Kite Runner & the History of Afghanistan

By 19oreaj73

  • Daoud Khan overthrows

    When Daoud took over Zahir Shah "Kabul awoke to find that the monarchy was a thing of the past" (36) This shows that there would be no more monarchy in Kabul. The text describes that Kabul has changed dramitically from the event and turned into a republic.

  • Hassan get's Raped

    When Hassan was geeting raped Amir had a choice of "Accept whatever happened to me. Or I could run. In the end, I ran" (77) This shows that Amir did not know what he needed to do and chose the bad decision. Through Amir's thoughts he wanted to stand up for Hassan but he was scared of Assef enough to leave Hassan behind.

  • Communist Coup d'état

    Afghanistan happiness came to a horrible end "The official end would come first in April 1978 with the communist coup d'état" (36) This shows that something bad will happen to Afghanistan. Through how Amir describes the official end it shadows that Afghanistan will be very different in the future.

  • Russian tanks roll in

    Afghanistan is a poor country with devastation such as "In December 1979 when Russian tanks would roll into the very same streets where Hassan and I played, bringing the death of Afghanistan as I knew and marking the start of a still ongoing era of bloodletting" (36) This shows that Afhganistan changes once the Russian come. The text describes that the war started due to the Russians attacking, causing Afghanistan's downfall.

  • Soviet Union Invasion

    The country of Afghanistan hasn't had peace, "since 1979, when the Soviet Union invaded." (The New York Times)

  • Soviet Troops Parachute

    The Soviet troops parachute and help Babrak Karmal, "in a coup within Afghan Communist leadership." (The New York Times)

  • Olympics Boycotted

    Baba says that people in Afghanistan are dying and "all that peanut eater can say I won't come swim in your pool" (126) This shows Baba's opinion on the president. Baba's opinion toward the president shows that Carter is not fit for the role of ruling the country and that Carter doesn't do anything.

  • Ronald Reegan Wins Election

    "What America and the world needed was a hard man" (126) Baba said when disgusted of Carter. This shows that Baba wanted someone to be a leader. Baba's words shows that he knew what America needed to become great, such as a force to be reckoned with.

  • Trying to Cross the Border

    When Baba was talking to the Russian soldier Amir said to Baba to stop but Baba says "Havent I taught you anything?" (116) This shows that Baba did not care and was loyal enough to get shot. Amir's actions shows that he wanted Baba to let it go, just as he did to Hassan.

  • Soviet Union Leaves

    After agreeing and haveing peace talks, "the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989." (The New York Times)

  • Northen Alliance takes over

    Rahim Kahn gives an example to Amir by saying "If you went from the Shar-e-Nau section to Kerteh-Parwan to buy a carpet, you risked getting shot" (199) This shows the that Afghanistan is out of control. Through Rahim Kahn's words it opens up how Afghanistan vastly changed from Amir's past.

  • Afghanistan Descends to Internecine Strife

    After all the Soviet Union's forces left, "Afghanistan descended to internecine strife; by thesummer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms." (The New York Times)

  • Shorawi defeated belonging to Massoud

    "The infighting between factions was fierce and no one knew if they would live to see the end of day" (212) This shows how there still is fighting in Afghanistan. How Amir describes that no one knew if they would survive shows how violent Afghanistan has become and that anyone could die at any second.

  • bin Laden Arrives

    The Taliban a refuge for Mr. bin Laden, "who arrived on a jet at Jalalabad Airport in May 1996, and for Al Qaeda." (The New York Times)

  • Taliban Takes Control

    When the Taliban took over Afghanistan they added strict laws as, "banning movies and music and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqa clothing." (The New York Times)

  • Taliban rolled in

    Rahim Kahn thought that the war was over but Hassan said "God help the Hazaras now" (213) This shows that Hassan knows what is coming from the Taliban taking over. Hassan's comment explains that he is shicked and scared of the news he heard.

  • Hazaras massacred in Mazar-i-Sharif

    2 years after the Taliban taking over "in 1998 they massacred the Hazaras in Mazar-i-Sharif" (213) This shows that the Taliban did not care about Hazaras and just killed them. The text also foreshadows that Hassan is in trouble from the Taliban, because they are hating on the Hazaras.

  • United States invading Afghanistan

    When the United states invaded they succeded in, "dislodging Al Qaeda and removing the Taliban from power, but not in eradicating either group." (The New York Times)

  • Outside of Farid's house

    After stepping out and realizing how different Afghanistan is Amir says "I had a home in a land that might as well be in another galaxy to the people sleeping on the other side of the wall" (240) This shows that Amir knows that Afghanistan has changed from being peaceful to at war. Amir's description might as be in another galaxy shows that the Afghanistan he once lived in is gone and that there is a new Afghanistan that people are living.

  • Amir talking to Farid

    When Amir was talking to Farid Amir said " Every home had a TV and every TV a remote and you could get a satellite dish if you wanted" (266) This shows the simplicity of America compared to Afghanistan. The text also shows the vast differnece between how Afghanistan life is with an American life,

  • Assef's Belief

    When Amir and Assef are talking about Assefs doings Assef says "Afghanistan is like a beautiful mansion littered with garbage, and someone has to take out the garbage" (284) This shows that Assef wants to take charge and get rid of all his threats. Through Assef's words it is shown that Assef has beliefs that the Hazaras and other people threaten Afghanistan.

  • 9/11 Attacks

    Al Queda attacked onto the,"World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001." (The New York Times)

  • 9/11 Attacks

    When the 9/11 attacks came and "While Sohrab was silent, the world was not" (362) This shows how the reaction of the people was when the towers fell. The text describes that Sohrab was still quiet during the attacks rather than stopping of being quiet.

  • Hamid Karzai Leads

    In December 2001 Hamid Karzai a supporter and relativre of Mohammad Zahir Shah, "was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country." (The New York Times)

  • Obama's Speech

    Obama gave a speech on December 1st 2009 addressing, "that the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014." (The New York Times)