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Amir and Hassan are born
Sanaubar gave birth to Hassan "in the winter of 1964, just one year after [Amir's] mother died giving birth" (Hosseini 6) Hassan was born just one year after Amir, meaning Hassan was concieved around the time of Sofia's death. Later in the story, we learn that Baba is actualy Hassan's biological father. It is likely that Sofia's death and Hassan's birth are linked. -
Hassan gets lip surgery for his birthday
The surgery in Hassan's lip went well, but caused swelling. The swelling soon "subsided, and the wound healed with time... By the following winter, it was only a faint scar. Which was ironic. Because that was the winter that Hassan stopped smiling" (Hosseini 47). Hassan's lip surgery allows Hassan to genuinely smile for the first time in his life. The statement that Hassan stopped smiling soon thereafter foreshadows the major event that follows. -
Amir and Hassan win the Kite Tournament
Amir and Hassan enter the Kite Tournament and come out on top. Amir sees Baba cheering, and claims that "right there was the single greatest moment of [Amir's] life... Seeing Baba... Proud of me at last" (Hosseini 66). The fact that this was the best moment of Amir's life foreshadows in a way what great limits Amir will go through in order to gain more pride. -
Ali and Hassan leave
Amir executes his plan to get Ali and Hassan to leave perfectly. However, when Hassan claims he did in fact commit the time, "Baba stunned [Amir] by saying, 'I forgive you'"(Hosseini 105). Baba forgives Hassan for theft, although Baba claimed earlier that theft was the greatest sin. This suprises Amir and causes Amir to start questioning himself. -
first Soviet troops parachute into Kabul
Soviet troops first get involved in Afghanistan, as "the first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979 to assist Babrak Karmal, who had becoem the president in a coup within the Afghan Communist leadership." (NYT 2) -
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The Soviet Inasion
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Baba and Amir leave Afghanistan
On Baba and Amir's journey out of Afghanistan and to America, they encounter Russian Soldiers on the way. When the Russian Soldiers request time with one of the women alone, Baba standsup for her. This causes Amir to rethink the incident with Hassan. He thinks to himself, "Some hero I had been, fretting about the kite. Sometimes, I too wondered if I was really Baba's son." (Hosseini 116). Baba acts with courage in a way that Amir never would have, which Amir acknowledges. -
Amir graduates Highschool
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Amir meets Soraya
At the flea markets where Amir and Baba spend their weekends, Amir meets Soraya. In their short encounter, Soraya's "eyes, walnut brown and shaded by fanned lashes, met [Amir's]. Held for a moment. Flew away." (Hosseini 140). Amir and Soraya have the hollywood cliche of love at first sight. This single quote gives foresight into the rest of the story. -
Baba is diagnosed with cancer
After Baba is diagnosed with Oat Cell Carcinoma, he if offfered the option of chemotherapy to prolong his life. However, Baba kindly rejects the offer by saying "no cheom medication for me" (Hosseini 156). While Baba was gifted with the oppurtunity to have a longer life than normal, he rejects it. The statement truly shows Baba's pride, which affects many of his decisions. -
Baba dies of cancer
After living past the wedding of Amir, one month later, Baba rejects his medicine with the claim that there is no pain tonight. Soraya and Amir "closed the door. Baba never woke up" (Hosseini 172). Baba held on to his life long enough to see Amir have one last major life milestone. After, Baba ends his pain and refuses his medicine. -
Soviet Air Force rendered useless
The rebels managed to counter the Soviet Air Force with some "advanced Stinger antiaircraft missiles supplied by the Unihted States to the rebels". (NYT 2) -
Amir publishes his first book
Amir's book finally gets published. After a small celebration, Amir takes in the hapiness and thinks. Amir, in the middle of the happiness, wonders "whether I deserved any of it" (183). 13 years after the incident, Amir still suffers internally for him not taking action. He still feels and acknowledges the guilt, not having a way to atone for his sins. -
Soviet Forces depart
With the United Nations having peace talks, "the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989, in what was in efect a unilateral withdrawal" (NYT 2) -
Civil war breaks out
After the soviet troops were gone, there was a large struggle of power as in "the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms." (NYT 2) -
Taliban hits 12,000 members
The Taliban started growing when they attacked a group of warlords who had raped a girl. The group started growing from then, and "by the end of 1994 Mlulah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up to the warlords to the north and east." -
Pakistani Intelligence gives support to the Taliban
While the Taliban had many supporters, they did not have a powerful supporter. As the article claimed, "the Taliban might have withered were it not for the intervention of Pakistan, the neighnor to the east. As early as 1994, Pakistani intelligence officers began funneling arms, money and supplies to Mullah Omar's men, as well as military advisers to help guide them in battle." (NYT 3) -
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Taliban Takeover
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Amir recieves a phonecall by Rahim Khan
Amir recieves a phone call by Rahim Khan. Rahim Khan urges Amir over with the statement, "Come. There is a way to be good again" (Hosseini 192). Rahim Khan seemingly offers Amir a way for finally atoning for his sins. Amir constantly thinks about these words, revealing that he is indeed thinking about his past sins and how this new oppurtunity may present him a way to make up for them, -
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Post-9/11
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World Trade Center attacked
President George W. Bush orders the Taliban to hand over Osama Bin Laden "after the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001" (NYT 3) -
Sorhab attempts to kill himself
When Amir walks into the bathroom, Amir starts screaming. He starts "screaming until [he] thought his throat would rip and his chest explode. Later, they said I was still screaming when the ambulance arrived." (Hosseini 342). Amir walks into the bathroom to give Sohrab great news. In turn, he recieves the worst news of his life. -
Hamid Karzai becomes chairman of Afghanistan Government
After the Taliban was forced to retreat out of Afghanistan, "In December 2001, Hamid Karzai, a supporter and relative of Mohhamid Zahir Shah, the exiled former king of Afghanistan, was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country" (NYT 3). -
Amir and Sohrab fly a kite together; Sohrab smiles
After Amir and Sohrab win the local kite competition, Amir says "For you, a thousand times over" (Hosseini 370), It was a very impactful thing for Amir to say, and while Sohrab may not have gotten the meaning, it still allowed Amri to feel better. It gives Amir closure, signifying completion on his atonement. -
New General elected by Obama against the Taliban
As Obama planned to get more involved in Afghanistan, "General Petraeus, the Iraq commander who ceived much of the credit for the success of the surge there, had taken charge of United States Central Command in October 2008, with responsibility for military operation in Iraq, Afghanistan and across the region." (NYT 4) -
Obama deploys 30000 more tropps to the cause
Obama's decision to add 30,000 more troops to the Afghanistan cause had "a speech delilvered Dec. 1, 2009, at West Point, [where] Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops.