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Amir and Hassan's encounter with Assef
Hassan is very brave when he says to Assef "'[b]ut perhaps you didn't notice that I'm the one holding the slingshot. If you make a move, they'll have to change your nickname from Assef 'the Ear Eater' to 'One-Eyed Assef...'" (Hosseini 42). This event shows how cowardly Amir is compared to Hassan, who stands up for both of them. Also, this connects to the end of the novel when Sohrab shoots Assef in the eye with the slingshot. -
Hassan's harelip surgery
Hassan's lip surgery heals and "[b]y the following winter, it was only a faint scar. Which was ironic. Because that was the winter that Hassan stopped smiling" (Hosseini 47). Baba paid for the operation, which shows how much he cares for Hassan and hints that they are father and son. After his surgery, Hassan is more confident and happy, but this quote foreshadows the rape that robs him of all reason to smile. -
Hassan gets raped
When watching Hassan get raped "I actually aspired to cowardice, because the alternative, the real reason I was running, was that Assef was right: Nothing was free in this world" (Hosseini 77). Amir is caught between saving his "servant" and winning his father's approval by bringing him the blue kite. In a decision that will forever change his life, Amir runs to save himself and his social status. -
Rahim Khan gives Amir a notebook
Rahim Khan gives Amir a notebook and says "'[f]or your stories'"(Hosseini 100). This may seem insignificant, but it foreshadows Amir's career as a writer. Amir's strong passion for writing drives the story, as The Kite Runner is written in his point of view. -
Ali and Hassan leave
When Baba is begging Ali to stay, Ali replies with "'[r]espectfully, you can't forbid me anything, Agha sahib... we don't work for you anymore'" (Hosseini 107). This demonstrates a power shift between Ali, who is a servant, and Baba, who was Ali's boss. Also, Baba pleading for them not to leave hints at the fact that he is Hassan's father. -
Soviet Invasion
The Soviet Union's inavsion led to, "[t]he turmoil and extremism that have dominated its history since then can be traced to the 1979 invasion by the Soviet Union..." ("Afghanistan- An Overview" 2). -
Period: to
The History of Afghanistan
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Baba stands up for what is right
When the Russian officer says he won't let Karim's truck through without half an hour with a woman in the back of a truck, Baba stands up for her "'[t]ell him I'll take a thousand of his bullets before I let this indecency take place'"(Hosseini 116). Baba stands up for this innocent woman because he knows it is right, even though it may get him killed. Amir tells Baba to sit down, but then realizes that he is a coward and nothing like his brave father. -
Baba is asked to show his ID
Amir sees what Baba has done and has to clean up the mess "[a]fter I'd made him promise he wouldn't go back in, I returned to the store and apologized to the Nguyens" (Hosseini 128). Moving to America is a significant change for both Amir and Baba, but it has a bigger impact on Baba because he was raised in Afghanistan for so long. Also, the move results in a power shift between Baba and Amir that is expressed through their relationship and when Amir handles the ID situation maturely. -
Amir marries Soraya
Amir, who has been in love with Soraya for a long time, tells Baba "'I want you to ask General Taheri for his daughter's hand'" (Hosseini 161). Amir asks Baba, who is very sick, to do this before his death, so he can witness their marriage. Baba will not feel like he needs to stay alive anymore and will be able to die peacefully, because Amir now has the love of his life, Soraya. -
Baba's death
When Baba dies, Amir looks back on his life and realizes "[i]n the end, a bear had come that he couldn't best. But even then, he had lost on his own terms" (Hosseini 174). Amir respects Baba and strives to be as brave as he was. Baba and Amir are a lot alike and have similar values, morals, and ethics. -
Soraya and Amir are unable to have children
Amir and Soraya get tested because they are wondering why they seem to be unable to get pregnant "[w]hen the tests were over, he explained that he couldn't explain why we couldn't have kids... It was called 'Unexplained Infertitlity'"(Hosseini 185). This event makes Amir and Soraya very upset and lonely. In a way, this foreshadows the adoption of Sohrab. -
