Hi, I am struggling with the introduction and thesis to my I.S.U essay based on, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I baisically want to write about how Khalid Hossini does an excellent job of portraying women and their difficulties in Afghanistan even though he is a male. I want to say that he accuratly displays the emotions and actions of a woman through his two main characters, Laila and Mariam. This is rough draft of my introduction and I would greatly appreciate it if someone could help me present my ideas more clearly or tell me what I have done wrong. I would also like to know if anyone has any good qoutes I could use for my essay, please and thank you.
Khalid Hosseini's, A Thousand Splendid Suns, is an epic tale of two young Afghan women; Laila and Mariam. Although they differ greatly in age and everyday life, they share the same heartache, pain and tribulation of living in a country ruined by political oppression and war. The role of women in Afghanistan is an unjust and unreasonable position in which they are continuously denied many freedoms and rights. The women in the story engage reader's interest and sympathy; their personalities are almost real and existent. It is amazing that Hosseini, a man, could have so much insight into the feelings of women at particular circumstances. Housseini positively depicts the persona of Afghan women and their ability to endure gender inequality, lack of education and Taliban regulation.
Western countries encourage and enforce women's rights; however, that is not the case for Afghanistan during the time period of, A Thousand Splendid Suns. Afghanistan than, did not believe in equality between men and women; men were superior whereas women were inferior. Hosseini identifies these inequalities and empathizes with the women of Afghanistan by narrating their struggles through the stories of Mariam and Laila. Afghan women like Mariam and Laila were seen as unintelligent, futile creatures whose only responsibility was reproducing and taking care of her husband's home."In a few years, this little girl will be a woman...turbulence that washed over her." (355), this is one of many examples of a passage in which we see inequality of women. It predicts Mariam's future and all the sacrifice she will have to endure as she grows older. Hosseini explains that women, unlike men, are destined to a life of being obedient, sorrowful and oppressed. Afghanistan's men can dream of a future in which they make someone of themselves yet women are doomed to cooking and cleaning. The inequality between men and women is so great that women are actually blamed for the mistakes of men. This is evident in the passage "Learn this now, and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always."(). In this quote, Nana tries to warn her daughter, Mariam, of men and their readiness to blame an innocent woman for their mistakes. Women do not have the rights and freedoms to argue or stop the inequality they face and so Hosseini writes in a way that readers sympathize with their struggles.
Another plight Mariam and Laila face in, A Thousand Splendid Suns, that Hosseini brought to light was the lack of education for women. Even though Laila attended school as a child, she was no longer allowed to when the Taliban came into power. Education for women was seen as useless and a violation of religion; punishments would be carried out to any women trying to gain an education. Hakim, Laila's father, believes in women's education and he even states, "A society has no chance of success if its women are uneducated... ()". This quote explains that in order for a country to flourish and succeed, both its men and women must be educated. Afghanistan's government does not comprehend that and so Afghan women are forced to lead a life where they cannot achieve anything because they lack an education. According to Nana, the only skill a woman must learn is to endure; "Only one skill. And it's this: tahamul. Endure. ()" This quote explains that education to women in Afghanistan is not important but being able to endure the hardships is because that is what their future will compose of; hardships.
After the Taliban came in to power, women had little power over their lives. Every aspect of their lives were regulated by the government; education was denied, marriage was forced upon them, a dress code was implemented and even their speech was monitored. Hosseini demonstrates the trials of Afghan women, through Mariam and Laila, in a way that reveals their patience and determination. Countless times throughout the novel, both Mariam and Laila faced trauma that is directly linked to the Taliban
With the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khalid Hossini embodies himself in the role of a woman living in Afghanistan in time of political oppression and war. Hosseini writes the story of thousands of Afghan women with the journey otaken by just two; Laila and Mariam. These two characters have many differences yet they also have many similarities, they share the same heartache, pain and tribulation. The role of women in Afghanistan is unjust and unreasonable position in which they are continuously denied many freedoms and rights. The women in the story engage reader's interest and sympathy; their personalities are almost real and existent. It is amazing that Hosseini, a man, could have so much insight into the feelings of women at particular circumstances. Housseini positively depicts the persona of Afghan women and their ability to endure gender inequality, lack of education and Taliban regulation.
