--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The shootings and explosions had lasted…" description: "\"“The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they had frightened us badly, because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/khaled-hosseini-251_gunfire_the-shootings-and-explosions-had-lasted_2599288.png" --- # The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour… ![“The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they had frightened us badly, because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets. They were foreign sounds to us then. The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not…” quote by Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/khaled-hosseini-251_gunfire_the-shootings-and-explosions-had-lasted_2599288.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/khaled-hosseini-251_gunfire_the-shootings-and-explosions-had-lasted_2599288.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/khaled-hosseini-251_gunfire_the-shootings-and-explosions-had-lasted_2599288.png) > ““The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they had frightened us badly, because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets. They were foreign sounds to us then. The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born.”” [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Afghan children grow up hearing only war sounds, shaping a generation marked by trauma and loss of innocence. **In simple terms:** War defines a generation’s childhood. Key Takeaway Protect children from conflict’s impact. Themes war trauma generational innocence culture Mood somber empathetic Type historical social When to use this quote - refugee camps - urban life - education - family life Key Concepts soundscape childhood psychological impact Questions to Reflect On - How can societies heal war‑scarred youth? - What role does silence play in trauma? A Different Perspective Violence normalizes fear and hinders healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghan Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghan-children-1929499/) [Gunfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gunfire/) [Gunshots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gunshots/) [Gunshots Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gunshots-streets-1929498/) [Heard Gunshots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-gunshots-1431974/) ## Related quotes > [We stayed huddled that way until the early hours of the morning. The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/we-stayed-huddled-that-way-until-the-early-hours-of-the-morning-the/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [As a comic, I've heard gunshots while I'm trying to get to sleep. I've performed where people wanted to do you harm after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-gardell/as-a-comic-i-ve-heard-gunshots-while-i-m-trying-to-get-to-sleep-i-ve/) [Billy Gardell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-gardell/) > [“When I heard the gunshots, though, I knew - knew beyond the shadow of a doubt - that somewhere in Los Angeles Bette Davis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-valley/when-i-heard-the-gunshots-though-i-knew-knew-beyond-the-shadow-of-a/) [Richard Valley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-valley/) > [ They \[U.S. soldiers\] are also building schools for the Afghan children so that there is hope and opportunity in our neighboring country of Afghanistan. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/they-u-s-soldiers-are-also-building-schools-for-the-afghan-children/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [“John looked at him and yelled, “What are you waiting for? Shoot him in the mouth!” The word “mouth” could not be heard over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/john-looked-at-him-and-yelled-what-are-you-waiting-for-shoot-him-in/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [The dubbing of the music and effects is really incredible today. You're feeling gun shots. I mean, it's not the way people say it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-silver/the-dubbing-of-the-music-and-effects-is-really-incredible-today-you/) [Joel Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-silver/) > [A gunshot rang out, blasting a hole in the door. A crossbow quarrel zinged through the hole and stuck quivering into the opposite wall.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/a-gunshot-rang-out-blasting-a-hole-in-the-door-a-crossbow-quarrel/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [There will be outrage and disgust and people will turn on me at the last, they will hate me, my reputation will forever be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/there-will-be-outrage-and-disgust-and-people-will-turn-on-me-at-the/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [Recovering from a gunshot wound is not a vacation. You need to, like, write that on your hand or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-brockmann/recovering-from-a-gunshot-wound-is-not-a-vacation-you-need-to-like/) [Suzanne Brockmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-brockmann/) > [I saw so many kids 22, 19, with holes the size of a dime and they're dead. It's a gunshot and of course those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-saw-so-many-kids-22-19-with-holes-the-size-of-a-dime-and-they-re/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [The gunshot holds no fear!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-fanning/the-gunshot-holds-no-fear/) [Dakota Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-fanning/) > [Of course witnessing poverty was the first to be ticked off the list. Then I had to graduate to the more obscure stuff. Being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-garland/of-course-witnessing-poverty-was-the-first-to-be-ticked-off-the-list/) [Alex Garland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-garland/) > [I knew that I was smart enough to learn. I knew that I could learn, if I could just go to school and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ger-duany/i-knew-that-i-was-smart-enough-to-learn-i-knew-that-i-could-learn-if/) [Ger Duany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ger-duany/) > [The echo of the gunshots lingered; it was soon drowned by the chanting of the mob, and I didn't believe what I was hearing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarreth-j-merz/the-echo-of-the-gunshots-lingered-it-was-soon-drowned-by-the-chanting/) [Jarreth J. Merz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarreth-j-merz/) > [I don't care if I end up in jail or Guantánamo or whatever, kicked out of a plane with two gunshots in the face.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-don-t-care-if-i-end-up-in-jail-or-guant-namo-or-whatever-kicked-out/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More by Khaled Hosseini > [“Winter was every kid’s favorite season in Kabul, at least those whose fathers could afford to buy a good iron stove. The reason was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/winter-was-every-kid-s-favorite-season-in-kabul-at-least-those-whose/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Their fights didn’t so much end as dissipate, like a drop of ink in a bowl of water, with a residual taint that lingered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/their-fights-didn-t-so-much-end-as-dissipate-like-a-drop-of-ink-in-a/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“I think that everything he did, feeding the poor, giving money to friends in need, it was all a way of redeeming himself. