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Assef Rapes Hassan for Being a Hazara
After winning the kite contest, Amir and Hassan are walking home with the winning blue kite. However, Assef stops them and before Amir knows it, "Assef knelt behind Hassan, put his hands on Hassan's hips and lifted his bare buttocks"(Hosseini 75). Not only was Hassan verbally abused about being a Hazara, he was sexually assaulted by a boy only one year older than him. This shows how poorly Hazara's are treated in Kabul and what measures some Pashtuns will go to in order to fully abuse one. -
Amir Turns 13 and Ali Leaves With Hassan
After witnessing Hassan' rape, Amir found the only way to cope with his remorse was to be even worse to Hassan. In an attempt to get Hassan in trouble, Amir "Planted [his] new watch and a handful of Afghan bills under it [in Hassan's bed]"(Hosseini 104). When Ali finds Amir's possessions in Hassan's bed, he knew that Amir planted them. However instead of staying and letting Hassan deal with the consequences, He leaves - to protect Hassan from anymore of Amir's cruel ploys. -
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KITE RUNNER & THE HISTORY OF AFGHANISTAN
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Mohammed Daoud Khan Tries to Builds Railroad
Mohammed Daoud Khan spends 1.7 billion dollars to try and connect Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat to the Iranian railroad system which provides access to the Persian Gulf. However the "project was not realized due to oil price collapse and the subsequent ousting of the Iranian Shah" (Wikipedia). -
PDPA Kills Mohammed Daoud Khan
In 1978, Military units loyal to the PDPA assaulted the Afghan Presidential Palace, killing President Mohammed Daoud Khan and his family"(Wikipedia). The PDPA (People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan), originally supported Daoud Khan and even helped him overthrow his cousin, Mohammed Zahir Shah. However, once reaching presidency, Daoud Khan started to oppose the PDPA, and fired all PDPA politicians with high positions. This strong conflict led to the assassination of Dauod Khan. -
Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty is Signed
After a meeting in Moscow, Russia, between new PDPA President of Aghanistan, Nur Muhammad Taraki, and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Leonid Brnzhnev, "treaty was signed which permitted deployment of the Soviet military at the Afghan government's request"(Wikipedia). This meant both nations were at peace for 20 years, and both nations agreed to develop military together. -
Soviet Union Invades Afghanistan and Ends the 20-Year Peace Treaty Between the Nations
Following the murder of Taraki, Hafizullah Amin steps into to presidency. However he struggles to maintain order in the country, due to conflicts btween pro and anti communism citizens. This troubed many other countries, and "Fearing the collapse of the Amin regime, the Soviet army invaded Afghanistan"(Wikipedia). The Soviet Union executed Amin and Babrak Karmal took the presidential seat. -
Russians Invade Afghanistan, Amir and Baba Flee
As the Russians invaded Kabul, Amir and Baba, along with many others, had no choice but to flee. They feld in the back of a truck with "others, in all about a dozen, including Baba and [Amir], sitting with our suitcases between our legs"(Hosseini 110). This illustrates the power the Soviet Union had at the time. As the Russians invaded Afghanistan, they forced all civilians to flee, or they would be killed for staying. -
Baba Struggles Adjusting to American Life
After Arriving in San Francisco, Baba finds that life in America is Drastically different from Afghanistan. At one point Baba caused such a disturbance in the market and Amir had to explain that "[his] father is still adjusting to life in America"(Hosseini 128). This shows the role Amir now has to take on in America. He needs to be the one to protect his father and help Baba out of tough siuations. -
Amir Graduates from High School
Amir had always enjoyed education and in the "Summer of 1983, [he] graduated college at the age of twenty"(Hosseini 131). This shows Amir's pure drive to success an a good education. Even though he is the oldest kid in his grade, he outs his differences aside and works for the best education he can get -
Amir Meets Soraya at Flea Market
While speaking to General Taheri at the Market, a decorated war general from Kabul, Amir is introduced to his "daughter, Soraya Jan"(Hosseini 141). Amir later can't stop looking over at Soraya's gray van, a clear sign of the affection he already has for her. -
