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Baba is a commanding figure
As Hosseini states, "At parties, when all six-foot-five of him thundered into the room, attention shifted to him like sunflowers to the sun" (Hosseini 13). Hosseini uses the metaphor thundered into the room to describe the commanding way that Baba appeared to others. throughout the novel Baba stays true to this description by always being respected and revered due to his presence. -
Baba commands others inadvertently
As Hosseini states, "At parties, when all six-foot-five of him thundered into the room, attention shifted to him like sunflowers turning to the sun" (Hosseini 13). Hosseini uses personification to portray Baba's natural attraction that he brings with him everywhere. Hosseini uses this quote to represent the natural tendency that people have to look towards someone else as a leader. -
Amir and Hassan's first words
As Hosseini states, "And under the same roof, we spoke our first words. Mine was Baba. His was Amir" (Hosseini 11). Amir and Hassan's first words show that Amir admire his dad the most, while Hassan admires Amir the most. This quote provides incredibly important foreshadowing for Hassan's rape, as Hassan did a great deed for Hassan, and Amir throws Hassan under the bus for Baba's admiration. -
Baba defies the expectations of others
As Hosseini states, "Skeptics had urged him to stop his foolishness and hire an architect. Of course, Baba refused, and everyone shook their heads in dismay at his obsinate ways. Then Baba succeeded and everyone shook their heads in awe" (Hosseini 13). Baba chooses to grab life by the horns and decide his own fate. Baba's attitude reveals the main reasons for Amir feeling like a failure, which is that Baba could never choose how Amir acted. -
Amir is introduced to religious extremism
As Hosseini states, "'They do nothing but thumb their prayer beads and recite a book written in a tongue they don't even understand ... God help us all if Afghanistan ever falls into their hands'" (Hosseini 17). Baba explains how the islamic scholars in Afghanistan are very hypocritical and literal with their interpretations of Qu'ran. Hosseini uses foreshadowing here to provide context for the Taliban insurgence in later chapters. -
Amir wins the kite tournament
As Hosseini states, "' A hundred kites, Homayoun jan. No laaf. And the only one still flying at the end of the day was Amir's' [said Baba]" (Hosseini 84). This quote shows Baba's newfound respect and admiration for his son Amir. In order for Amir to gain Baba's love, Amir had to sacrifice his best friend which will serve as foreshadowing for a major point in the plot. -
Amir watches Hassan get raped
As Amir narrates, "I could hear Assef's rythmic grunts ... In the end I ran ... I turned my back to the alley, to Hassan" (Hosseini 77). Amir chooses to let Hassan get raped, which is something Amir will regret later. Filled with the guilt of his morals, Amir tries to reach atonement in years to come in order to be forgiven for his wrongs at this moment. -
Amir and Hassan get the same kite
As Hassan states, "If I changed my mind and asked for a bigger fancier kite, Baba would buy it for me- but then he'd buy it for Hassan too" (Hosseini 51). Amir always tried to distance himself from Hassan, because he only knew Hassan as his servant and not that Hassan was his brother as well. Baba knew that Hassan was his son as well as Amir, so Baba treated them both equally. Hosseini foreshadows the information that Hassan and Amir are brothers through fairness and reciprocity. -
Hassan remains faithful to Amir
As Hosseini states, "Everywhere I turned, I saw signs of his loyalty, his goddamn unwavering loyalty" (Hosseini 89). Even after being raped, Hassan's unwaivering personality shines through wherever Amir turns. Even through Hassan's most troubled times, he always makes sure to take care of others. This harm and care aspect of Hassan's personality is a core idea of Hassan's representation in the book. -
Period: to
Soviet Occupation
With growing unrest in Afghanistan over the king, a group of citizens affiliated with the Soviets took over the rule of Afghanistan. As The New York Times states, "The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 27, 1979, to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become President in a coup within the Communist leadership ... The last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989" (New York Times). -
Mass exodus of Afghanis
As a result of the Russian occupation, many Afghani's leave Afghanistan for a better life. Millions of immigrants go to "Pakistan[,] and another 1.5 million have fled to Iran. Afghan guerrillas gain control of rural areas, and Soviet troops hold urban areas" (PBS). -
Baba has cancer
As Amir describes, "Baba's was called 'Oat Cell Carcinoma.' Advanced. Inoperable ... [Baba] chainsmoked the rest of that day in front of the TV" (Hosseini 157). When Baba finds out he has cancer, Baba decides to live his life as he wants and therefore chainsmokes. For Baba, purity and sanctity manifests itself in Baba, through Baba not putting up any facades and always making sure that his morals are an accurate reflection of his values. -