Soviet Troops Leave Afghanistan
Through many efforts, "[e]ventually, after peace talks moderated by the United Nations, the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989..." ("Afghanistan- An Overview" 2). -
Power is Divided
When Afghanistan was in a state of chaos, "...by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" ("Afghanistan- An Overview" 2). -
Mullah Omar Creates Taliban Movement
Due to significant support from followers, "With his promise of restoring the centrality of Islam to daily life, he created a genuinely popular movement in a country weary of corruption and brutality" ("Afghanistan- An Overview" 2). -
Taliban Take Control of Afghanistan
With lots of followers and support, "[b]uoyed by Pakistani aid, the Taliban by 1996 had taken control of Afghanistan, imposing strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law..." ("Afghanistan- An Overview" 3). -
Amir finds out that Hassan is his brother
After Rahim Khan tells Amir that Hassan is his brother, he wonders about "[h]ow could [Baba] have lied to me all those years? To Hassan? He had... said, 'There is only one sin. And that is theft... When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth'" (Hosseini 225). Amir feels betrayed by his own father and like his whole life was a lie. Amir also realizes that he and his father are more alike than he thought; they both lied about something important, but the guilt ate them alive. -
Amir gets the call from Rahim Khan
When Rahim Khan asks Amir to "'[c]ome. There is a way to be good again,' Rahim Khan had said on the phone just before hanging up" (Hosseini 192). Amir gets the feeling that Rahim knows about Hassan's rape, so he is compelled to go to Pakistan and atone for his mistakes. His life has revoloved around guit since the winter of 1975, and he will do anything to make amends. -
Amir fights Assef
As Amir is fighting Assef he realizes "[w]hat was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace" (Hosseini 289). By doing this to save Sohrab, Amir feels like he is atoning for his mistakes. Amir and Assef are having the fight they should have had years ago. -
Sohrab attempts suicide
When looking back on Sohrab's suicide attempt "[Amir] wondered what his last thought had been as he had raised the blade and brought it down" (Hosseini 351). Sohrab's actions had a greater impact on Amir than himself. Amir feels like he ruined his chance at redemption, but with time, Sohrab begins to open up to Amir again. -
U.S. Reaction to World Trade Center Attack
The U.S. was determined to find bin Laden "[a]fter the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush gave the Taliban [who had knowledge of Al Qaeda's whereabouts] an ultimatum to hand over Mr. bin Laden" ("Afghanistan- An Overview" 3). -
Taliban are Defeated
Ignoring the fact that they were overcome, "[d]espite their defeat in 2001, the Taliban continued to wage a guerrilla warfare from a base in the mountainous and largely lawless tribal area on the Pakistan- Afghanistan border" ("Afghanistan- An Overview" 3). -
Amir runs a kite with Sohrab
As Amir looks at Sohrab when they are running their kite "[o]ne corner of his mouth had curled up just so. A smile. Lopsided" (Hosseini 370). After breaking a promise to Sohrab, Amir is sure there is no way to fix it, but when he runs a kite, Sohrab smiles. It may not be much, but the story ends with this act of atonement that symbolizes the beginning of a new life for Soraya, Amir, and Sohrab. -
Hamid Karzai Becomes Leader of Afghanistan
When the former king was exiled, " ...[Hamid Karzai] was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of the country" ("Afghanistan- An Overview" 3). -
Obama's Speech to Deploy 30,000 Troops
Still needing more help from troops, "In a speech delivered Dec. 1, 2009, at West Point, Mr. Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops" ("Afghanistan- An Overview" 4). -
Obama's Promised Date of Returning Troops
Since he had not yet achieved his goal, "Yet in a move away from that July 2011 deadline, the Obama administration changed its tone to increasingly emphasize the idea that the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014" ("Afghanistan- An Overview" 4).