Time Settings

The use of time to tell the story and create each period and location of the setting is one of the literary techniques that the author uses very effectively in the novel.  For example, the story begins with Chapter 1 "December 2001" in San Francisco but quickly uses the flashback technique to take the reader back to the beginning of the story, "in the winter of 1975." (pg 1)  Then the story goes further into the past when Baba was born in 1933 (pg 24).  Later in the novel significant dates play an important role in telling the story for both the characters and the history of Afghanistan.  For example, on July 17, 1973 when they heard explosions and guns in their neighboorhood.  "It wasn't people just shooting ducks, it was an all out war in their town." (pg 36).  Then in the next chapter, the book goes into when Hassan and Amir flew kites in 1975 and how good Hassan and Amir were at flying kites and running the kites. (pg 49) And in the alley where Hassan was beat up by the three boys when Amir didn't do anything about it. (pg 76-77).