The Kite Runner and the History of Afghanistan

  • Women Allowed to Attend University

    Women Allowed to Attend University
    Women are finally allowed to attend university and enter the workforce
  • Amir is Born

    When Amir talks about Hassan's birth, he also describes the significant event that happened when he was born, which was,"It was there, in that little shack, that Hassan was born in the winter of 1964, just one year after my mother died giving birth to me"(Hosseini 6). Right after Amir was born his mother died, which made him feel guilty for the rest of his life.
  • Hassan is born

    Hassan is born
    When Amir explains Hassan's birth he describes it as, "A few grunts, a couple pushes, and out came Hassan. Out he came smiling"(Hosseini 10). This shows that even when Hassan was born he was still happy and that he always finds a way to be positive and smile.
  • The Afghan Communist Party Forms

    Afghan Communist party secretly forms. The group's principal leaders are Babrak Karmal and Nur Mohammed Taraki.
  • Hassan has a surgery to fix his cleft lip

    When Hassan gets surgery to fix his cleft lip everyone agreed that, "The surgery went well. {Amir, Ali, and Baba} were all a little shocked when they first removed the bandages, but kept {their} smiles just as Dr. Kumar had instructed {them}"(Hosseini 46). This shows that the family was a little shocked after looking at Hassan following the surgery, but knew it worked out well and that it'll be ok in the end.
  • Amir Wins Kite Running Contest

    Amir Wins Kite Running Contest
    Amir foreshadows that,"In the winter of 1975, I saw Hassan run a kite for the last time"(Hosseini 55). This shows that something significant will happen to Hassan in the future that is traumatizing and important.
  • Period: to

    Government proposes new constitution

    Khan proposes a new constitution that grants women rights and works to modernize the largely communist state. He also cracks down on opponents, forcing many suspected of not supporting Khan out of the government.
  • Amir and Baba escape from Afghanistan

    Amir talks about how he quietly left Kabul by saying, "The signs of our elopement were subtle...In the morning, Jallaluddin- Our sevennth servant in years would probably think we'd gone for a stroll or drive. We hadn't told him"(Hosseini 112). This shows that know one could trust anyone and how Amir and Baba secretly snuck out of the city and how they're trying to sneak out of the country.
  • Amir graduates high school

    Amir graduates high school
    Amir describes his graduation from high school saying, "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). This means that amir was the oldest to graduate because of his late start from coming to America, but still made it and finally graduated.
  • Baba dies

    Baba dies
    In the book when Amir talks about when Baba died Soraya and Baba were talking before Baba went to bed and Soraya said,"'I'll come back with your morphine and glass of water...' 'Not tonight,' he said. 'There's no pain tonight'... She pulled up his blanket. We closed the door. Baba never woke up"(Hosseini 173). This shows that no one but maybe Baba saw his death coming and how he died peacefully and probably happy.
  • Rebel Group Receives Help From United States, Britain, and China

    The Mujahideen, a rebel group against the Taliban, receives arms from United States, Britain, and China via Pakistan.
  • The Taliban come to Kabul

    While talking about the Taliban Rahim Kahn tells Amir,"I told you how we celebrated in 1996 when the Taliban rolled in and put an end to the daily fighting"(Hosseini 213). Even though most people in Afghanistan were happy at first about the Taliban because they thought they'd end the fighting, the Hazara's were scared because they knew the Taliban would bring a new type of fighting and massacres.
  • Hassan and Farzana are killed by the Taliban

    While Rahim Khan tells Amir the story of how Farzana and Hassan died he said,"'-and ordered him to kneel-...-and shot him in the back of the head...Farzana came screaming and attacked them-...-shot her too"(Hosseini 219). The Taliban murdered the couple because they were Hazaras, yet even though Farzana and Hassan were innocent the Taliban said they were guilty and the only reason they killed them was because of "Self-defense"
  • Taliban Destroy Buddhist Statues

    Taliban carry out their threat to destroy Buddhist statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, saying they are an affront to Islam.
  • Sohrab smiles for the first time

    While flying a kite with Sohrab, Amir explains that,"I looked down at Sohrab. One corner of his mouth had curled up just so. A smile. Lopsided"(Hosseini). Even though Sohrab had been through many tough and traumatic events, he finally found his happiness in America with Amir.