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-think-that-everything-he-did-feeding-the-poor-giving-money-to/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“it always falls on the sober to pay for the sins of the drunk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/it-always-falls-on-the-sober-to-pay-for-the-sins-of-the-drunk/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Mariam knew that life for the most part had been unkind to her. But as she walked the final twenty paces, she could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/mariam-knew-that-life-for-the-most-part-had-been-unkind-to-her-but-as/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“I pray. I pray that my sins have not caught up with me the way I'd always feared they would.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-pray-i-pray-that-my-sins-have-not-caught-up-with-me-the-way-i-d/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“shoes: that putting them on a bed invited death into the family, that a quarrel would follow if one put on the left shoe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/shoes-that-putting-them-on-a-bed-invited-death-into-the-family-that-a/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I have a theory about marriage, Monsieur Boustouler. And it's that nearly always you will know within two weeks if it's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-theory-about-marriage-monsieur-boustouler-and-it-s-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [The short of it is, as an aspiring writer, there is nothing as damaging to your credibility as saying that you don't like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/the-short-of-it-is-as-an-aspiring-writer-there-is-nothing-as-damaging/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Throughout the last century there were multiple attempts at giving Afghan women more autonomy, to change marriage laws, to abolish the practice of bride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/throughout-the-last-century-there-were-multiple-attempts-at-giving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [At that moment, she cannot think of a more reckless, irrational thing than choosing to become a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/at-that-moment-she-cannot-think-of-a-more-reckless-irrational-thing/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“He says this is war. There is no shame in war. Tell him he's wrong. War doesn't negate decency. It demands it, even more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/he-says-this-is-war-there-is-no-shame-in-war-tell-him-he-s-wrong-war/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [For many people in the west, Afghanistan is synonymous with the Soviet war and the Taliban. I wanted to remind people that Afghans had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/for-many-people-in-the-west-afghanistan-is-synonymous-with-the-soviet/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Educate yourself, learn about what refugees face when they don't have homes, after they have lost everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/educate-yourself-learn-about-what-refugees-face-when-they-don-t-have/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Rahim Khan laughed. “Children aren’t coloring books. You don’t get to fill them with your favorite colors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/rahim-khan-laughed-children-aren-t-coloring-books-you-don-t-get-to/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) [Explore all 697 Khaled Hosseini quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## More Gunfire quotes > [You can't live in a town like Braddock and not know exactly what gunfire sounds like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fetterman/you-can-t-live-in-a-town-like-braddock-and-not-know-exactly-what/) [John Fetterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fetterman/) > [I also have a brand-new prescription for gunfire jitters: When the shooting gets loud, proceed to the nearest wooden staircase. Run up and down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-also-have-a-brand-new-prescription-for-gunfire-jitters-when-the/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [“The sounds of gunfire didn't bother Winn any more. It just meant that this was the weekend, or a soccer tournament, or someone had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-rhine/the-sounds-of-gunfire-didn-t-bother-winn-any-more-it-just-meant-that/) [Scott Rhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-rhine/) > [“Rupert yanked Rebecca off her seat to the floor! If that weren't bad enough, he dropped down on top of her, not with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/rupert-yanked-rebecca-off-her-seat-to-the-floor-if-that-weren-t-bad/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) > [“You just don't expect to see gunfire at a wedding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-cummings/you-just-don-t-expect-to-see-gunfire-at-a-wedding/) [Donna Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-cummings/) > [No more hellfires and please no more gunfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/no-more-hellfires-and-please-no-more-gunfire/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [“I never thought I should live to grow blasé about the sound of gunfire, but so I have”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/i-never-thought-i-should-live-to-grow-blas-about-the-sound-of-gunfire/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“I was trying to hide the evidence; stop them tracking me. They’ve not found me yet, so maybe it worked?’ she said, her voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dobell/i-was-trying-to-hide-the-evidence-stop-them-tracking-me-they-ve-not/) [Andrew Dobell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dobell/) > [“NO TRESPASSING and SOLICITORS WARMLY GREETED WITH GUNFIRE signs,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/no-trespassing-and-solicitors-warmly-greeted-with-gunfire-signs/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [At night my father often heard sporadic gunfire mixed in with the sound of dogs howling. If the war came closer, soon there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/at-night-my-father-often-heard-sporadic-gunfire-mixed-in-with-the/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [If today is your typical day in America, 80 of our fellow citizens will die from gunfire. In the last two weeks, more Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-d-barnes/if-today-is-your-typical-day-in-america-80-of-our-fellow-citizens/) [Michael D. Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-d-barnes/) > [“Gunfire in this Upper West Side neighborhood wasn’t common, nor did cars tend to explode.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stevens/gunfire-in-this-upper-west-side-neighborhood-wasn-t-common-nor-did/) [Tim Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stevens/) > [Opening my door to Dillon Ruddick, my bulding super. I handed him a cup of coffee. "Sorry about the blood." 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Last is gunfire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-deschain-stephen-king/first-comes-smiles-then-comes-lies-last-is-gunfire/) [Roland Deschain (Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-deschain-stephen-king/) [Browse all 47 Gunfire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gunfire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they had frightened us badly, because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets. They were foreign sounds to us then. 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