Baba goes to the doctor
As Hosseini states, "'I don't care where he was born, he's Roussi,' Baba said" (Hosseini 155). Baba upholds his values by not mingling with Russians. By doing so, Baba believes that remaining faithful to his country is more important than giving in to Russians which shows stubbornness that stems from ingroup and loyalty. -
Soraya Can't get pregnant
As Hosseini states, "It was called unexplained fertility" (Hosseini 185). Soraya and Amir are unable to have a baby, and Amir believes that this is due to his guilt for his involvement in Hassan's rape. Due to this, Amir devotes his life to reaching atonement and righting his wrongs with Hassan in part because he would like to have a child. -
Taliban Seized Control of Afghanistan
After almost a decade of Soviet occupation, the government was in shambles and a path was paved for religious extremists to take over the country and harbor terrorists. Many terrorist groups had "Been given safe haven in the country by the Taliban, the extremist Islamic group that had seized control in 1996 after years of civil war" (New York Times 1). -
Taliban widely accepted by Afghans
The Taliban introduced many new conservative to mask their true intentions. As PBS documents, "Most Afghans approve of the Taliban for upholding traditional Islamic values. The Taliban outlaw cultivation of poppies for the opium trade ... and curtail the education and employment of women. Women are required to be fully veiled and are not allowed outside alone. Islamic law is enforced via public executions and amputations" (PBS). -
Amir fights Assef
As Hosseini states, "I don't know if I gave Assef a good fight" (Hosseini 288). Amir fights Assef to protect Sohrab from Assef abusing him. Amir feels that by protecting Hassan's child from Assef, he will reach atonement for not protecting Hassan from Assef. -
Hassan writes a letter to Amir
As Hassan writes, "I thank Allah that I am alive, not because I fear death, but because my wife has a husband and my son is not an orphan" (Hosseini 216). Hassan cares more about the people close to him than himself. Hassan's loyalty and protection that he uses with his family connects to the harm and care aspect of human instinct. -
Assef hurls stone at prisoner
As Hosseini states, "The Talib, looking absurdly like a baseball pitcher on the mound, hurled the stone at the blindfolded man in the hole" (Hosseini 271). Hosseini used allusion through the showing this encounter with the taliban to provide awareness to the outside world about Afghanistan. Hosseini is trying to give a call to action of sorts by exploiting the human tendency to care for others that are in need. -
Beginning of U.S. Involvement
After the terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda, the United States sought to crush insurgence in the middle east which was the biggest threat to national security. As the New York times states, "The United States has been militarily involved in Afghanistan since 2001, when it led an invasion after the Sept. 11 attacks by Al Qaeda" (New York Times 1). -
Taliban removed from power
In retaliation for the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. goes after Islamic extremism in Afghanistan. In particular the Taliban. In the 2001 invasion, the U.S. "succeeded in dislodging Al Qaeda and removing the Taliban from power, but not in eradicating either group" (New York Times 1). -
New Leader of Afghanistan
Since the terrorists were pushed to the border with Pakistan, the government of Afghanistan gained more control, in turn they elected their new leader. Hamid Karzai was "named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country" (New York Times 5). -
U.S. involvement increased with more American military personnel deployed
As the U.S.'s war on terrorism continued with little progress, the new administration decided to make changes to the procedure at the time and added more personnel. President Obama made "Afghanistan the central military focus of his administration, drawing troops out of Iraq and increasing the number in Afghanistan by almost 50,000" (New York Times 1). -
Uncertainty growing in the White House over Afghanistan situation.
Just a year after he vowed to deploy 50,000 troops in Afghanistan, President Obama takes back his words by claiming that the U.S. will only deploy 30,000. President Obama "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" (New York Times 7). -
Taliban contests election in many provinces
In very recent news, Afghanistan has begun elections for their new government. Though, there is a problem of getting fair voting in Taliban controlled areas of Afghanistan where many candidates have been killed. As Al-Jazeera states, "In the past three months, 10 of the 2,565 candidates who put their names forward to run have been killed in attacks, the majority carried out by the Taliban" (Al-Jazeera 1).