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Hassan Gets His Harelip Removed
Amir describes Hassan after his harelip gets removed, "The swelling subsided, and the wound healed with time. Soon, it was just a pink jagged line running up from his lip. By the following winter, it was only a faint scar" (Hosseini 47). The removal of Hassan's harelip foreshadows that a bigger change will occur. Later in the book, after Hassan gets raped, Amir and Hassan's relationship weakens and goes through an alteration. -
Hassan's Rape
In the beginning of Hosseini's novel he aludes to Hassan's rape from Assef, "I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975" (Hosseini 1).Hassan's rape impacts the rest of the story because Amir believes it happened because of him. After the rape, the idea of the novel shifts to Amir atoning his sin towards Hassan. -
Amir Wins the Kite Tournament
Amir rejoiced after winning the tournament, "Then I was screaming, and everything was color and sound, everything was alive and good....'You won Amir agha! You won! (Hosseini 66). Amir winning the kite tournament has significance because it greatly impacts his relationships. After the tournament, Amir becomes closer to Baba and distances himself from Hassan. -
Khan Brings a New Constitution Into View
In 1975 Khan, "Proposes a new constitution that grants women's rights and works to modernize the largely communist state"(PBS Newshour). -
Period: to
Kite Runner
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Amir turns 13
Amir states, I turned thirteen that summer of 1976' Afghanistan's next to last summer of peace and anonymity" (Hosseini 93). Amir turning thirteen shows the reader that he is growing up and maturing. Additionally, Hosseini uses Amir's birthday to foreshadow for the bad things that will happen to Afghanistan. -
Khan Dies
PBS NewsHour informs the readers, "Khan is killed in a communist coup" (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/). -
Afghans Begin Fleeing
After a devastating drought, "More than 1 million Afghans flee to neighboring Pakistan, where they languish in squalid refugee camps"(http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/). -
Baba and Amir Flee Afghanistan
Amir illustrates the situation, "There were others, in all about a dozen, including Baba and me, sitting with our suitcases between our legs, cramped with these strangers in the tarpaulin-covered cab of an old Russian truck." (Hosseini 110). In this example of physical setting Hosseini portrays how desperate Afghans are to flee the country. If people are willing to spend hours cramped in a truck with strangers, Afghanistan's situation must be unbearable. -
Amir Graduates High School
Amir explains, "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). After moving to the United States, Amir graduating high school signifies a fresh start for Amir. Also, after graduating high school, Baba and Amir strengthen their relationship and Baba finally acknowledges Amir as an adult. -
Baba Dies
Hosseini describes Baba's death when he states, "She pulled up his blanket. We closed the door. Baba never woke up" (Hosseini 173). When Hosseini used simple sentences to describe Baba's death, he portrays Baba's death scene as expected and peaceful. Furthermore, when illustrating Baba's death, Hosseini uses little to no emotion, leaving it to the reader to determine. -
Rahim Khan Visits Hassan
Rahim elaborates, "There were a lot of reasons why I went to Hazarajat to find Hassan in 1986" (Hosseini 203). While explaining his motives to Amir, Khan illustrates his need for answers. Khan's explanation helps Amir understand that Khan knew that Amir saw Hassan get raped. -
Amir Officially Become an Author
Amir proudly admits, "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). This fact assists the reader in further understanding Amir's characteristics. For example, the quote highlights how Amir values family and his childhood in Kabul. -
The Signing of the Peace Treaty
Afghans finally gain their independence, "The U.S., Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Soviet Union sign peace accords in Geneva guaranteeing Afghan independence and the withdrawal of 100,000 Soviet troops" (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/). -
Sanaubar Gives Birth to Sohrab
Khan explains to Amir, "It was Sanaubar who delivered Hassan's son that winter" (Hosseini 211). Still explaining to Amir, Rahim informs him that Sanaubar entered Hassan's life again, even after twenty plus years. This information gives Amir hope that he could still atone his sins many years later just like Sanaubar. -
Soraya Informs Her Parents She Is Infertile
Amir informs readers, "Soraya broke the news to her parents the weekend after out last visit with Dr. Rosen" Soraya's mom responds, " Maybe it wasn't meant to be" (Hosseini 186). Hosseini's use of foreshadowing throughout the novel becomes evident when he alludes to Sohrab. Alluding to Sohrab exemplifies how important he was to Soraya and Amir's relationship. -
Clinton Gets Revenge
The United States get revenge, "Following al-Qaida’s bombings of two American embassies in Africa, President Clinton orders cruise missile attacks against bin Laden’s training camps in Afghanistan" (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/). -
Taliban Kills Hassan
Hosseini describes the death scene, "Hassan slumps to the asphalt, his life of unrequited loyalty drifting from him like the wind blown kites he used to chase" (Hosseini 219). Hosseini's use of figurative language helps the reader picture the situation. Furthermore, Hosseini relates the situation back the main theme of kites in the novel, showing the reader how important Hassan's death is. -
Taliban Destroys Buddhist Statues
In March 2001 Buddhist statues get destroyed, "Ignoring international protests, the Taliban carry out their threat to destroy Buddhist statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, saying they are an affront to Islam" (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/). -
Rahim Khan Calls Amir
Amir states, "One day last summer, my friend Rahim Khan called me from Pakistan. He asked me to come see him" (Hosseini 1). Hosseini's use of foreshadowing implies that Rahim Khan will be an important character later in the story. Furthermore, Hosseini mentions Pakistan which also implies that the story will include Pakistan often. -
Amir Comes Back From Afghanistan
Amir describes coming home from his voyage, "We arrived home about seven months ago in August 2001. Soraya picked us up from the airport" (Hosseini 357). As Amir's journey of atonement comes to an end, the strength of Amir and Soraya's relationship becomes clearer. Even after being apart for so long, Amir and Soraya's relationship remains strong. -
World Trade Center is Bombed
On September eleventh, "Hijackers commandeer four commercial airplanes and crash them into the World Trade Center Towers in New York, the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and a Pennsylvania field, killing thousands"(http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/). -
Amir Visits Rahim Khan
Amir explains to Soraya, "'I have to go to Pakistan.' She stood up now. 'Pakistan?' 'Rahim Khan is very sick'" (Hosseini 191). Amir's instantaneous decision to visit Rahim shows that he is still dedicated to his past relationships. Additionally, this quote shows how even though Amir has bad memories of Afghanistan he is still willing to go back. -
Amir Teaches Sohrab To Fly a Kite
One night in 2002 Sohrab and Amir bond over flying a kite together. While teaching him Amir announces, "'Watch, Sohrab. I'm going to show you one of your father's favorite tricks, the old lift-and-drive'"(Hosseini 369). Hosseini uses symbolism to portray how the kite symbolizes Amir's atonement. Right after Amir flies the kite the first time in the novel, Hassan gets raped. Similarly, Amir flies a kite again after atoning his sin and taking care of Sohrab. -
NATO Controls Security
In 2003, "Amid increased violence, NATO takes over security in Kabul in August" (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/). -
The Taliban and al-Qaida
After the Taliban and al-Qaida begin fighting,"Taliban fighters launch a bloody wave of suicide attacks and raids against the international troops” (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/). -
The Death of Osama Bin Laden
As a relief to Afghanistan, "U.S. forces overtake a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and kill al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden"
(http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/).