Soviets may be inevitable, as they possess greater rule and power through their advanced technology. -
Baba outrages for the differences in lifestyles
When Baba had no cash to pay for oranges he said, "He wants to see my license... Almost two years we've bought his damn fruits and put money in his pocket" (Hosseini, 127). while Amir says, "They're supposed to ask for an ID" (Hosseini, 127). Due to the fact that Amir and Baba have moved to America, they must adapt to new lifestyles, even if it must be a change in what they normally did. Furthermore, Baba has a harder time adapting because he is used to his old customs and status back in Kabul. -
United States Begins to Aid Afghanistan
The United States came to help this cause by getting the "Soviet Air Force...rendered largely useless" through supplying "advanced Stinger antiaircraft missiles" (The New York Times, 2). -
United Nations Peace Talk
The United Nations regulated peace talk among the Soviet union and Afghanistan and its allies which caused "the last Soviet troops... [to leave] Afghanistan in February 1989" (The New York Times, 2). -
Afghanistan's Great Strife
Upon the departure of the Soviet troops, "by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically diveded among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" (The New York Times, 2). -
Mullah Omar takes agressive action
In an ethnic group in Afghanistan called the Pashtun, a man named Mullah Omar "attacked a group of warlords" and obtained "nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east" (The New York Times, 2). -
Taliban's Rise of Power
The Tabilan extremist group came to power in Afghanistan "in 1996 after years of civil war" (The New York Times, 1). -
Mr. Bin Laden joins the Taliban
Mr. Bin Laden and Al Qaeda are accepted by the Taliban "in May 1996" along with the help from Mullah Omar in order to "[destroy] the 800-year-old Buddha statues at Bamiyan" (The New York Times, 3). -
Taliban Come to Control
The Taliban group takes control of Afghanistan through "Pakistani aid" and "[imposing] strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law" (The New York Times, 3). -
Amir writes his first novel
Amir's talent of writing shows when he publishes his first novel and "A month later, Martin called and informed me I was going to be a published novelist" (Hosseini, 183). Even though in the past, Baba disliked Amir's love for literature unlike the rest of the neighborhood boys, Amir's talent brings him the beginning of his wealth and popularity. Furthermore, Amir would have impressed Baba, even though Baba previously was unenthusiastic about Amir's decision to be a writer. -
Rahim Khan wants Amir to atone
After Rahim Khan tells Amir about Sohrab, Amir "told him I was going to Kabul" (Hosseini, 227). At first Amir didn't want to rescue Sohrab because of Rahim Khan explaining how Baba had deceived Amir and Hassan about their lives. However, Amir decides he must rescue Sohrab, in order to atone for his and Baba's sins. -
Assef beats up Amir
Although Amir is physically and brutally getting beat by Assef, Amir feels "healed. Healed at last. I laughed" (Hosseini, 289). Although Amir took many physical injuries from Assef, mentally, he feels the guilt going away. By taking a beating from Assef, Amir steps into Hassan's shoes, a method of atoning for his and Baba's sins. -
Rahim Khan's letter to Amir
Rahim Khan writes to Amir, saying how "real good, was born out of your father's remorse. Sometimes, I think everything he did, feeding the poor on streets....it was all his way of redeeming himself" (Hosseini, 302). Rahim Khan tells of how Baba tried to atone for his sins and wants Amir to atone for Baba's sins as well as his own. By saving Sohrab, Rahim Khan acknowledges that Amir has done what is necessary to atone, rescuing the last memory of Hassan, who was lied to by both Amir and Baba. -
Sohrab and Amir bond
After Sohrab runs away from Amir, Amir consoles Sohrab and Sohrab "let me draw him to me...Now, as the boy's pain soaked through my shirt, I saw a kinship had taken root between us...in that room with Assef had irrevocably bound us" (Hosseini, 320). As a result of Amir's encounter with Assef, Amir and Sohrab became closer, as Sohrab stands up for Amir, similar to Hassan's actions in the past. Similar to Amir and Hassan feeding from the same breast, Amir and Sohrab stand up Hassan. -
Amir reveals his secrets to Soraya
As Amir calls from Pakistan, he "did what [he] hadn't done in fifteen years of marriage: [he] told [his] wife everything. Everything." (Hosseini, 325). Due to Amir saving Sohrab, Amir decides its time to completely atone, by letting out the truth to Soraya. Futhermore, Amir develops courage and stands up for himself and his family. -
United States' Beginning Agression
The United States "has been militarily involved in Afghanistan since 2001, when it led an invasion after the Sept. 11 attacks by Al Qaeda"(The New York Times, 1). -
President George W. Bush leads a successful attack on the Taliban
Following the attack of 9/11, "President George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. bin Laden" as the Taliban refused to do so, the United States began "An air and ground campaign" which "drove the Taliban out of the major Afghan cities by the end of the year" (The New York Times, 3). -
Amir compares Sohrab to 9/11
Amir remembers how "While Sohrab was silent, the world was not" (Hosseini, 362). As a result of trying to commit suicide and losing trust in Amir, Sohrab acts in a private way, keeping everything to himself. Although Sohrab keeps to himself, Amir still has hope that he will open up to him and Soraya one day, depending on time to let Sohrab loosen up. -
Sohrab shows the hope Amir has been waiting for
Amir watches after he and Sohrab cut a kite in a kite fight and sees "A smile. Lopsided. Hardly there. But there." (Hosseini, 370-71). What this shows is how Amir and Sohrab both love Hassan, taking what Hassan believed in and using it to unite Amir and Sohrab. By Amir telling Sohrab about Hassan's experiences of being a kite runner, Sohrab is able to connect to Hassan by trying to make him proud if he were still alive.