Khalid Hosseini's, A Thousand Splendid Suns, is an epic tale of two young Afghan women; Laila and Mariam. Although they differ greatly in age and everyday life, they share the same heartache, pain and tribulation of living in a country ruined by political oppression and war. The role of women in Afghanistan is an unjust and unreasonable position in which they are continuously denied many freedoms and rights. The women in the story engage reader's interest and sympathy; their personalities are almost real and existent. It is amazing that Hosseini, a man, could have so much insight into the feelings of women at particular circumstances. Housseini positively depicts the persona of Afghan women and their ability to endure gender inequality, lack of education and Taliban regulation.
Western countries encourage and enforce women's rights; however, that is not the case for Afghanistan during the time period of, A Thousand Splendid Suns. Afghanistan than, did not believe in equality between men and women; men were superior whereas women were inferior. Hosseini identifies these inequalities and empathizes with the women of Afghanistan by narrating their struggles through the stories of Mariam and Laila. Afghan women like Mariam and Laila were seen as unintelligent, futile creatures whose only responsibility was reproducing and taking care of her husband's home."In a few years, this little girl will be a woman...turbulence that washed over her." (355), this is one of many examples of a passage in which we see inequality of women. It predicts Mariam's future and all the sacrifice she will have to endure as she grows older. Hosseini explains that women, unlike men, are destined to a life of being obedient, sorrowful and oppressed. Afghanistan's men can dream of a future in which they make someone of themselves yet women are doomed to cooking and cleaning. The inequality between men and women is so great that women are actually blamed for the mistakes of men. This is evident in the passage "Learn this now, and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always."(). In this quote, Nana tries to warn her daughter, Mariam, of men and their readiness to blame an innocent woman for their mistakes. Women do not have the rights and freedoms to argue or stop the inequality they face and so Hosseini writes in a way that readers sympathize with their struggles.
Another plight Mariam and Laila face in, A Thousand Splendid Suns, that Hosseini brought to light was the lack of education for women. Even though Laila attended school as a child, she was no longer allowed to when the Taliban came into power. Education for women was seen as useless and a violation of religion; punishments would be carried out to any women trying to gain an education. Hakim, Laila's father, believes in women's education and he even states, "A society has no chance of success if its women are uneducated... ()". This quote explains that in order for a country to flourish and succeed, both its men and women must be educated. Afghanistan's government does not comprehend that and so Afghan women are forced to lead a life where they cannot achieve anything because they lack an education. According to Nana, the only skill a woman must learn is to endure; "Only one skill. And it's this: tahamul. Endure. ()" This quote explains that education to women in Afghanistan is not important but being able to endure the hardships is because that is what their future will compose of; hardships.
After the Taliban came in to power, women had little power over their lives. Every aspect of their lives were regulated by the government; education was denied, marriage was forced upon them, a dress code was implemented and even their speech was monitored. Hosseini demonstrates the trials of Afghan women, through Mariam and Laila, in a way that reveals their patience and determination. Countless times throughout the novel, both Mariam and Laila faced trauma that is directly linked to the Taliban
With the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khalid Hossini embodies himself in the role of a woman living in Afghanistan in time of political oppression and war. Hosseini writes the story of thousands of Afghan women with the journey otaken by just two; Laila and Mariam. These two characters have many differences yet they also have many similarities, they share the same heartache, pain and tribulation. The role of women in Afghanistan is unjust and unreasonable position in which they are continuously denied many freedoms and rights. The women in the story engage reader's interest and sympathy; their personalities are almost real and existent. It is amazing that Hosseini, a man, could have so much insight into the feelings of women at particular circumstances. Housseini positively depicts the persona of Afghan women and their ability to endure gender inequality, lack of education and Taliban regulation.