Amir Receives Permission to Marry Soraya
After being diagnosed with cancer, Baba is weak and struggles with daily tasks, however he finds the strengt to complete the fatherly duty of asking for Soraya's hand in marriage. When he calls Amir after asking he tells him, "The general accepted"(Hosseini 163). It is traditional Afghan culture for the father of the groom to ask the father of the bride for marriage. The marriages are not like a traditional American proposal, as the marriage is in some ways set up. -
Publishing Company Offers to Publish Amir's First Book
Only six weeks after Amir finishes his first book, "a man named Martin Greenwalt called from New York and offered to represent [Amir]"(Hosseini 183). -
Amir and Soraya Struggle With Concieving and Adoption
Amir and Soraya have tried since 1989 to conceive a baby. When adoption is brought up, Soraya makes the point that when you adopt, "you don't know whose blood your bringing into your house"(Hosseini 188). Blood is a very important concept in Afghan culture making adoption a very hard concept to consider. -
Afghanistan Civil War Ends, Peshawar Accord is Signed and Islamic State of Afghanistan is Created
The civil war in Afghanistan (1989-1992) finally comes to an end as "Afghan political parties signed the Peshawar Accord which created the Islamic State of Afghanistan and proclaimed Sibghatullah Mojaddedi its interim President"(Wikipedia). It settled many conflicts between opposing political parties through a peace and power-sharing agreement. -
Taliban Initiates Military Campaign Against Islamic State of Afghanistan
Using Pakistinain support, the "Taliban initiated a military campaign against the Islamic State of Afghanistan and its Capital Kabul"(Wikipedia). -
Taliban Kills Abdul Ali Mazari
The Taliban, an extremely Pashtun group, "tortured and killed Abdul Ali Mazari, leader of the Hazara people"(Wikipedia). -
Rahim Khan is ill and Wants Amir to Visit in Kabul
After recieveing the call, Amir knows he must go, however has dreadful thoughts as he "rested [his] head against the window. Waited, in vain, for sleep"(Hosseini 194). While Amir knows the importance of visiting Rahim Khan, he is scared to face his past he has buried for so many years. -
Amir Finds Out Hassan is his Brother
While visiting Rahim Khan, Amir learns that Baba had an affair with Hassan's mother and the Hassan is actually Amir's brother. Amir is outraged that he is "thirty-eight years old and [he's] just found out [his] whole life is one big fucking lie"(Hosseini 223)! This understandably infuriates Amir after all he and Hassan went through, and now to find out they were brothers. -
Amir Realizes How to Make things Right
Upon uncovering the news of Hassan being Amir's brother, Amir also uncovers that Hassan has a son named Sohrab. Amir now knows that "there is a way to be good again" (Hosseini 192). Amir knows he must find Sohrab and do what is right, for Hassan. -
Amir Scolds General Sahib for Calling Sohrab a Hazara
After the general obliviously refers to Sohrab as a 'Hazara boy', amir calls him out and tells him he "'will never refer to him as 'Hazara Boy' in my presence. He has a name and it is Sohrab"(Hosseini 361). This really sybolizes the new appreciation Amir has for ALL people and the great, powerful father he will be to Sohrab. -
U.S. President George W. Bush Demands the Taliban Hands Turns Over Osama Bin Laden
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11), "U.S. President George W. Bush demanded the Taliban government to hand over al-Qaeda head Osama bin Laden and close all terrorist training camps in the country"(Wikipedia). -
Amir Runs Kite for Sohrab
On New Years Day, Amir and Sohrab are kite fighting - just as Amir and Hassan used to do. When Sohrab beats another kite and asks for Amir to run the kite, Amir replies with "for you a thousand time over"(Hosseini 371). This is symbolic of Hassan as this was line he would say to Amir before running a kite for him. -
Barack Obama Sends 30,000 Troops to Afghanistan
With a goal to Assassinate Osama Bin Laden, "U.S. President Barack Obama sent additional 33,000 U.S. soldiers to Afghanistan, with the total international troops reaching 150,000"(Wikipedia). -
Osama Bin Laden and Many Other Afghan Officials are Assassinated
After Barack Obama successfully assassinates Osama Bin Laden, "many high-profile Afghan officials were assassinated, including among them were Mohammed Daud Daud, Ahmed Wali Karzai, Jan Mohammad Khan, Ghulam Haider Hamidi, and Burhanuddin Rabbani"(Wikipedia).