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Zahir Shah is overthrown
Kabul awoke the next morning to find that "the monarchy was a thing of the past" (Hosseini 36). Afghanistan will never be the same without their old king. Specifically, the new king will make changes to the government and the laws of Afghanistan. -
Dr. Kumar visits Hassan for his birthday
After Amir and Hassan excahnged blank looks, "The Indian man in the brown suit smiled and offered Hassan his hand" (44). Sometimes, one gets a completely unexpected gift but enjoys it. Other times, they will just be confused, like Hassan. -
Assef rapes Hassan
Assef positioned himself behind Hassan and "Hassan didn't struggle. DIdn't even whimper" (75). Hassan's silence is caused by Assef's power over him. This demonstrates how one can be successful in overtaking someone else by using their power over them. -
Hassan and Ali leave Kabul
It rained the afternnon when "Baba took Ali and Hassan to the bus station" (108). If Amir hadn't made mistakes with Hassan, then they wouldn't have left Kabul. There are many consequences for making mistakes with a friend as seen with Amir and Hassan. -
The Soviet Union Invasion
According to the New York Times Afghanistan article, "The 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" (2). -
Kamal dies
When Amir and Baba get off of the train, they hear Kamal's dad cry, "My boy! He won't breathe! Allah, help him breathe!" (124). Everyone will deal with loss at some point in their lives. However, people don;t like it when they have to deal with it too soon. -
Baba nearly gets killed by a Russian soldier
When Baba stands up for a woman on the train, he says, "Tell him he'd better kill me good with that first shot" (116). People who stand up for others are true heroes. True heroes are always commemerated for their acts of bravery. -
Amir and Baba move to America
Amir says, "Baba loved the idea of America" (125). Baba was tired of living in Afganistan. This demonstrates Baba's willingness to adapt to a new life. -
Baba dies
After Soraya and Amir closed the door, "Baba never woke up" (173). Baba's death signifies all the good things he has done to others. This demonstrates how one's death should be thought of in a positive way. -
The results of the Soviet Invasion
At the end of the invasion, "The Soviet Air Force was also rendered largely useless by advanced Stinger antiaircraft missiles supplied by the United States to the rebels" (2). -
Amir writes his first novel
Amir finished his first novel, "A father-son story set in Kabul" (182). Being a professional writer is something to be very proud of. It can also reveal the writer's general life skills. -
Afghanistan responds after the Soviet troops leave
After Soviet forces departed, "Afghanistan descended into vicious internecine strife; by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" (2). -
The Taliban take control of Afghanistan
The Taliban by 1996 had taken control of Afghanistan, "imposing strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law, banning movies and music and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqa clothing" (3). -
Osama Bin Laden comes to the Taliban
The Taliban also provided a safe haven for Mr. Bin Laden, "who arrived by chartered jet at Jalalabad Airport" (3). -
Amir meets Rahim Khan in Pakistan
Amir asks, "How did you find me?" (197). Amir and Rahim Khan are very close because they lived together in Afghanistan. This illustrates how far Amir will go to see people he is close to. -
Amir learns about Hassan's death
Amir listens while Rahim Khan says, "-and shot him in the back of the head" (219). Losing someone you cared about is like losing a piece of yourself. Dealing with loss is an important thing that Amir does in The Kite Runner. -
Amir learns that Hassan is his half brother
When Rahim Khan is telling the truth about Amir's family he says, "I think you know who" (222). When one is lied to all their life, it can be tough for them to accept what they were told. Like many people, Amir was not able to accept it at first. -
Amir gets Sohrab from Assef
After Sohrab shot Assef in the eye with his slingshot, "I stumbled down the hallway, Sohrab's little hand in mine" (291). This demonstrates the lengths Amir will go in order to atone for Hassan. He also has much respect for Sohrab. -
George Bush requests Osama Bin Laden to surrender
After the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001, "President George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. Bin Laden" (3). -
Sohrab goes to the mosque
Amir says, "My heart gave a sick lurch when I looked to Sohrab's bed and found it empty" (313). Not keeping an eye on someone can sometimes have bad consequences. Amir was lucky for Sohrab to not have gotten into trouble. -
Sohrab nearly commits suicide
After Amir left the hotel room he says, "I see them wheel him through a set of double doors and I follow" (344). One attempting to take their own life sounds pretty crazy. It was even more so with Sohrab because he was barely 10. -
Hamid Karzai takes leadership of Afghanistan
In December 2001, "Hamid Karzai, a supporter and relative of Mohammad Zahir Shah, the exiled former king of Afghanistan, was named chariman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him leader of the country" (3). -
Obama decides to deploy more troops
In a speech delivered at West Point, "Mr. Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (4). -
Barack Obama removes General Stanley A. McChystal from the staff
President Obama removed General McChrystal after "contemptuous quotes from the general and his staff about senior administration officials appeared in an article in Rolling Stone magazine" (4). -
Obama changes the deadline for troops to come back to the US
In a move away from the July 2011 deadline, "the Obama administration changed its tone to increasingly emphasize the idea that the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014" (4).