A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini

Throughout world history women have been treated abysmally. Societies with male-dominance have abused and used women and continue to do so today. Women have been made vulnerable to a man due to the spread of cultural values and beliefs in society that condemn them from power. In Khaled Hosseini's novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, the two main characters Mariam and Laila develop an unconditional bond in which they become each others protectors. The immense inner strength of women from adversity has been exemplified through the growth of Mariam and Laila's contrasting relationship, the pain they endure from Rasheed which strengthens their bond and the courage within them that ultimately resolves their conflict.

Afghan women seem to have better fortune in America than in Afghanistan. Before Amir and Baba moved to America the only women that were mentioned were not around anymore making it seem like they were not important in the first place. Once Amir and Baba were living in America there were female characters brought in to show that they were able to live their lives better than in Afghanistan. The women were better off in America even before the Taliban took over Afghanistan because they were no longer talked about as disappointments. The lack of women in the novel shows how the men thought of the women as if they were not as capable of doing the things they were able to. Baba was a business leader who did things that were unspeakable in Afghanistan

As a matter of fact, in the novel the Taliban (who was the main terrorist group at the time the novel was actually taking place) had decrees that all had a “certain logic: the extermination of the Afghan woman”(Latifa 52). The Taliban and ISIS hate women, and they want women to be of little

Gender is not as simple as it may seem. Gender comes into play along with many other aspects, one being gender roles. While “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini focuses mostly on Amir, it is very clear that gender expectations are visible in the novel. The importance and role of women are one of the leading factors in the novel. Although gender roles have changed over time and males and females have become equal than before in western culture, Hosseini uses Soraya, Jamila and the Taliban to emphasize the roles and expectations that are placed upon a woman in Afghani culture.

The novel certainly demonstrates where a women’s place is against a man’s, and how men are regarded higher than women in society. Through Babi the ideas that come through when Mohammad Saoud came to power in 1973 are shown, that women should be equal to men as he believes that education is a very important asset in society, even for women. This reflects the ideas that come forward at the time, such as the education of all children and women’s rights to employment. This Is certainly reflected in the way that Babi treats his daughter Laila, by allowing her to go to school and saying ‘Marriage can wait, education cannot’. Though society was moving backwards in women’s rights.

The novel is destined to become a classic because it describes a story regarding faith, friendship and family through the journey two Afghan women face; however, it also informs the reader about the country’s history and culture. Both Mariam and Laila faced physical, emotional, and sexual abuse in Rasheed’s household; however, their sisterly love allows them to overcome their common enemy. Their teamwork also helped Laila escape the harsh environment the Taliban have created. Hosseini mentions the “beard patrol” wandering the streets “on the lookout for clean-shaven faces to bloody.” Whoever disobeyed the new restrictions, were to be killed.

In the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and the movie, The Kite Runner, the setting is similarly in Kabul, Afghanistan. A Thousand Splendid Suns centers on life in Kabul, being seen through the eyes of two Afghani women, Mariam and Laila, whose lives are thrown together through tragedy. In Afghanistan, the city in which people can experience change in a woman’s status the most is in Kabul. When communists rule Afghanistan, there is an attempt to more gender equality in education. However, when the Taliban came into power, women were imprisoned into their homes and their basic human rights were violated. When the Taliban falls and the union comes to power, women were given back their legal human rights, but it still remains a slow move to equality. The Kite Runner displays the issue of ethnic discrimination in Afghanistan, more in depth, the relationship between Pashtuns and Hazaras. Baba’s father sets an example for him of being kind to Hazara people, even though they are disgraced and mistreated in reality. He could have easily sent Ali to an orphanage after the death of his parents, but rather, chose to raise him in his household. Baba does the same with Hassan, although this is complicated by the fact that Hassan is actually his son. Ali refers to Baba as family, but

Without Hakim’s parenting, intelligence, and tolerance, Laila would not have been nearly as educated, strong-willed, or opinionated. He developed the woman Laila grew up to be; his enthusiasm for education, promotion of gender equality, and intense passion for all things literary, didactic, or enlightening. Many of the male figures in Afghanistan at this time taught the women caught in the trap of oppression to be meek and submissive.

