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Zahir Shah's Reign
In 1933, the year of Baba's birth and the beginning of Zahir Shah's forty-year reign, two drunken noblemen kill a Hazara couple on the road to Paghman, orphaning the couple's five-year-old son. Ultimately, Amir's grandfather, a renowned judge, "adopted him into his own household . . . That boy was Ali" (24). Amir's grandfather's adoption of a Hazara child illustrates his disregard of societal prejudice. Furthermore, Ali and Baba's adjacent childhoods emphasize their brotherly relationship. -
Daoud Khan's Coup d'Etat
On July 17, 1973, while King Zahir Shah is in Italy, Daoud Khan leads a coup d'etat and overthrows the king. The gunfire that punctures the night causes Baba to fear for Amir and Hassan's safety. As soon as Baba returns home, he embraces Amir and Hassan in a hug, and "[Amir] was glad about whatever had happened that night" (36). Amir's elation exemplifies Amir's desperation to earn Baba's approval. In addition, Amir's eagerness to hug Baba highlights Amir and Baba's formal relationship. -
Assef's Confrontation
Assef and two of his devotees confront Amir and Hassan in a neighborhood in Kabul. Assef warns that " '[t]his doesn't end today. . . . Someday, I'll make you face me one on one' " (43). Assef's threat emphasizes his vindictive mindset and foreshadows his revenge on Amir. Furthermore, Assef's pledge to fight Amir alone suggests how Hassan always defends Amir from Assef. -
Hassan's Abuse
In an alley in Kabul, Assef corners Hassan, demanding Hassan to hand over the prized kite, but Hassan refuses. Consequently, Assef assaults Hassan. Amir witnesses Assef's assault on Hassan and recognizes Hassan's expression as "the look of the lamb" (76). Hassan's willingness to sacrifice his well-being emphasizes his unrelenting loyalty to Amir. Furthermore, Amir's acquiescence of Hassan's abuse illustrates how Amir prioritizes Baba's approval over Hassan's welfare. -
Purchasing Kites
During the kite-fighting season, Baba purchases kites for Amir and Hassan. However, if Amir decides he wants a larger and more intricate kite, "Baba would buy it for [Amir]—but then he'd buy it for Hassan too. Sometimes [Amir] wished he wouldn't do that. Wished he'd let [Amir] be the favorite" (51). Baba's generosity towards Hassan indicates his fatherhood to Hassan and emphasizes his affluence. Likewise, Amir's selfishness suggests his envy of Hassan and the pertinence of Baba's approval. -
Trip to Jalalabad
Baba promises to visit Jalalabad with Amir, but "by Wednesday night, Baba had managed to invite another two dozen people" (82). Baba's eagerness to invite people suggests his egocentrism and indicates his indifference to Amir's desire to be alone with Baba. Moreover, the invitation of two dozen people on such a menial outing emphasizes the profundity of Pashtun hospitality. -
Amir's Request for New Servants
While planting tulips in the backyard, Amir requests new servants to Baba. Outraged, Baba snaps, " '[Hassan is] staying right here with us, where he belongs. This is his home and we're his family' " (90). Baba's insistence that he and Amir are Hassan's family foreshadows Amir's discovery of the truth behind that statement. Moreover, Baba's outburst highlights the falsity of Baba and Amir's relationship following the kite tournament. -
Amir's Birthday Party
In the summer of 1976, Baba throws a celebration for Amir's thirteenth birthday. Although it is Amir's birthday, "[Amir] knew who the real star of the show was" (94). Baba's selfishness illustrates his disregard of Amir's desires. In addition, Baba's eagerness to throw an event suggests his yearn for attention. -
Hassan and Ali's Move
After Ali informs Baba that he and Hassan are moving to Hazarajat, Baba does "something [Amir] had never seen him do before: He cried" (107). Baba's typical unperturbed manner emphasizes his profound intimacy with Hassan and Ali and highlights his desperation to persuade them to stay. Furthermore, Ali's willingness to move away illustrates the pain Amir inflicts upon him and Hassan. -
Soviet Invasion
Afghanistan was plunged into turmoil when "[t]he 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" (NYT 2). -
Fleeing Afghanistan
