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The Kite Runner
Before Baba even met Ali, Baba's father met Ali. Baba's father happened to kill Ali's parents so he ended up taking Ali in. Amir reflects on these events, "As for the the orphan, my grandfather adopted him into his own household, and told the other servants to tutor him, but be kind to him. That boy was Ali" (Hosseini 25). Baba and Ali have a close and special bond due to them knowning each other since Baba was a baby. Additionally, Baba and Ali grew up together which makes them like brothers. -
The Kite Runner
Sanaubar, Hassan's mother, never cared enough to take care of him. Amir states, "It was in that small shack that Hassan's mother, Sanaubar, gave birth to him one cold winter day in 1964" (Hosseini 6). Hassan spent most of his time sitting in the shack where he was born, symbolizing the wishes he contained to at least have known his own mother. -
The Kite Runner
Just at nine years old, Amir and Hassan had began to hear shootings during one summer night. Amir reflected on the story and thought, "A siren went off in the distance. Somewhere glass shattered and someone shouted" (Hosseini 35). This event could have been a foreshadow of Amir and his father fleeing to America later on in the novel. -
The Kite Runner
As Amir reflects upon the time that Hassan got his lip fixed, he says, "I kept thinking of that day in 1974, in the hospital room, just after Hassan's harelip surgery" (Hosseini219). It was a very important memory as it marked the near date of an event that Amir nor Hassan wanted to remember. -
The Kite Runner
In the cold winter, Amir and Hassan would often go kite running. Amir states, "In the winter of 1975, I saw Hassan run a kite for the first time" (Hosseini 55). Kite running symbolizes Amir's determination because winning the competition meant approval from his father, Baba. -
The Kite Runner
Amir had never felt at peace and completely calm since before the rape of Hassan by Assef. Amir states, "What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace" (Hosseini 289). Amir was never fully able to live with what he had seen until he had faced his biggest fear, Assef himself. -
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The Soviet Invasion
Afghanistan has been in war since the 20th century. For example, "Afghanistan has known little peace since 1979, when the Soviet Union invaded" -
The Kite Runner
Baba didn't fully comprehend how different America was at first. Baba stated, "'He wants to see my license,' Baba bellowed in Farsi. 'Almost two years we've bought his damn fruits and put money in his pocket and the son of a dog wants to see my license!'" (127). Baba assumed asking for ID was offensive in America which showed his struggles to adapting to the new country. -
The Kite Runner
When Amir was eighteen years of age, him and Baba left Kabul to travel to America. Amir states, "My innards had been roiling since we'd left Kabul just after two in the morning" (Hosseini 111). Baba wanted him and Amir to flee to America after Ali and Hassan because he thought it would show a perspective of a new life for them. -
The Kite Runner
When Amir graduated from High School, he noticed Baba's sudden aging. Amir states, "Baba's beard was graying, his hair thinning at the temples, and hadn't he been taller in Kabul?" (Hosseini 131). Amir's thoughts gives the reader a clue of what might happen with Baba later on, possibly getting ill. -
The Kite Runner
Amir eventually went to visit Hassan in Hazajarat and as Amir says, "There were a lot of reasons why I went to find Hassan in 1986" (Hosseini203). Amir was now a grown adult man and got past his fear of Hassan and what he reminded him of. They were like brothers and needed to see one another. -
The Kite Runner
Amir had always loved writing and sharing his strories, Amir states, "In the summer of 1988, about six months before the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, I finished my first novel, a father son story set in Kabul, written mostly with the typewriter the general had given me" (Hossenin 182). Amir had always loved sharing his stories and the plot of his book symbolizes his love for Baba. -
The Kite Runner
Amir and Soraya found out they weren't capable to have children. Amir states, "He sat across from us, tapped his desk with his fingers, and used the word 'adoption' for the first time. Soraya cried all the way home" (Hosseini 186). Amir and Soraya couldn't have kids, but this gives an insight on the fact that there may be a chance of an adoption process later on in the book. -
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The Taliban Takeover
