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200
Like Baba?
Amir begins to atone for sins he has committed like Baba by "[planting] a fistful of crumpled money under a mattress" (242). Amir uses his wealth like Baba in order to atone for sins. In addition, this is something that Baba would do in order to show is sorrow with actions. -
Betrayal
"Kabul awoke the next morning to find out ...Daoud Khan had ended the king's forty-year reign with a bloodless coup" (36). Kabul was nearing the end of their wealth and glory as the power had been taken over. There was no one worthy to hold the king's position because no one would respect the people of Afghanistan. -
Eid
During a special holiday, Eid, "...three days of celebration [occurs] after the holy month of Ramadan, Kabulis [dress] in their best and newest clothes and [visit] their families. People [hug] and [kiss] and [greet] each other with 'Eid Murbarak.' Happy Eid" (44). Eid is a special holiday for friends and family to come together and love each other. This was a time to relieve of anything that was hurting and to open up faith for the next year. -
The Sounds of War
"The sound of thunder and a white light flashed, lit the sky in silver. It flashed again and was followed by a rapid staccato of gunfire" (35). The soviets were taken over and the hate grew as the soviets won more and more of Afghanistan. And as the towns began to fall like dominos, more became afraid about what could happen to their homes and their life. -
Period: to
Afghanistan History and the Kite Runner
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End of peace
"Amir had just turned thirteen and "...that summer of 1976 [was also] Afghanistan's next to last summer of peace and anonymity" (93). Terror was coming and it was going to strike fear in the eyes of the people. It was going to devastate the calm, peaceful, and glorious days of walking on the sidewalks or playing near a fruit tree on the top of a hill. -
The end
Communists were taking over Afghanistan and it "...would first come in April 1978 with the communist coup d'etat" (36). Everyone hated the communists as they saw themselves as superior and they terrorized the Afghanistans. In addition, when another group prevails over the communists, they will be seen as gods. -
Loss of the prosperity
Ever since the Soviets invaded and weakened Afghanistan, citizens have said, "The turmoil and extremism that have dominated its history since then can be traced to the 1979 invasion by the Soviet Union and the reaction both by Afghans and by their allies in the United States and Pakistan" (2). The invasion of the Soviets severly weakened the country of Afghanistan and possibly led to the rise of the individual groups. And when the Talibans took over, it brought the U.S. into the war. -
A new Afghanistan
Afghanistan had lost it's power and prosperity "... when Russian tanks would roll into the very same streets where Hassan and [Amir] played, bringing the death of the Afghanistan I knew and marking the start of a still ongoing era of bloodletting" (36). Amir and Hassan's relationship would never be the same as their once playground was destroyed. Without a place of happiness and joy, there was little that Hassan and Amir could do to make them elated. -
Economy and Government
During a change of government power, "...the words economic development and reform danced on a lot of lips in Kabul" (43). As the government power changes, the development of the city slowed as they became weak and nothing compared to the Talibans. In addition, the people were merely dolls for the Talibans. -
A meaningful gift
During Amir's birthday, he only kept, "...Rahim Khan's leather-bound notebook. That was the only one that didin't feel like bloody money" (102). Amir's birthday was not all about glamor and glory, but he wanted gifts that were meant for him. Amir wanted something that led to his desired career. Which is writing for his life. -
Women's rights
As the years neared the 21st century, "[p]eople spoke of women's rights and modern technology" (43). Women became important and they were allowed to learn what they love. Furthermore, they want to be educated and thrive off their own success unlike their ancestors. -
The Wonders of Winter
For children, Winter was ever kid's favorite seasion in Kabul because "...they shut down school for the icy season" (48). The cold season brought warm feelings inside the children. The winter paused education, brought families together, and elated faces to the streets of Kabul. -
Kite Running
Winter was children's favorite season since "[e]very winter, districts in Kabul held a kite-fighting tournament. And if you were a boy living in Kabul, the day of the tournament was undedeniably the highlight of the cold season" (50). Kite tournaments was the World Cup for children and it was an honor to win it. Kite fighting was not an honor for the country, but an honor towards children's father. -
Rise of extremists
The Soviets stopped the war but, "They left behind a country that 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" (2). -
Destruction of Buddha statues
During May of 1996, many Western diplomats said, "...Al Qaeda helped persuade Mullah Omar to order the destruction of the 800-year-old Buddha statues at Bamiyan, an act condmned around the world" (3). -
The Rise of the Taliban
The Taliban began taking over and it all began at the end of 1994 when, "...Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and the east. With his promise of resotring the centrality of Islam too daily life, he created ta genuinely popular movement in a country weary of corruption and brutality" (2). -
Forgiving his sins towards Hassan
Amir repays his sins and his selfishness towards Hassanwhen he tells Sohrab "For you, a thousand times over" (371). In this statement, he responds in the same way Hassan did when they were kite running as kids which is how Amir atones for his sins. Amir puts himself in the shoes of Hassan in order to feel the way Hassan felt when they were kids. -
Realizing Amir and Baba are similar
Rahim Khan wanted to tell Amir before he passed away that "Your father, like you, was a tortured soul..."(303). Baba and Amir are similar because they lived a lie for many years. This explains that Baba and Amir also think and act the same because they want the best for another -
9/11
Due to the invasion by terrorists in the middle east, "The United States has been militarily involed in Afghanistan since 2001, when it led an invasion after the Sept. 11 attacks by Al Qaeda" (1). Very devastating time in US history that no American will ever forget -
After 9/11
The United States fought back with, "The 2001 invasion succeeeded in disloging Al Qaeda and removing the Taliban from power, but not in eradication either group" (1). Definitely weakened the group but it did not end the groups -
Rebelling Mr. bin Laden and the Taliban
After a devastating tragedy, President George W. Bush wanted to rebel and created, "An air and ground campaign that drove the Taliban out of the major Afghan cities by the end of the year" (3). -
A bright future?
Afghanistan was freed from the Taliban, in hopes that the country's new leader could, "...secure peace for Afghanistan and win the country much-needed interntional aid" (3). -
The return of the Taliban yet again
The Taliban wanted to regain Afghanistant, so the Taliban decided to, "...wage a guerilla warfare from a base in the mountainous and largely tribal area on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border" (3). -
Power divided
Once the soviets departed, "...Afghanistan descended into vicious internecine strife; bu tje summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individuals fiefdoms. But one group would eventually gain control" (2). Dividing up the power makes the country as a whole very weak. It also creates anarchy and catastrophies as another country or group will be able to take over Afghanistan -
A new leader
The constitutional monarchy was replaced by, "...a new [republican] leader [that] lived in Arg-the royal palace in Kabul-life went on as before" (205). A new leader was changing the power in Kabul. This leader decided to take the power that he was thirsty for in order to control Kabul.