A FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF KHALED HOSSEINI'S A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS.

Lili lili birthbath,

Sitting on a dirt path,

Minnow sat on a rim and drank,

Slipped, and in the water she sank.

(Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns 21).

I have selected A Thousand Splendid Suns as the text of my study because it supports my argument. The argument of my study is that women in Afghanistan have no prestige and they enjoy no agency in their patriarchal society. Since Hossieni’s fiction is not been tapped in terms of feminist readings, I have invoked feminist theory to critically analyze Hosseini’s text.

 The primary focus of this study is the aspect of feminism in the novel and how author has described his ideas about women and their miseries in a patriarchal society. In the novel, the author paints a picture of two women, their love, emotions and sacrifices, how both of them struggle in their lives and how by fate they meet and build a great and unbreakable bonding with each other. In the study I will find the traditions of Afghan community and the stereotypical notions of a patriarchal society. To embellish the argument I have invoked Mary Wollstonecraft as my theorist because her ideas are relevant with the argument under research.

I have selected the theory of feminism because, as a theoretical lens it provides a wide room for discussion. In order to justify the argument it is important to look back to the history of Afghanistan. Afghanistan was not the same from the beginning, the feminist expression of Afghan society is the outcome of Civil War.  Before the Civil War, Afghan women enjoyed quite a liberal and good time. They were allowed to get education and to work as a professional to serve their country. According to Statics in the late 20th century, before the Taliban took over the control in Afghanistan the ratio of women students was 50%, and 60% of female teachers were serving the nation at Kabul University as Kabul was the city of opportunities Other statistics are as follows; 70% of school teachers, 50% of civilian government worker, and 40% of doctors were women..

The liberty of women is quite vivid through these statistics. However, after the empowerment of Taliban, things went upside down not only for women but for the entire nation but women suffered at length as they had no choices, no feelings and no rights as a human being. They were treated like a rotten thing to be used and to be thrown away like a peel.

Feminism is basically a social theory which argues for the equality of both genders. It describes the rights of women to the society and protects women from male oppression. It demands equality in all aspects of public and personal life. There are many types to this term such as, radical feminism, cultural feminism, religious feminism, political feminism, contemporary feminism, liberal feminism etc. It was Mary Wollstonecraft who proposed the idea of feminism or who spoke about the equality of both sexes in 1792 by writing A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Her radical ideals support the text for a feminist reading. A Vindication of the rights of Woman is a mutual study similar to the text under study in some aspects. It is true that the weaknesses of women are mostly created by their own ignorance of their strength. Women do not use their courage in a proper stream, Mary Wollstonecraft has pointed out this particular behavior of women accurately in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.

            Feminist theory proposes the concept of mutual understanding between both the genders and is poised to create a healthy society for future. Feminism was not accepted at the first yell but it gouged its feet in western societies a little easier as compared to Eastern societies and cultures.

In the East, there is a rigid form of patriarchy which does not allow accepting such liberal ideas for their women, as they do not permit their women to be liberal in term of equal rights. The matter of change in women’s lives clashes with the hegemony of male ego and so-called pride. Therefore, in some of the eastern regions patriarchy is better rooted than feminism.

In this study, I try to provide an exposure to the term and also awareness in the masses about the healthy use of feminism or gender equality. It is not like treating women as a boss or some supernatural creature thrown upon men but to treat them generously and to give them respect. The basic fault here lies with the misunderstanding of men that believing in feminism is tantamount to accepting women as their competitors. Whereas, it is about bringing honor not only to both the sexes but also to the entire human society with a healthy practice of equal rights.

            As the protagonist of A Thousand Splendid Suns is intelligent, she should have used her intelligence to fight against the cruel laws of society. Instead of gathering her courage she accepts the decisions of others and let them ruin her life. It is another thread that will be followed in the study. This perspective is the secondary focus of the study. The primary focus is on patriarchy biases and attitude and representation of women in  A Thousand Splendid Suns.

A Thousand Splendid Suns has a number of symbols which author has used to describe women’s condition. Symbols have been used beautifully as; I have started my argument by stating a poem written in the novel. The poem is a very strong symbol of women's condition in Afghanistan, particularly Maryam's place in her Father's life as a legitimate child. Poem portrays Maryam and her innocence and, on the whole, it talks about women and their disenfranchised position in a male-chauvinistic society. Words like; “birthbath” (cleanliness or innocence) has a direct contrast with dirt  weaknesses or ugliness of women's condition. Then Minnow again is the representation of innocence and it is a symbol which the writer has used for Maryam who is weak and ignorant of her rights and value. Elsewhere, writer has used “drank” and “sank” in contrast. “Drank” here shows the little experience of Maryam's joyful life which she has enjoyed with her father Jalil and “sank” shows the death and constant struggle of her difficult life which starts from the death of her mother Nana. It can also be a symbol of Nana's short love life which she once had enjoyed with Jalil and then the opposite of it is the rest of her disgusting and low life. But, Nana's death has opened Maryam's eyes wide and she has realized that her Mother Nana said it right that; “a man's heart is a wretched, wretched thing, Mariam. It isn't like a mother's womb. It won't bleed, it won't stretch to make room for you” (Hossieni 26).