When Amir goes Kabul has to wear a fake beard in fear of the Beard Patrol will punish him. In the novel, the Pashtuns who are the good Muslims called Sunnis and the Hazara who are the bad Muslims called Shiites. The novel depicts that the Hazaras have been discriminated for dirtying the blood of Afghanistan. In the novel before the Taliban takes over, Pashtuns see Hazara as peasants. Baba even treats Hassan and Ali as second class citizens because of the ways of Afghani culture. The Taliban still kills, prejudices and kidnaps Hazaras who worship Allah. Also, the Taliban discriminates women by making them abide to these harsh rules and treating them as if they’re not even human. In order not attract the opposite sex, women have to wear burkas, a head to toe gown that covers the entire face. On the contrary, the Quran states “O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best.” (Quran 7:26) meaning women just have to be modest. Another problem Afghani women have to suffer with is that they can’t talk to men outside of their family. This can cause many problems such as if a woman needs to a doctor it cannot be a man, but The Taliban doesn’t allow girls to go to school which means there’s no women

Hosseini reflects many of the inequalities women face in Afghanistan. In contrast, while America was unwelcoming to women in the past, recent years have brought significant changes, and we now

In A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini sheds light on this common misinterpretation by telling Mariam’s and Laila’s stories personifying the image by connecting the women to having hopes and dreams. During the process of writing A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini mentions his characters developing on their own. He found inspiration from both imagination and speaking to the women of Kabul in 2003. He learned

The history of Afghanistan reflects its patriarchal nature; mostly men and their actions are recorded in the history, which leaves women without a space. The women’s role in Afghanistan’s history is a work in progress; nevertheless women have played an influential and significant role. Women’s contribution is building the Afghan society have not been well document, but Afghani women ricked their life in defending their country from invaders, and educated the next generation of both men and women. The constitution of 1923 gave women equal rights; relatively speaking women had agency and autonomy. Afghan people had progressive attitude toward women and equality, but the Soviet invasion and emergence of the Taliban change the course of the history.

During the Soviet occupation in Afghanistan in the 1980’s the United States provided 3billions to support the Mujahedeen soldiers. When the Soviets withdrew in 1989, part of the mujahedeen fell into war in 1994, the Taliban emerged as a dominant force (Feminist Majority Foundation). The Taliban is a group combined of young men and boys of Afghan descent. The Taliban wanted to make Afghanistan an Islamic state. They eventually took over the country. They wanted the country to follow their rules and live by their religion. The Taliban viewed women and girls as criminals just for being born a girl (Amnesty International). The Taliban did not see women as equal nor in existence. Women and girls were required to wear head dressing called a burka. They were punished if any amount of skin was showing. One of the biggest things the Taliban did not believe in was the education of girls. They believe that educating girls is un-Islamic. When the Taliban swept through Afghanistan they burned down schools that were for girls.

Hakim, Laila's father, was always focused deeply to the power of education especially for his daughter. This major theme throughout the novel was used to show that not only were the characters fighting for themselves but for the future of their children. Women throughout the novel were segregated when it came to education especially when the Taliban came to power. Women were banned of their education and their rights and for men schools were more dangerous because of all the conflict done by the Taliban. However, even though they could be punished, people still fought for education such as Laila, Hakim and Zaman.

For almost three decades Afghanistan has been the setting of ruthless wars. The Soviet occupation and the Taliban takeover has not only gridlocked country socially, it has also caused it to regress. Prior to the occupation of these treacherous groups, Afghanistan had a relatively liberal outlook, with a hopeful progression of women’s rights. More specifically; “Afghan women made up 50% of government workers, 70% of school teachers, and 40% of doctors in Kabul.” In recent years the public life of women has been completely effaced due to the effects of war and the Taliban regime. They are isolated, confined to their homes and masked with an all-encompassing burqa; prisoners in a country they call their “home”. In the country one calls