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Amir reads story to Hassan
Amir remembers, "One day, in July 1973, I played another little trick on Hassan. I was reading to him and suddenly I strayed from the book, flipping pages regularly, but I had abandoned the text altogether, taken over the story and made up my own" (Hosseini 30). Amir's trick on Hassan was an act out of jealousy of Hassan's abilities. Essentially, Amir's feeling of envy with Hassan's abilities and his connection to Baba influence Amir to trick Hassan in order to feel better about himself. -
A milestone day day for Amir
Amir states, "I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975" (Hosseini 1). Through Amir explaining the significance of that date, it foreshadows an extreme event later on in the story. More importantly, the setting sets up an archetype of a gloomy frigid overcast day, which points out that an unfortunate event may happen. -
The Soviet Union troops land in Afghanistan to help Babrak Karmal
According to the text it states, "The first Soviet Union troops parachuted into Kabul on Dec. 12, 1979, to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become president in a coup within the Afghan Communist Leadership" (New York Times). -
Baba and Amir move to Fremont, California
Baba's outlook on America is explained further by Amir, "Fremont, California. 1980's. Baba loved the idea of America. It was living in America that gave him an ulcer" (Hosseini 125). Due to the Soviet Union invading Afghanistan, Baba and Amir chose to move to America to avoid violence with the Soviets. In turn, Baba has become really acclimated with the Afghan setting. As a result, living in America doesn't offer the same Afghan values or traditions like Kabul did, which upsets Baba. -
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Amir travels to Jalalabad
Amir writes, "March 1981 A young woman sat across from us. She was dressed in an olive green dress with a black shawl wrapped tightly around her face against the night chill. She burst into prayer every time the trick jerked or stumbled into a pothole" (Hosseini 110). The journey to Jalalabad proves to be rickety, as well as scary due to the Russians who are in Afghanistan. Furthermore, the fear in the residents will cause a slight shake into an outburst of prayer. -
Amir graduates high school
Amir remarks, "That summer of 1983, I graduated from high school at the age of twenty, by far the oldest senior tossing his mortarboard on the football field that day" (Hosseini 131). Although Amir may not be of the typical age when graduating from school, this's still a highly valuable accomplishment. To emphasize, Amir and Baba successfully made it out of Kabul alive, and not only that, they are finding success in America through Amir graduating high school, and pursing his aspirations. -
Soviet Union runs into problems with the United States
The U.S. have implemented anti-aircraft weaponry, the article explains further, "After 1986, the Soviet Air force was also rendered largely useless by advanced stinger aircraft missiles supplied by the United States to the rebels" (New York Times). -
Rahim Khan goes to Hazarajat to find Hassan
Rahim describes to Amir, "There were a lot of reasons why I went to Hazarajat to find Hassan in 1986. The biggest one, Allah forgive me, was that I was lonely. By then, most of my friends and relatives had either been killed or had escaped the country to Pakistan or Iran" (Hosseini 203). Eventually, Rahim Khan left the dangerous Kabul to search for a feeling of forgiveness. It's important to take note of how dangerous Kabul is, just based off of his family and how many of have escaped or died. -
Hassan's death
Rahim Khan addresses, "Hassan would have been a grown man in 1986, twenty-two, twenty-three years old. If he was even alive, that is- the Shorawi, may they rot in hell for what they did to our watan" (Hosseini 204). Unfortunately, Hassan's life was cut short due to the Soviet, or also known as "Shorawi". It's also important to note, this event happened at the same time as the Soviet Union ran into problems with the Taliban, as times were most likely dangerous for all residents of Afghanistan. -
Amir finishes first novel
Amir explains, "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" (Hosseini 182). After all of Amir's dreams of becoming a writer as a child, he finally accomplishes it. Specifically, this novel he wrote may also foreshadow the relationship he and Baba had, due to the setting. -
Taxicab driver explains past story about the Taliban to Amir
While Amir's on his way to Peshawar, his taxicab driver angrily explains how inhumane the Taliban are, "I was at a soccer game at Ghaazi stadium in 1989 . . . Suddenly this young bearded fellow who was patrolling the aisles . . .walked up to me and struck me on the head with Kalashnikov" (Hosseini 199). Shortly after the Taliban drove the Soviet Union out, they became cruel to the people of Afghanistan. Specifically, the Taliban used unnecessary force on most people in Afghanistan. -
Soviet Union troops withdraw from Afghanistan
The article adds, "Eventually, after peace talks moderated by the United Nations, the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989, in what was in effect a unliteral withdrawal" (New York Times). -
Amir publishes first novel
