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The Winter of 1975
Amir was living peacefully with his fater, Ali, and Hassan all year, but when the kite tournament came around Amir reflected, "In the winter of 1975, I saw Amir run a kite for the last time" (55). This quote is referring to the kite tournament when Hassan was violated after running the last kite for Amir. This event symbolizes when Amir's life truly changed and nothing would ever be the same again for him. Amir is regretting his choice to not help Hassan in this quote. -
Hassan and Ali Leave
Amir blamed Hassan for doing something he didn't do, and he fully accepted the blame. However, because of all the drama between Hassan and Amir, Ali decided it was time Hassan and him leave, and as Amir watched them go he thought, "I watched Baba's car pull away from the curb, taking with it the person whose first spoken word had been my name" (109) This quote shows Amir's giult for what he had done. He feels bad and does't want them to leave, but it's too late. -
Stolen Gifts
Amir was very jealous of the attention Baba paid to Hassan and in his last effort to get rid of him, "[Amir] lifted Hassan's mattress and planted my new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it" (104). This quote touches on the drastic measures Amir would go to so he could be the only one Baba paid attention to, which was very selfish of him. Amir desperately wanted Baba's approval, and he thoght Hassan was getting in the way of that, so he wanted to get rid of him. -
Invasion of the Soviet Union
Afghanistan was a relatively peaceful country until, "The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on December 27, 1979." -
Period: to
The Kite Runner & Afghanistan
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Departure
Leaving Kabul was the safest thing for Amir and Baba to do because of the war going on there, but it was still very difficult to leave, and as they did Amir thought, " I thought of the way we'd left the house where I'd lived my entire life, as if we were going out for a bite" (112). The condition they left the house in shows they didn''t want anyoone realizing they had left because of all the trouble they could get in. Maybe they also left the house that way in the hope that they'd come back. -
Life in America
Adjusting to life in a new country is tough, and it was especially tough for Amir and Baba, but "Baba loved the idea of America" (125). This quote shows that even though starting over is tough, Baba and Amir are tougher and they can get through the hardest of times. Baba loved the freedom of America and it influenced him and Amir a lot. -
Food Stamps
Although Baba and Amir struggled in America, they weren't going to let America get the better of them, and change them as people who work for what they recieve. When Baba was handed some food stamps he said, "I work always. In Afghanistan I work, in America I work. Thank you very much Mrs. Dobbins, but I don't like it free money" (130). This quote shows that Baba wouldn't let America change him because he's a strong man with integrity. It was simply against his nature to take the stamps. -
Graduation
After finishing his schooling, which took ahwile in America Amir reflected, "I graduated from high school at the age of twenty, by far the oldest senior tossing his mortarboard on the football field" (131). This event was a big feat for Amir and Baba was so proud of him for all he accomplished, and he finally treated Amir like a great son and celebrated with him. It seemed as if this was Baba's way of apologizing to Amir for neglecting him for all those years. -
The Diagnosis
When Baba first found out he had cancer he was a little upset, and when he found out the medication couldn't cure it e said, "But no chemo medication for me" (156). Baba didn't want his cancer to tell him what type of person he sould be, and he didn't see a point in prolonging something that's inevidible. Baba wanted to live as full as a life as he could possibly live with his condition because he didn't want to rely on medicine. -
The Wedding
Amir finally found the love of his life, Soraya, and during their wedding Amir said, " I whispered to her for the first time that I loved her" (171). This quote shows that Amir was able to form a relationship with someone that he loves and trust. This event shows Amir has come a long way from the timid boy who abused Hassan's loyalty in Afghanistan. -
Baba's Death
Baba had been battling cancer for awhile, but refused to take medication for he wanted to die on his own terms, so one night when Baba went to sleep, "He never woke up" (173). This quote shows Baba's strength and courage for he never wanted to lose his dignity or himeslf while he was fighting this disease. Baba never wanted to give up and he wanted to rub some of his strength off on Amir before he passed. -
Soviets Leave Afghanistan
The United Nations worked hard to convince the Soviet Union to leave Afghanistan and eventually," the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989, in what was in effect a unilateral withdrawl." -
Power Divided
After the struggle of whom to give the power to the people finally decided and the,"Power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms." -
The Return of the Taliban
The Taliban was making a comeback, and one of the leaders, Mullah Omar," had nearly 12,000 followers and wsa rolling up the warlords to the north and east." He wanted to restore strict Islam to the country. -
The Taliban's Rule
After many years of fighting," The Taliban, the extremist Isalmic group had seized control in 1996." Their rule of Afghanistan began. -
First Novel
Amir had wanted to be a writer all his life, so when he got the chance to write his own book, he took it and reflected, "About six months before the soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, I finished my first novel, a father-son set in Kabul" (182). This quote shows the accomplishments Amir has been able to achive since he moved to America. It also talks a little about Afghanistan which shows that Amir still cares about the country he grew up in. -
Visiting a Friend
Amir got a phone call from his old friend Rahim Khan saying, "Come. There is a way to be good again" (192). This quote shows that Rahim knew all along what Amir had done to Hassan, so he wanted him to go to Afghanistan to apologize. This was Rahim's way of saying Amir might finally be forgiven fir what he did all those years back. -
Finding Sohrab
Amir set off on a mission to find Hassan's son after he and his wife had passed away, and when he found him he, "took Sohrab's hand. It was small, the skin was dry and calloused. I saw Sohrab in that poleroid again, the way his arm rapped around Hassan's leg, his head resting on his father's hip" (286). This quote shows Amir's relief to find Hassen . He feels as if his guilt lifted a little bit. -
The Attack
Assef wanted to fight Amir for Sohrab so they could finally settle their childhood fights and as Assef was beating him up, Amir thought, "For the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace" (289). This quote shows Amir finally felt like he was getting what he deserved for what he did. It was his way of atonting for his faults. -
The Return Home
After a long time in Afghanistan, Amir and Sohrab finally returned to America and Amir reflected," We arrived home about 7 months ago, on a warm day in August 2001" (357). This part in the book is significant because it's the start of a new life for Sohrab and a new family. The quote shows that since they've arrived they've gotton on nicely and peacefully for seven months which shows life in America is better than life in Afghanistan. -
9/11
Many terrorist groups joined together for, "The attack on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001." The United States then sent troops to Afghanistan who drove the Taliban out of major citites. -
New President of Afghanistan
With the help of the US the government was now able to try and get back on it's feet and, "Hamid Karzai, a supporter and relative of Mohammad Zahir Shah, the exiled former king of Afghanistan, was named chairman of an intern gov. that replaced the defeated Taliban." -
Leader of the United States Central Command
Because the Iraq surge was such a success, "General Petaeus, the Iraq commander who recieved much of the credit for the success of the surge there, had taken charge of the United States Central Command in October 2008." -
Obama's Plan
After much discussion about what to do with the situation in the middle east, "Mr. Obama announced his plan to delpoy 30,000 additional troops." He also stated that he'd bring the forces home in the middle of 2011. -
Troops Must Stay
The US was aware that the war would be a struggle, but nobody anticipated it taking so long, so, "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."