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Sofia Akrami's death
Amir's entire life completely changed it's course when "... [his] mother died giving birth to [him] ..." (6). His whole life changed as Baba believes it is Amir's fault his beloved wife has died. Their father-son relationship was broken when this happened, due to the fact that in the back of Baba's mind would always be thoughts of how Amir supposedly killed his wife. -
Sanuabar leaves Hassan
Sanuabar, Hassan's mother abandoned him by "... [running] off with a clan of traveling singers and dancers" (6). This event is very impactful because it leads up to their family finding out Sanaubar and Baba's affair. The affair then leads to Sanuabar being shamed by the community because she was unfaithful to Ali and possibly having affairs with other men. -
Daoud Khan's coup
Kabul was completely changed when "Kabul awoke the next morning to find that the monarchy was a thing of the past. The king, Zahir Shah, was away in Italy. In his absence, his cousin Daoud Khan had ended the king's forty-year reign with a bloodless coup" (36). The change from monarchy to democracy was very drastic. This could possibly lead to loyalists starting a rebellio against Daoud Khan. -
Kite fighting
Amir quickly used his kite by slicing the other causing it to "[spin] wildly like a tire come loose from a speeding car"(66). Amir finally received praise from Baba, which is something he had longed from. Even though something great has happened, something terrible may come. -
Hassan is raped
Hassan's life changed from this moment when "[Assef] dropped his underwear. He positioned himself behind Hassan" (75). Hassan knew he could do nothing, Hassan knew Amir was hiding and did nothing. Due to Amir being a coward, Hassan and Amir's relationship slowly changed for the worst. Their relationship slowly drifted apart after this incident when Amir couldn't man up and help his one true friend and half-brother. -
Hassan and Ali departs
Hassan and Ali departs after an issue where Amir had framed Hassan causing Hassan and Ali to leave. Ali was driving away and "Hassan slumped in the back-seat" (109). The two kids, Hassan and Amir would eventually slowly drift apart. This happens due to Amir running from his issues and trying to ignore his guilt. -
Assisting Babrak Karmal
In December 27, 1979 in order to assist Babrak Karmal "The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul" (Nytimes.com). -
Period: to
1979-2014
Afghanistan -
Period: to
1979-1996
The Soviet Invasion and After -
Russians invade Afghanistan
The Russians invaded Afghanistan bringing out all their weapons on Afghanistan and "[using] Thunderheads ... [painting] the sky iron gray" (108). This sudden invasion is going to force Baba and Amir into a new and foreign life away from Afghanistan. Possibly leaving Hassan and Ali behind. The power shifts may very well change, because Baba is leaving all his honor and respect from people in Afghanistan to go to another country where he has none. -
From Afghanistan to America
Baba and Amir moved to San Francisco, "Baba loved the idea of America. It was living in America that gave him an Ulcer" (125). The move from Afghanistan to America is tough, for they leaving everything behind to start something new. For Baba it was even more tough he everything he gained like respect and power. Now in America he is being forced to show his ID in order to receive pay. -
Soraya and Amir's wedding
Soraya and Amir's wedding went perfectly and ended happily "... [Amir] whispered to her for the first time that ... [he] loved her" (171). Baba is proud of Amir, seeing him marrying a woman and growing up. Amir is finally living to his fullest and being loved by a woman in a way he had never been due to his mother passing away. Amir would turn into a very strong person now that he has someone to assist him through his tough times. -
Antiaircraft Missles
After 1986, The Soviet Air force became useless after the United States intervened and assisted the rebels by supplying "... advanced Stinger antiaircraft missles ..." (nytimes.com). -
Published novelist
Amir was an aspiring writer, finally after "A month later, Martin called and informed [him] [he] was going to be a published novelist" (183). Amir finally grows up not following Baba and trying to impress him, but following his hopes and what he is passionate about. This is when he finds out who he really is, and finally stops standing in Baba's shadow. -
Peace Talks
On February 1989 the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan, but the country was "... not only devastated by the war but that had become a beacon to Islamic extremists from across the globe who had come to assist in the fighting, including Osama bin Laden and the group he helped found, Al Qaeda" (Nytimes.com). -