Due to the Soviet tyranny in Afghanistan, Baba and Amir flee Kabul in a truck heading to Pakistan. Baba and Amir escape Kabul "as if [they] were going out for a bite . . . The signs of [their] elopement were subtle . . ." (112). The casualty of Baba and Amir's flight suggests their reluctance to abandon their home. More importantly, the secretiveness surrounding Baba and Amir's escape illustrates how the Soviet invasion cultivates distrust between Afghans. -
Pakistani Border Checkpoint
At the Pakistani border checkpoint, a Russian soldier demands a half-hour with a woman in the truck Baba, Amir, and the other refugees are in. However, Baba objects, shouting that he would " 'take a thousand of [the soldier's] bullets before [he] let this indecency take place' " (116). Baba's adamancy highlights his selflessness and illustrates his devotion to his beliefs. In addition, the Russian soldier's shameless demeanor suggests the minuscule role of honor in Russian society. -
Amir's Proposal to Soraya
General Sahib Taheri permits Amir to marry his daughter, Soraya, when Baba goes khastegari. However, Soraya insists on informing Amir of her past scandalous actions, and Amir recognizes that "there were many ways in which Soraya Taheri was a better person than [him]" (165). Amir's confession to his wrongdoings suggests how he regrets his acquiescence during Hassan's abuse. Not to mention, Amir's condescending tone highlights Soraya's honesty and alludes to Amir's vices. -
Baba's Funeral
At Baba's funeral, attendees recognize how Baba generously aided them, leading Amir to realize how "[his] whole life, [he] had been 'Baba's son' . . . Baba couldn't show [Amir] the way anymore . . ." (174). Amir's previous dependence on Baba reinforces Amir's newfound loneliness. Moreover, the attendees' gratitude towards Amir illustrates how family relations influence the perception of others. -
Soviet Retreat
Following peace negotiations monitored by the United Nations, the Soviet Union "left Afghanistan in February 1989, in what was in effect a unilateral withdrawal" (NYT 2). -
Pakistani Support of the Taliban
Beginning in 1994, Pakistani intelligence officials provided military and economic aid to the Taliban, "as well as military advisors to help guide them in battle" (NYT 3). -
Anarchy
The retreat of the Soviet Union from Afghanistan left the nation leaderless, and "by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" (NYT 2). -
Rise of the Taliban
The cause of Mullah Omar, a Pashtun war veteran, gained popularity, and "[b]y the end of 1994 Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east" (NYT 2). -
Bin Laden and the Taliban
The Taliban supported Al Qaeda and even sheltered bin Laden, "who arrived by chartered jet at Jalalabad Airport in May 1996 . . . " (NYT 3). -
Taliban Takeover
The Taliban, an extremist Islamic organization, "seized control in 1996 after years of civil war [in Afghanistan]" (NYT 1). -
Amir's Visit to Wahid's
Before departing from Wahid's home for Kabul with Farid, Amir "planted a fistful of crumpled money under a mattress" (242). Amir's generosity emphasizes the profoundness of Wahid's family's poverty. Furthermore, Amir's eagerness to give money to Wahid indicates his quest for atonement for his wrongdoings against Hassan. -
Rahim Khan's Revelation
After discovering that Baba is Hassan's father, Amir demands to know why Rahim Khan hid the truth from him and Hassan. Rahim Khan simply claims that "[i]t was a shameful situation . . . All that a man had back then, all that he was, was his honor, his name . . ." (223). Baba's willingness to disregard his fatherhood to Hassan emphasizes the crucial role status plays in Baba's decisions. Furthermore, the pertinence of a man's honor in Afghan society suggests how Amir relies on Baba's prestige. -
World Trade Center
On September 11, 2001, bin Laden staged an attack on the World Trade Center in New York, so "President George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. bin Laden" (NYT 3). -
Karzai in Power
In December of 2001, an advocate and relative of the exiled king Mohammad Zahir Shah, Hamid Karzai, became "chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of [Afghanistan]" (NYT 3). -
Obama's Speech at West Point
At West Point on December 1, 2009, President Barack Obama declared his pursuit of the war effort in Afghanistan and announced "his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops [in Afghanistan]" (NYT 4).