The Role Of Education In A Thousand Splendid Suns

“An heirloom-breaking, clumsy little harami” (Hosseini 4), sets the tone for the beginning of Mariam’s life throughout the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns. Many women are mistreated throughout the novel, but Mariam’s childhood is much tougher because she is a harami, or “bastard child”. Mariam tries to find emotional and physical shelter in her lifetime, but struggles to find it. In the beginning of her life she can’t find emotional shelter from her mother, Nana, so she tries to find shelter from her father, Jalil, but can’t find a connection. She then was forced to marry Rasheed, but can only find physical shelter in him. Later in the novel, she becomes friends with Laila,

Education surrounds partially the entire world. Children, women, and men all attend school in America to build knowledge in order to find a job and make money. However, there are some places around the world where only men have access to education. For instance, Pakistan; located in South Asia, numerous amount of girls do not receive the education like other girls in America. This is specifically a problem for children, especially girls in Pakistan because they are not going to school like the girls in America, achieving the same level of education. Instead, they are seen as weak and are restricted from doing many things that men are allowed to do, like playing sports, going to school, participating in public events, and even being seen in public. Malala, a girl from Pakistan, sees the educational inequality where she lives and decides to fight for her educational freedom. Malala’s establishes her emotional appeals, credibility, and statistics to promote education for children in Pakistan by revealing her struggles fighting for

In Coming to an Awareness of Language and Long in Dark and Afghan Women Say to Read is Finally to See; Malcolm X and Afghan Women shows us how education can change a way of life, how it can change anyone's

Education is one of the most important contributors to having a successful future. In developed countries such as North America boys and girls are fortunate enough to have access to an unbiased education system. Therefore, allowing children to have countless opportunities. However, in countries like Afghanistan girls are marginalized and neglected the right to learn. Afghanistan is a country of war, where women and girls are often the worst victims. In 2011, Afghanistan was known as the most dangerous place in the world for a girl to be born (Kissane). Malala Yousufzai, a female education activist was also a victim of war. Yousufazi was shot in the head and neck for advocating for girls and their rights to have access to education. Similarly, to Yousufzai many women in Afghanistan stand up for their entitlement to having equality. Those courageous women often become victims of abuse and are often killed. Investing in girls’ education is critical, not only is it life-altering for a girl’s future, but it’s also poses benefits to society. By allowing Afghan girls access to educating we are also promoting better socioeconomic s, a reduction in child marriages, and an improvement in mortality rates.

When you educate a young girl, she has fewer children, she takes better care of her children, she marries at an older age, and she also contributes to her country's economy. Therefore, why is the education of women so greatly underestimated in many parts of the world? This is a question that has caused many individuals to take action against the act of prohibiting a woman the right of receiving an education. To begin with, education enables parents, and the rest of society, to see the value of a girl. As stated in the film Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, "Educate a girl, and she can change the world around her." Education acts as a safe haven for many young women and as an opportunity of having an advancement

Females are discriminated against, mistreated, and are valued less since women and girls are not allowed to attend school and higher education. There are approximately 35 million girls not enrolled in elementary school. This explains why two-thirds of illiterate people over the age of 15 are females. Malala Yousefszai is an advocate for girls’ education all over the world. We learned that she was shot by the Taliban for standing up for education when we had to watch the video where she was on The Daily Show. Malala said that men don't want women to get an education, because then women would become more powerful. Having an education brings power. Her father was a great encouragement for her because he spoke out

As a young girl, the protagonist of the novel, Mariam, longed to receive an education. She wanted to go to school, but her mother forbid her. “There is only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life, and they don’t teach it in school…they’ll laugh at you in school…they’ll say the most terrible things about you. I won’t have it” (Hosseini 17-18). In Afghanistan, men believe they are the only gender fit to receive an education because “women just aren’t as smart as men” (Stewart, Women Under the Taliban, 46). This idea was heartbreaking to women and even men who did not agree with the

“I don’t mind if I have to sit on the floor at school. All I want is an education,” said Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for female education. In today's society, many people don’t realize how grateful they should be for the education they receive. Even the slightest education is much more than people were receiving just three centuries ago, and even more than people in countries besides the United States of America. In specifics, women and African Americans were once unable to pursue any form of education in the United States, along with many other ethnicities.

