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Amir is born, Sofia Akrami passes away
As Amir talks about his and Hassan's mother, he mentions that his mother "hemorrhaged to death during [Amir's birth]" (Hosseini 6) In this quotation, Amir talks about how he has always been responsible because of his mother's death, as she would have still been alive if he was not born. This further proves Baba's relationship with Amir throughout the novel, as Baba has always thought that Amir took his 'princess' away from him, and that Amir would never replace his mother in his father's eyes. -
Hassan is born, Sanaubar leaves her family
When Amir talks about his mother, he mentions Hassan's family story as well, saying " [Hassan] lost [his mother] less than a week after he was born" (Hosseini 6) Growing up, Hassan did not have a motherly figure, just like Amir. Unlike Amir, Hassan's mother left them, so his father, Ali, does not blame Hassan about losing his wife like Baba does with Amir. It is because of this, he has a stronger bond with his father. -
Hassan gets raped
As Hassan is being raped by Assef, Amir calls himself a coward and believed that "Hassan was the price [he] had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba" (Hosseini 76) Here, it is shown that Amir will do anything to prove him worthy of Baba's love, including sacrificing his childhood 'friend'. Because of Amir witnessing Hassan's rape, which affects his actions throughout the rest of the novel, including atoning for his actions by adopting Sohrab and letting Assef beat him up. -
Amir and Hassan win the kite-flying competition
Amir brings the winning blue kite back home and "put the kite down and walked into [Baba's arms]" (Hosseini 79) In this quotation, it is shown that Amir shows great pride in winning the blue kite. This means that Baba's relationship with Amir was strengthened because of Amir's victory. In Baba's eyes, Amir finally fulfilled his vision of the normal Afghan boy, who played sports outside and won medals instead of reading and writing. -
Ali and Hassan leave
When Amir frames Hassan for thievery, Ali tells Baba that he and Hassan were "leaving, Agha sahib...life here is impossible for us now" (Hosseini 106) In this quotation, Ali says he and Hassan do not want to live with Baba and Amir anymore. This greatly impacts Amir as he now has to deal with Ali and Hassan leaving, plus Hassan's rape, knowing that he caused both of those actions to happen. -
The Soviet Union invades Kabul
Soviet troops first landed in Kabul in 1979, "to assist Babrak Karmal, who had become president to coup within the Afghan Communist leadership" (The New York Times) -
Baba and Amir flee Afghanistan
After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, Baba and Amir "[escaoed] out of Shorawi-occupied Kabul to the relative safety of Pakistan" (Hosseini 111). In this quotation, Baba and Amir are leaving Afghanistan to escape the Russians. This matters because it affects their lifestyle significantly, as they are not as wealthy anymore in America, and Amir has a chance to get married. -
Afghans flee or fight back
When half of the Afghan people are fleeing to surrounding countries, many guerrilla fighters come together in Pakistan "to form [alliances] against Soviet forces" (BBC News) -
Amir and Soraya get married
Amir 'proposed' to Soraya saying "[he] wants [them] to marry" (Hosseini 165) In this quote, Amir and Soraya will be getting married, but will skip most of the formalities, as Baba is clearly not going to live much longer. This is important because Baba is proud of Amir that he married, and shows tenderness towards him and Soraya that he never showed Amir as a child. Baba reads his stories with Soraya, and their relationship strengthened from Amir's marrige. -
Baba passes away
When Baba tells Soraya that he does not want to take his medicine, he fell asleep and "never woke up" (Hosseini 173) Here, it is shown that Baba passes away. This is extremely significant to the plotline because Amir feels guilt and a wave of sadness because he just started to get along with his father, after so many years of neglect. -
Rahim Khan finds Hassan
When Rahim Khan realizes he is sick, he decides to go find Hassan, saying that when he first saw him in so many years, Hassan "dropped the [what he was holding] when [he] saw [Rahim Khan]. [Rahim Khan] had to make [Hassan] stop kissing [his] hands" (Hosseini 205) Here, it is shown that Hassan still respects Rahim Khan, even after all these years and all he's been through. This leads into Rahim Khan telling Amir that he needed to find Hassan's son and atone for his wrongdoings towards Hassan. -
