Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Assignment #4
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam and Laila were both abused by their husband. In Mariam's instance, there was a time when Rasheed had left "Mariam to spit out pebbles, blood, and the fragments of two broken molars." Although this is commonly perceived has immoral, the idea of discrimination and unequal treatment of men to women was not uncommon in Afghanistan. Discuss how Khaled Hosseini's point of view contributes to the novel's overall theme of the role of women in Afghanistan.
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Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns revolves around the Afghan custom that puts men in a higher authority position compared to women. Hosseini introduces Afghanistan as his setting to establish the mistreatment women today still go through unknown to the rest of the world. In Rasheed's eyes, Mariam and Laila were house servants that were there for his comfort whenever he chose so. If they did anything wrong, "a court [wouldn't] hold [him] accountable for what [he would] do. To Mariam first, then to [Aziza], and [Laila] last. (272)" This is to put into consideration that through Rasheed's point of view, he is allowed to abuse his wives under the impression he is man of the house, therefore guaranteeing his right to do whatever he wants to them. Rasheed, however, does not realize how important women are in building the society of Afghanistan. Through Laila's perspective, she was taught to be the future for Afghanistan, to build the country forward. Under her parents' home, she was given equal rights, regardless of her gender. Her father always taught her education was important and that "when the war is over, Afghanistan is going to need [her]. (389)" Through Laila's point of view, she knows her role as a women is to help support her country by rebuilding the familiarities within the country's communities. Laila's modern take on the role of women in Afghanistan helps encourages that women are significant to Afghanistan, capable of aiding in restoring the country just as much as men.
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