A divided Afghanistan
Once the Soviet forces has left Afghanistan, the country transformed into a country for "... competing warlords and individual fiefdoms. But one group would eventually gain control" (Nytimes.com) -
Taliban Takeover
The Taliban abused their power and manipulated the people in Afghanistan, "'so when the Taliban came...' 'they were heroes"' (200). The Taliban manipulated the people into thinking they were heroes. They did this by justifying their violent actions by using god, who was worshipped heavily and believed throughout Afghanistan. -
Period: to
1996-2001
The Taliban Takeover -
Al Qaeda and the Buddha Statues
On May of 1996, the Al Qaeda were criticized internationally due to "Al Qaeda [helping] persuade Mullah Omar to order the destruction of the 800-year-old Buddha statues at Bamiyan" (Nytimes.com). -
Death of Farzana and Hassan
Farzana and Hassan both were killed by Taliban soldiers, "Hassan's and Frazana's murders were dismissed as a case of self-defense" (219). Their deaths were so unexpected, no one expected Hassan and Farzana to die. Amir would never be able to apologize for not assisting Hassan when he needed him the most. Knowing that he can never fully atone for his sins by apologizing to the victim, Amir would continue to regret his wrong doings. -
Coming back to Afghanistan
Rahim Khan tells Amir to come back to his home and says, "Come. There is a way to be good again, Rahim Khan had said on the phone just before hanging up" (192). Convincing Amir to come back to his home was the first step to help Amir atone for his sins. Amir's suspicions about Rahim Khan knowing about the incident between him and Hassan were right. Rahim can could eventually help Amir atone for his sins by confronting the issue which would ultimately assist Amir in the journey of atonement. -
Rahim Khan's final request
Before Rahim Khan dies he has one last request for Amir, he says to him, "I want you to go to Kabul. I want you to bring Sohrab here'"(220). Rahim Khan basically requests Amir to confront his issues by assisting Hassan's son in order to take a step into atoning for his sins. Amir must take Sohrab home if he wants to see the one person that is most similar to Hassan. -
Response to 9/11
On September 11th of the year 2011, terrorists attacks the World Trade Center in New York with planes. In response, our President "George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over Mr. bin laden" (Nytimes.com). -
Tora Bora
After an air and ground campaign began, it drove the Taliban out of Afghanistan, but "Remnants of Al Qaeda and Taliban leadership retreated to Tora Bora in the mountains along the Pakistan border and eventually escaped after a battle there, primarily involving Afghan forces allied with the United States" (Nytimes.com). -
Period: to
2001-2008
-Post 9/11 Invasion
-The Karzai Government
-The Taliban Resurgence -
Hamid Karzai
In December of 2001, Hamid Karzai stepped up to take power in Afghanistan and was "... named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country" (Nytimes.com) -
Classified Military Information
Classified military documents from a six year archive was leaked by Wikileaks. The documents revealed "... a bleak, ground-level view of the conflict. They amounted daily diary of an American-led force often starved for resources and attention as it struggled against an insurgency that grew larger, better coordinated and more deadly each year" (Nytimes.com). -
Flying kites with Sohrab
While flying kites with him Sohrab finally smiles, Amir thinks that even though "it was only a smile, nothing more. It didn't make everything all right. It didn't make anything all right. Only a smile. A tiny thing. But I'll take it. With open arms" (371). Amir finally was able to find happiness in atoning for his sins. Sohrab was able to find happiness as well by doing things that Hassan used to do. Hassan and Sohrab are so similar, because they enjoy and experienced similar things. -
Period: to
2008-2011
Obama's War -
Obama's Announcement
On December 1st, 2009 Barrack Obama delivered a speech which announced "... his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops. He vowed to start bringing American Forces home from Afghanistan in the middle of 2011, saying the United States could not afford and should not have to shoulder an open-ended commitment" (Nytimes.com). -
Change in Deadline
Though in December 1st, 2009 Obama vowed he would bring American forces back in 2011, "... 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.