The Taliban is a group that ruled Afghanistan, when a US led invasion toppled the tule for providing refuge to al-Qaeda&Osama bin Laden. It states, "The Taliban regrouped across the border in Pakistan, where its central leadership headed by Mullah Mohammed Omar leads an insurgency against the Western backed government in Kabul" (Laud). Both the US&Afghanistan have pursued a deal with Taliban, but talks have small progress as forces prepare to end operations in 12/14 and withdraw by 2016. -
The Kite Runner
The Taliban had ruined everything for Hazaras in 1998. Amir states, "A few weeks later, the Taliban banned kite fighting. And two years later, in 1998, they massacred the Hazaras in Mazar-i-Sharif" (Hosseini 213). By banning kite running, they had banned a valued part of Amid and Hassan. -
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The Karzai Government
The Karzai government was the administration of Afghanistan under the rule Hamid Karzai, who became the head of state of Afghanistan in December 2001 after the Taliban government was overthrown. Karzai was appointed at the 2002 Loya Jirga as the Interim President of the Afghan Transitional Administration. -
The Kite Runner
Amir found out that Rahim Khan had turned very ill. Amir says, "'I have to go to Pakistan,' She stood up now. 'Pakistan?' 'Rahim Khan is very sick'" (191). Amir may find out important things from Rahim Khan if he goes to visit him. -
The Kite Runner
Amir eventually brought Sohrab back to America. He states, "We arrived home about seven months ago, on a warm day in August 2001" (Hosseini 357). Bringing Sohrab home to live with Amir and Soraya would make Sohrad feel as part of the family. -
The 9/11 Invasion
Al-Qaeda hijacks 4 airliners, crashing them into the World Trade Center in NYC & the Pentagon in DC, a 4th plane crashes in a field in Pennsylvania. Close to 3,000 people die in the attacks. Although Afghanistan is the base for al-Qaeda, none of the 19 hijackers are Afghan nationals, Mohammed Atta, an Egyptian, led the group, and 15 of the hijackers came from Saudi Arabia. George W. Bush vows to "win the war against terrorism," and later zeros on al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. -
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The Taliban Resurgence
The Taliban insurgency started shortly after the group's fall from power following the 2001 War in Afghanistan. The Taliban forces are fighting against the Afghan government, formerly led by ruler Hamid Karzai, now led by President Ashraf Ghani, and against the US led International Security Assistance Force. -
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Obama's War
With the situation in Iraq continuing to grow, the target date for ending US operations there approaching, in Feb. 2009 Obama increased the US military presence in Afghan to 68,000 troops. Obama had argued that the focus of US military should be in Afghan than Iraq & with the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghan, the military requested that Obama deploy an extra 40,000 troops. After carefully weighing the situation for 3 months, Obama chose to send 30,000 troops. -
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Nato Withdrawal Plan
Leaders in Nato’s meeting in Brussels that was also attended by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have reached a general agreement that the international forces will pull out of Afghanistan in 2014. It was also agreed that by this date the country’s security would be handed over to the local forces. This is a welcome sign for Afghanistan and Pakistan. -
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Military Pact
The Strategic Partnership Agreement is a legally binding executive agreement, undertaken between two sovereign nations. The goal in negotiating such an agreement has been to define with the Afghan Government what's on the other side of Transition and the completed drawdown of U.S. forces. The agreement the President signed today will detail how the partnership between the United States and Afghanistan will be normalized as we look beyond a responsible end to the war. -
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The Presidential Election Deal
Presidential elections were held in Afghanistan on 5 April 2014, with a second round held on 14 June. Incumbent President Hamid Karzai was not eligible to run due to term limits. -
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The Taliban Offensives
A spring offensive by Taliban insurgents has resulted in a series of attacks across Afghanistan, killing about 100 soldiers and police officers in the past week, according to officials.