Amir gets his first novel published
With the support from Soraya, Amir "finished [his] first novel, a father-son story set in Kabul" (Hosseini 182) Here, it is shown that Amir published his first book about father-son relationships, most likely reflecting on his relationship with Baba, and possibly foreshadowing his future relationship with Hassan's son Sohrab. This novel was most likely dedicated to Baba because of Baba's recent passing, and Amir's dissapointment towards himself that he never recieved Baba's praise. -
Soviet Troops Leave Afghanistan
After the Soviet had no more power due to the weapons the United States were supplying the rebels in Afghanistan, they had no choice but to "[leave] behind a country that was not only devastated by the war but had become a beacon to Islamic extremists ..." (The New York Times) -
Sohrab is born
Hassan's second child was named Sohrab, and he was described as "a beautiful little boy, sweet as sugar, and had the same temperament as his father" (Hosseini 211) Here, Rahim Khan describes Hassan's son to Amir. This is significant because to Amir, Sohrab was the end to the cycle of lies that went on between Baba, Amir, Ali, Rahim Khan and Hassan. -
Power in Afghanistan is divided
After the Soviet troops left Afghanistan "by the summer of 1994, power was anarchically divided among competing warlords and individual fiefdoms" (The New York Times) -
Taliban takes over Afghanistan
Having help from Pakistan, the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 1996 "imposing strict fundamentalist Islamic law, banning movies and music and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqua clothing" (The New York Times). -
The Taliban are recognized as an official political party
According to CNN, "the Afghan government is willing to recognize the Taliban as a legitimate political party" (CNN). -
Hassan and Farzana are killed by the Taliban
Rahim Khan informs Amir that the Taliban "shot [Hassan] in the back of the head ... shot [Farzana] too" (Hosseini 219) In this quote, Amir learns Hassan and Farzana are dead. This is significant to the plotline because Amir believes that he takes in Hassan's son, Sohrab, he will finally atone for his actions. -
The Attack of 9/11
The carefully orchestrated attacks by Osama Bin Laden and his Islamic extremist group "rammed jetliners into each of New York's World Trade Center towers ... toppling both in a hellish storm of ash, glass, smoke and leaping victims" (The New York Times). -
Amir talks with Rahim Khan
When Amir goes back to Afghanistan to see Rahim Khan for the last time, he learns Hassan was his brother and tells himself what Baba used to tell him, "There is only one sin. Ant that is theft... When you lie, you steal someone's right to the truth ... fifteen yeras after I'd buried him, I was learning that Baba was a thief" (Hosseini 225) Here, it is shown that Amir has lost his faith in Baba. This further proves that he should go save Sohrab. -
Sohrab tries to commit suicide
After Amir breaks his promise to Sohrab Amir finds Sohrab in the bathtub and takes him to the hospital, where a doctor informs him that "they had to transfuse several units of red cells ... twice they had to revive him ... they would have lost him if his heart hadn't been good and strong ... he is alive" (Hosseini 348) This means that Amir truly cares for Sohrab. Not just for the reasons of atoning for his actions, but Amir realizes Sohrab may be the son he would have never had. -
Sohrab and Amir fly a kite together
During New Years Eve, Amir teaches Sohrab how to fly a kite, and Sohrab responds with "a smile. Lopsided. Hardly there. But there" (Hosseini 370-371). In this quotation, it is shown that Amir finally wins Sohrab over by talking about his father and what Hassan was like as a child. This demonstrates that Sohrab now trusts Amir and he may be a fatherly figure towards him now. -
President Barack Obama plans to deploy troops
In 2009, President Barack Obama makes a speech in West Point, saying that he has a plan to "deploy 30,000 troops [to Afghanistan]" (New York Times) -
President Obama plans to bring forces home
During his speech in 2009, President Obama "vowed to start bringing American troops home from Afghanistan in the middle of 2011, saying the United States could not afford and should not have to shoulder an open-ended commitment" (New York Times) -
Military Troops still in Afghanistan
Even after Obama promised to have troops back in 2011, as of 2014, it has been said that "the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014" (New York Times)