Many families only allow their daughters to attend all-girls schools close to their home and not many of these schools exist. Other families believe it is unnecessary for girls to be educated because the woman’s place is at home, not in the economy. “Life as an Afghan Woman” explains, “Schools for girls have been burned down, hundreds of teachers educating girls have been threatened or killed,...[and] physically harmed…. Only forty percent of Afghan girls attend elementary school, and only one out of twenty girls attend school beyond sixth grade.” Education has been presented to girls, but because of the lack of girls attending, this advancement of women’s education has not made as large of an impact as anticipated. Central Statistical Organization states “Based on the data of Statistical Yearbook 2014, the total numbers of civil servants of the government are 398,195 persons of which, 77.8 percent male and 22.2 percent are females.” Women have much less involvement in government and it is rooted from the lack of education received by the women as a young girl. A 2014 data analysis from the Central Statistical Organization shows in the “Zabul province in terms of girls’ enrolment in school is at the lowest level as girlboy ratio is 22/78.” Education equality has long suffered throughout Afghanistan due to the results of a patriarchal society, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t looking up in the

When I was younger, there was a time where I endured something in my life. Was when I was in third grade,I endured something called “reading.” I had a hard time reading; I was a slow reader back then, so one of my teachers called my parents and said that your child is having a hard time reading. My parents forced me to read every night, at least 2 chapters each night. Since my parents did this to me, I became a better reader when I hit my 6th grade year.

“Joseph shall return to Canaan, grieve not, Hovels shall turn to rose gardens, grieve not. If a flood should arrive, to drown all that’s alive, Noah is your guide in the typhoon’s eye, grieve not (Hosseini 365).” A Thousand Splendid Suns, written by Khaled Hosseini, is a story that is set place in modern-day Afghanistan. It is one depicting the lives of two particular women who live under the control of a persecuting husband and the infamous rule of the Taliban. And through these two women (Laila and Mariam), Hosseini creates a mind-blowing, awe-inspiring adventure of regret, despair, tragedy, and more importantly, redemption. The book begins with separate perspectives of each woman, and how they consequently come together in the same

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, independence involves the desire to become educated. Considering the political and societal conditions, education is not acceptable during this time, and if it is discovered that school of any sort is being run, the Taliban will punish the perpetrator of the crime. The main character in the text that is used to support this is Laila. “Marriage can wait, education cannot. You’re a very, very bright girl. Truly, you are. You can be anything you want, Laila” (Hosseini 114). For Laila in particular, education is an achievable and desired factor in her freedom. Babi depicted to Laila at a young age that schooling is the most important thing in her life, after her safety. Due to the fear of the Taliban, families commonly discourage any sort of education in the lives of their children, especially their daughters, as it could harm her well being. Laila is seen disregarding conventional norms and encouraged by a wise man, Babi, to pursue her interests, which she eventually does. “Members are identified and recognized as different and distinct from another nation or its members” (Khan 3). The connection to the theme of autonomy is evident here. Khan describes that the members of Afghanistan are all unique and not one person is the same as someone else. Independence is something that is only accomplishable by the individual themself, and it takes a distinctive character to be capable of doing so. The concept that all people are different is crucial in the

Laila was born in a good, educated and loving family. Babi always tells her that education is one of the most important things in her life. “‎Marriage can wait, education cannot ... You can be anything you want Laila … And I also know that when this war is over Afghanistan is going to need you as much as its men maybe even more. Because a society has no chance of success if its women are uneducated Laila. No chance.”p.114. However, Laila’s mother Fariba, does not support her as she does with her brothers. She gets struck by grief, depressed when she finds out that her sons are killed in the war. The other woman, Mariam, was born as a harami. She lives with her mother Nana, in a small kolba near Herat. Her father Jalil visits her once a week and Mariam is always impatient to see him again. She has to suffer a lot, mainly because of her mother who often scolds her and does not want to allow her any education. ”What’s the sense schooling a girl like you? It’s like shining a spittoon. There is only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life, and they don’t teach it in school. p.18

In America, girls and boys across the country have the privilege to be enrolled in an educational system. For thirhteen years, students are taught by college educated teachers and learn material to help us move forward in our carrier. Americans take this opportunity without even thinking about it, but do not realize how much students take this for granted. In the school I have been placed in, my teacher took it upon herself to show us education in different cultures, and the outcome of the lesson was shocking for me. In the book A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, readers realize how much women are looked down upon in Afghanistan, yet it was eye opening for me to see what these girls are missing out on. From birth, they are categorized are lesser than men. Never getting the same chances, their life is centered around pleasing their husband. Education is not even an option for most women. I believe all women should have the same opportunity in this world, despite what country they reside in.

The authors Khaled Hosseini and Kurt Vonnegut write novels of critical acclaim. Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns explores the life of Mariam and her struggles with her husband and society, however, she finds reason to fight through a religious tutor. Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five examines the life of Billy Pilgrim who goes through the bombing of Dresden and is kidnapped by an alien species, the Tralfamadorians, who have him apply a new philosophy. Using traditional techniques, Hosseini constructs Mullah Faizullah, the religious tutor, as a wise mentor. The persona of a hermit guru was used by Vonnegut as a non-traditional guide in the form of the Tralfamadorians in Slaughterhouse-Five. Hosseini uses foreshadowing and a comforting