-
British defeated in World War l
The British, beleaguered in the wake of World War I, are defeated in the Third British-Afghan War (1919-21), and Afghanistan becomes an independent nation. Concerned that Afghanistan has fallen behind the rest of the world, Amir Amanullah Khan begins a rigorous campaign of socioeconomic reform. -
Zahir Shah becomes king
Zahir Shah becomes king. The new king brings a semblance of stability to the country and he rules for the next 40 years. -
Afghanistan recognized
The United States formally recognizes Afghanistan. -
Hassan is born
Hassan was born a Hazara which meant that he'd remain in a lower socioeconomic status while in Kabul. He lived in a little mud hut with his father, "it was there, in that shack, that Hassan was born in the winter of 1964" (6). Just from hearing that you can already tell that Hassan isn't as wealthy as Amir for example. Unlike us today where we were most likely born in a hospital, they didn't have that. -
Amir's first words
Amir's first words were, "Baba" (11). By having his word be this it makes a point that even though Amir was just a baby, he still cares for his father. In return, Baba makes some big sacrifices for Amir throughout the book -
Baba's orphanage
Baba decided to, "build an orphanage" (13). This shows how Baba has enough power in Afghanistan to fulfill what he wants. Baba wants to help more children along with wanting to prove that he is a caring man. -
Khan overthrows Mohammed Zahir Shah
Khan overthrows the last king, Mohammed Zahir Shah, in a military coup. Khan’s regime, the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan, comes to power. Khan abolishes the monarchy and names himself president. The Republic of Afghanistan is established with firm ties to the USSR. -
Amir's stories
During one of Hassan and Amir's reading story time sessions Amir decided to pull a little trick on Hassan. In the middle of the story he would ditch the text and make up his own story and Amir was shocked by the outcome. Continuous clapping had started then, Hassan said "that was the best story [Amir had] read [to him] in a long time" (30). Amir was in disbelief that Hassan had actually liked it and didn't even know the truth that he wrote it. From this point on Amir had been inspired to write. -
Hassan's rape occurred
After winning the tournament, Amir goes on a search for Hassan. As he approached an alleyway he "opened [his] mouth, almost [saying] something. Almost. The rest of [his] life might have turned out differently if [he] had. But [he] didn't. [He] just watched. Paralyzed" (73). Amir knows he should stop it, but he is afraid of Assef hurting him and he just wants the kite, so he just watches the situation go down. This quote specifically reveals how Amir is a coward. -
Amir and Baba leave Afghanistan and travel to Pakistan
It is March 1981. "There were others, in all about a dozen, including Baba and [him], sitting with [their] suitcases between [their] legs, cramped with these strangers in the tarpaulin-covered cab of an old Russian truck. This quote is a good example of imagery by using the words cramped, tarpaulin-covered cab and old. Baba and Amir's journey wasn't as perfect as we imagined it seemed like a pain. -
Soviet Union invade Afghanistan
Amir says "suddenly Afghanistan changed forever" (34). At this moment Amir hears gunfire and in starts to leave little bits of foreshadowing by suggesting that everything is going to change forever. This was one of the only times that Afghanistan was the way Amir had remembered it, violent. -
Afghans have fled from the war to Pakistan
Some 2.8 million Afghans have fled from the war to Pakistan, and another 1.5 million have fled to Iran. Afghan guerrillas gain control of rural areas, and Soviet troops hold urban areas. -
Baba and Amir move to the US
Amir "reached across the table and put [his] hand on [Baba's]. [His] student hand, clean and soft, on his laborer's hand, grubby and calloused. I thought of all the trucks, train sets, and bikes he'd bought min in Kabul. Now America. One last gift for Amir" (145). Baba's decision to leave Kabul and immigrate to America was his greatest sacrifice for Amir. By moving it gives Amir another chance at life. The quote is comparing Amir vs. Baba and stating that their next gift is moving. -
Amir graduates high school
Amir states, "[he] wanted to say more, tell him how touched [he] was by his act of kindness, how much [he] appreciated all that he had done for [him], all that he was still doing. But [he] knew [he'd] embarrass him" (148). The quote is showing that as much as Amir wants to thank Baba he knows that Baba won't be impressed. However, as a gift for coming so far and being successful, Baba rewards Amir with a Ford. Since Baba has so little money this meant that he put all his time and money for that. -
Amir and Soraya get married
"I remember you telling me that. How long will you be gone?" (201) Soraya asks Amir his decision to go back to Kabul. As much as she wishes for him not to go, she supports his decisions and just wants him to be safe. Another situation was when Baba had passed away, it was hard for Amir and as much as he tried to hid his pain he knew that he had Soraya to comfort him. -
Baba has cancer
In chatter 13, Baba is diagnosed with caner. "[Amir] helped him into a clean white shirt and knotted his tie for him, nothing the two inches of empty space between the collar button and Baba's neck. [Amir] thought of all the empty spaces Baba would leave behind when he was gone, and I made myself think of something else. He wasn't gone. Not yet. And this way a day for good thought" (179). Finding this out must be really devastating for Amir. He's spending the last moments he can with his father. -
Droughts are ruining lives
Continuing drought devastates farmers and makes many rural areas uninhabitable. More than 1 million Afghans flee to neighboring Pakistan, where they languish in squalid refugee camps. -
The Taliban's execute Najibullah
The Taliban publicly executes Najibullah. Ethnic groups in the north, under Masood’s Northern Alliance, and the south, aided in part by Hamid Karzai, continue to battle the Taliban for control of the country. -
Amir comes back to Afghanistan and begins his search for Sohrab
In chapter 20, Amir states that "returning to Kabul was like running into an old, forgotten friend and seeing that life hadn't been good to him, that he'd become homeless and destitute" (246). This quote helps the readers get a feel for how Amir feels coming back to his homeland. It also makes us think is Amir truly talking about Kabul or is he talking about an old friend he has drifted apart from. -
Rahim Khan calls Amir
One day, Rahim Khan gives his old pal Amir a call and wants him to "come home." He ends up telling Amir "there is a way to be good again" (192). Amir had several afterthoughts after their call, could saving Sohrab relieve his feeling of guilt? This was just the start of Amir's journey to redemption. -
The Taliban make threats to destroy Buddhist statues in Bamiyan
Ignoring international protests, the Taliban carry out their threat to destroy Buddhist statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, saying they are an affront to Islam. -
Masood is killed by assassins in disguise
Masood, still head of the Northern Alliance and the nation’s top insurgent, is killed by assassins posing as journalists. -
Sohrab slingshots Assef
As Amir was being beaten up Sohrab pulls out his slingshot, “the slingshot made a thwiiiiit sound when Sohrab released the cup. Then Assef was screaming. He put his hand where his left eye had been just a moment ago. Blood oozed between his fingers” (254). This quote was actually foreshadowed from the scene back in chapter 5 when Amir stated that Assef would "have to change [his] nickname from Assef ‘the Ear Eater’ to ‘One-Eyed Assef,’ because I have this rock pointed at your left eye” (42). -
Amir flies a kite with Sohrab
Amir buys a kite and shows it off to Sohrab, he lets him know that back in the day his father Hassan was the best kite runner in all of Kabul. During this instance, Sohrab lets off his first smile. "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" (371). When hearing this off the bat I think about the phrase "little things make a difference. In this case, that one lopsided smile was enough for Amir. -
First parliamentary elections
The nation holds its first parliamentary elections in more than 30 years. The peaceful vote leads to the parliament’s first meeting in December.
