A Informative and Pictaresque Novel (An Essay About A Thousand Splendid Sun).docx

8/2/2019 A Informative and Pictaresque Novel (An Essay About A Thousand Splendid Sun).docx

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Cai, Henggao

Period 8

March 13, 2012

An Informative and Picaresque Novel

Islamic culture has been a dominate part of Afghanistan for over a thousand

years; however, the government did not become as extreme or radical until the

1990s when the Taliban took control. From violence against women to the extreme

actions to eradicate traditional culture, Khalid Hosseini explores a radical

Afghanistan in A Thousand Splendid Suns. In Hosseinis novel, the author informs

the reader about Afghani culture toward women and tradition.

One of the themes in the novel was the violence against women.

His powerful hands clasped her jaw. He shoved two fingers into

her mouth and pried it open then forced cold hard pebbles into it.

Mariam struggled against him, mumbling, but he kept pushing the

pebbles deeper in, his upper lip curled in a sneer (Hosseini, P.94).

Imagery in this quote demonstrates the condescending attitude that some Afghani

men have towards women. Even though his wife, Mariam, spoil a dish once,

Rasheed treats the failure as if Mariam murdered someone. By shoving pebbles

into Mariams mouth, Rasheed shows the reader that some Afghan men fail to treat

women as humans. Dehumanization of woman also shows the womens inability to

speak out against men. A Time magazine article that details the life of an Afghani

woman supports this quote. The cover of this article shows a young woman with

her nose cut off by her husband (Time Magazine). In this photo, the reader can see


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that women in Afghanistan are usually married at a young age because their family

could no longer support them. When they are married, their husbands treat them as

childbearing servants. This photo directly supports Hosseinis novel about

informing the world about the abuse of women by men.

In addition to abuse towards women, Hosseini also informs the reader about

marriage.

Its a common thing and you know it. I have friends who have two,

three, four wives. Your own father had three. Besides, what Im

doing now most men I know would have done

a long time ago (Hosseini, P191).

The practice of polygamy in Afghan society supports the claim that men

dehumanize some women in Afghanistan. Afghan men dehumanize women by

treating women as expendable objects. The fact that men in Afghanistan have

multiple wives shows that they have a supercilious mindset towards women. They

never saw women as their equals, so they feel justified to have multiple marriages.

When Rasheed found out that Mariam could not give birth, Rasheed treated

Mariam worse than before the attempted birth surgery. This shows that some

conservative Afghan men treat women like objects because they only think about

children as a reward for marriage. Khalid Hosseini wants to reinforce the fact that

women have no status in Afghanistan. However, his goal is to inform the reader of

this problem, and he wants to make the solution come from the readers mind.


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In addition, Hosseini also informs the reader about the unfairness of young

women getting married off in arranged marriages. Shes fourteen. Hardly a child.

You were fifteen,[sic] remember? [Sic] My mother was fourteen when she had me

and thirteen when she married[sic] (Hosseini, P.191). Rasheed explains to

Mariam that it is normal for a woman to marry at a young age. Typically, a woman

in Afghanistan will marry at a young age because a woman lives in a country

where the average life span is shorter than the average life span of other countries.

Even though Rasheed tries to justify polygamy with social Darwinism, belief

where one race is superior to another race, abuse and neglect cannot be justified.

Dehumanization of women is also shown in the quote because women are

portrayed as worthless. Women can be married off at any age because they have no

longer have any use to their birth family. This quote also supports Hosseinis claim

that he wants to inform the reader about the Afghan womens ability to endure.

Hosseini admits that the abuse of women is embedded in Afghan culture, but he

also tells the reader that the problem must be solved.

Finally, Hosseini tells a historical story through the giant Buddhas at the

Bamiyan valley.

A month before Laila had learned that the Taliban had planted

TNT in the crevices of the giant Buddha in Bamiyan Valley

and blown them apart , calling them objects of

idolatry and sin(Hosseini, P.278).


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The giant Buddha in Afghanistan represents the ancient Afghan culture and its ties

to the ancient Silk Road. By destroying these Buddha, the Taliban shows its

Islamic superiority over traditional tribal culture. This type of attitude is similar to

the attitude they have towards women. To the Afghan men, women and tribal

culture are weak and must be subjugated or destroyed. Hosseini takes an evaluative

and informative role on this issue because he writes countries across the world

from the United States to Chinato criticize the Talibans actions. He also wants

the reader to understand the cultural consequences and the impact of destroying

culture. The reference to idolatry and sin show the reader the narrow-mindedness

of some Muslim men.

Afghanistans new attitude toward old traditions and women is told as a

picaresque novel. Khalid Hosseini entertained the reader and educated about the

need for reform in government and society. He also implies and embeds the

number one rule of Anthropology, which is no culture is above another culture. He

explains the number one rule of anthropology by citing the giant Buddha and the

mens use of Islam superior to other cultures, religions, and people.

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A Informative and Pictaresque Novel (An Essay About A Thousand Splendid Sun).docx