Amir proudly proclaims, "The novel was released in the summer of that following year, 1989, and the publisher sent me on a five-city book tour. I became a minor celebrity in the Afghanistan community" (Hosseini 183). During withdrawal of the Soviets, Amir brings joy to Afghanistan through his successful book. Although Baba may not have liked the idea of Amir becoming a writer at first, Amir stuck to his passion and later became a well-respected person in Afghanistan similar to Baba. -
Hassan's wife, Farzana, becomes pregnant
Rahim Khan mentions to Amir, "In early 1990, Faranza became pregnant again" (Hosseini 209). After Hassan and Faranza last child's death by the Taliban, Faranza becomes pregnant with Sohrab. With this in mind, the time of which Faranza became pregnant may have been before the violence of the Taliban started to show, which a more calm time to carry a baby. -
Hassan's mom returns to him
Rahim Khan adds, "It was that same year, in the middle of the summer, that a woman covered in a sky blue burqa knocked on the front gates one morning. When I walked up to the gates she was on her swaying on her feet, like she was too weak to even stand" (Hosseini 209). Finally, after Hassan's mom left after she gave birth to him, she returns about 20 years later. Yet, the time she came back, it's evident she's most likely too weak or poor to sustain herself, so she luckily finds Hassan. -
Amir's wife Soraya is infertile
Soraya explains to her father, "'The doctor said we could adopt . . . I know it's silly and maybe vain' . . . 'Bachem, this adoption...thing I'm not so sure it's for us Afghans'" (Hosseini 187). Soraya suggests adopting a child, yet she can't due to Afghan values, as pointed out by her father. It's been evident in this book that Afghan values have complicated Amir's life in many ways such as career options, knowing the truth that Hassan's his half brother, and now his family with Soraya. -
Taliban terrorist group grows
After the Soviet Union withdraws troops, the Taliban began to grow, the text explains further, "By the end of Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was rolling up the warlords to the north and east" (New York Times). -
Taliban seize control of Afghanistan
While in Afghanistan the Taliban gave help to the terrorist group Al Qaeda, the article states, "The group had been given a 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). -
Rahim Khan talks about the Taliban
Rahim Khan expresses Kabul's feelings towards the Taliban before violence, "I told you how we all celebrated in 1996 when the Taliban rolled in and put an end to the daily fighting" (Hosseini 213). At first, Kabul's citizens thought positively of the Taliban since they got rid of the Soviets. Quickly, citizens realize the Taliban's excessive and unnecessary violence towards them. -
United States invades Afghanistan
The U.S. retaliates after a Taliban attack on September 11th, the article states that in the same year, "The 2001 invasion succeeded in dislodging Al Queda and removing the Taliban from power, but not in iradicating either group" (New York Times). -
Taliban fails in fighting off the United States' invasion
After the U.S. invasion the article adds, "Despite their defeat in 2001, the Taliban continue to wage a guerrilla warfare from a base in the mountainous and largely lawless tribal area on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border" (New York Times). -
Amir and Sohrab are back in America
Amir writes, "We arrived home about seven months ago, on a warm day in August 2001. Soraya picked us up at the airport" (Hosseini 357). At last, Amir and Sohrab finally make it home to America after being tangled in many complications in Afghanistan, yet they arrive home shortly before the catastrophe of 9/11. On the other hand, the joyful Soraya will be the first person to greet Amir and their newly adopted son, Sohrab. -
9/11 Happens
Amir adds, "While Sohrab was silent, the world was not. On Tuesday morning last September, the Twin Towers came crumbling down and, overnight, the world changed" (Hosseini 362). Sadly, the Taliban have brought the fight over to America, which will affect innocent Afghans in America in many ways. For instance, the Taliban claim to be Muslim, the same religion as innocent Afghans. In turn, the Muslim's reputation will be stereotyped as people who support terriosim, which isn't the truth. -
Amir's family gets together
Amir remarks, "Then, four days ago, on a cool rainy day on March 2002, a small wonderous thing happened. I took Soraya, Khala Jamila, and Sohrab to a gathering of Afghans at Lake Elizabeth Park in Fremont" (Hosseini 363). The Afghan culture will not die out due to the Taliban's violence, as they continue to celebrate their culture. Therefore, this meeting in the park demonstrates the resiliency of the Afghans, even after being shamed upon for the Taliban's actions on 9/11. -
United States sends large amounts of troops to Afghanistan
After the last invasion from the U.S. in 2001 didn't get rid of the terriost groups, "[President Obama] put Gen. David H. Petraeus, the architect of the 2007 "surge" in Iraq, in command of American forces in Afghanistan, and the pace of American operations stepped up enormously, initially in the Taliban's strongholds in the south" (New York Times). -
President Obama releases plans for U.S. troops being deployed in Afghanistan
President Obama points out, "In a speech delivered Dec. 1, 2009, at West Point, Mr. Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" (New York Times). -
President Obama keeps troops in Afghanistan until 2014
The United States plans in the past to withdraw forces changed, as said in the article, "The Obama administration increasingly emphasizes the idea that the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014" (New York Times).