-
Amir is Born
Amir was born and his mother dies during childbirth. Amir thinks "my mother died giving birth to me"(6). -
Hassan is Born
Amir says "Hassan was born in the winter of 1964". Amir is one year older than Hassan. -
Daud Khan
Khan takes over as president after overthrowing the last king and the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan rises to power. -
The Last Kite Running
In Amir's town, it is an annual tradition to have a kite flying battle every winter. The people flying kites attempt to knock other competitors' kites out of the sky. Meanwhile, the people not flying the kites try to chase the falling kites and catch them as souvenirs. When Amir is reflecting on his childhood, he thinks, "In the winter of 1975, I saw Hassan run a kite for the last time"(55). -
Woman's Rights
Khan proposed a new idea that gives women rights and is an attempt to modernize the country. -
Ali and Hassan leave
Amit attempts to get rid of his guilt by separating himself from Hassan. Amir thinks in his minds "I was sorry but I didn't cry and I didn't chase the car"(109). This means he was sad to see them go but he wasn't overly hurt or concerned about Hassan leaving. -
The Last Summer of Peace
Amir turns thirteen but him and Baba are starting to distance again after he brought up getting rid of Hassan and Ali. The author writes that this is "Afghanistan's next to last summer of peace and anonymity"(93). This is significant because it correlates with the start of a democracy in Afghanistan. -
Communist Take Over
Khan is murdered and a communist group rises to power and Prime Minister Hafizullah Amin fights for power against Taraki who gets killed. Soon after the USSR invades to boost communism. -
Amir and Baba leave Afghanistan
Baba decides that he and Amir should flee Afghanistan because the Russian soldiers have began to overtake Kabul. Baba and Amir got into a people smuggling truck and there driver made a living by, "driving people out of Shorawi-occupied Kabul to the relative safety of Pakistan"(111). -
Amir Graduates from High School
Amir had always wanted his father to show appreciation toward him. After graduation, his father said, "'I am moftakhir, Amir'... Proud. His eyes gleamed when he said that and I like being on the receiving end of that look"(131). -
Fleeing Afghanistan
Around 2.8 Million Afghanis fled Afghanistan and went to Pakistan in hopes of escaping the war. In addition, another 1.5 fled to Iran. -
Amir Meets Soraya
Amir and Baba are selling the goods that they purchased the previous day at the flea market. Amir describes her as a "Slim-hipped beauty with velvety coal-black hair"(140). -
Baba is diagnosed with Cancer
Baba is diagnosed with cancer but refuses to receive treatment. Amir said that, "But I'd seen the look on Baba's face"(161). Amir is talking about how Baba refused to receive treatment for his cancer. -
Baba Dies
After Baba is diagnosed with cancer he decides that he will not go through Chemotherapy. Shortly after "Baba never woke up"(173). He died in his sleep and Amir and Soraya arranged for a funeral. -
Rahim Khan Searches for Hassan
Rahim Khan attempts to find Hassan based off of the information that Baba had provided him the day Hassan and Ali left. He goes to Hazarajat and finds Hassan. He learns that Hassan has a wife and a kid names Sohrab. Rahim said, "I went to Hazarajat to find Hassan in 1986"(203). -
US Intervention
The US supplied Mujahideen with Stinger missiles, which they used to shoot down Soviet helicopter gunships. Babrak Karmal replaced by Najibullah as head of Soviet-backed regime.