After all Jalil is a man. She finds herself in a wilderness where her cries are nothing but a vain scream. She now knows the reality. She is out of her fantasy world to counter the ugly face of reality. Jalil her father and Rasheed her husband both are men of filthy desires yet the way of execution is quite different for both the characters. Jalil is way more decent in his betrayal and brutality as compare to Rasheed who is more illiterate in his manners. yet there occurs another difference which gives Rasheed a bit upper hand on Jalil is that no matter how illiterate he behaves at least he shows it right in her face he is not playing coy with Mariam as Jalil did with his fake affection toward a child who his family calls out as a mistake, filth or Harami. It is Jalil who allows people to call her an illegitimate girl of his lust.

Sun is also a symbol which represents hope for the better future of Afghanistan and it represents the ideals of Laila the second major character of the novel. A hopeful girl with magnificent intelligence. It also represents Hakim Laila's father who wants her daughter to learn and groom as a literate person. He wants Laila to be like the sun which shines and give light to everything as, it bring life to all objects of nature similarly, he wants Laila to get quality education and serve her country and spread her rays of knowledge to the nation. Hakim shows that all men are not against the rights of women. Every man does not want to usurp women's rights because of their physical strength. All men are not alike as all women are not same. Therefore, Hakim and Tariq symbolize the sensibility of an ordinary human being who is neither jealous, nor afraid of his same being but opposite gender. There are no insecurities in their heart.

A Thousand splendid suns is the representation of women and their burning desires. There are thousands of desires in the hearts of Mariam and Laila of which mostly get burnt under the strong heat of patriarchy. Thus patriarchy can also be called as the harsh sun of June which does not allow anyone to come in streets at noon. Similarly, Rasheed does not tolerate Mariam's fate of not producing him a child. He does not want to accept it as their collective fate rather he keeps on blaming his wife for something which is impossible as a human being to do. It can also be Jalil who makes love at night with Nana and enjoys the cool breeze then, when it comes to accept her and her child with an honor he steps back and let them burn in the heat of sun which seems to be at its extreme terror.

Then, there is Jalil's box for Mariam which has an apology and property papers for Mariam and a tape of Walt Disney's Pinocchio. This box symbolizes a repentance of Mariam's blood out of which she came into being. And a very plane rather, innocent symbol of the tape of Pinocchio which once Mariam wanted to watch with Jalil. It is so tormenting to see such small desire to be unseen by the one which she imagined as the hero of her life. As a reader it is hard to stay emotionally collected after reading this particular scene as it has a torn heart of an innocent child. Her visit to her father's house as a stranger shows the shallowness of Jalil. He sees her waiting for him but does not have the courage to show up and tell her to leave. Khaled Hosseini has beautifully played with pressures of society and relatives here in Jalil's condition but I think that it is not justified to his position in the text. He is a rich person and an influenced businessman then why has he not accepted Mariam after Nana's death. He should have showed his stance and position to his family. If, he can bear three wives and nine children then why not another one? On the other hand men like Rasheed are so blunt that that they can ruin a female's life physically as well as mentally. Pinocchio was a puppet of a lonely old man and Mariam here is a puppet of Jalil, his family Nana and Rasheed. She is basically a puppet in the hands of the society the only difference here is that Pinocchio had gentler hands to deal with as compare to Mariam. Mariam is ultimately fallen into the sharp paws of society where she cannot find any place for her. There is no room for her to groom and flourish. No opportunities, no chances. Pinocchio had at least his affectionate company that is of the old man whereas, Mariam has no affectionate companion. Mullah Faizulla can be called as her old man but she is deprived of his company quite earlier in the novel.

In the light of the story a man always finds a woman to be blamed for every misfortune in life. As, Nana said to Mariam; Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: “a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that Mariam” (Hosseini 7).

These words of her mother buzz in her mind long after she has experienced it and acknowledged that a woman must always endure all the sufferings coming from man’s side. According to Nana that is the only skill a woman needs to know and practice tahamul.

Nana has suffered a lot through her life. She is a frustrated soul with an agonized past. Never has she felt a complete joy of a perfect life not even for a little while. In her past life her marriage was a disaster when she had a fits which people called as jinn in their ignorance and marriage was called off. Then she found Jalil and his lust and an ultimate disgrace for the rest of her life. That is the very reason she is so hard on her only child, her only hope of living. She does not want her to suffer from a shattered fantasy because it is hard to collect the pieces of your own torn dreams. It is more like gouging your eyes with a knife. She wants to protect her child, but the way of doing so is wrong. Her act of suicide shows her frustration plus her impatient nature which she possess within her personality since her childhood. She does not only kill herself but killed all belongings of Mariam.

It seems as if Khaled Hossieni wants to convey that Afghans are impatient people by nature. It can be easily observed through some of the characters like; Nana, Rasheed, Fariba, and the wives of Jalil. In reality, it is the impatient behavior of Nana and Jalil's wives which has sent Mariam into hell. Mariam is a child of melee and confusion. Since her childhood, she is the victim of distrust. She eventually has heard two versions of her life, one is of Nana which is bitter and harsh and the other is of Jalil which, at first, is pleasant and soothing but, later, becomes a nightmare for Mariam. Nana's story about her birth is more acknowledgeable than of Jalil as he is not able to pull together all the threads of his lore.

1.1 Delimitation:

I have delimited the study to Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns. I shall apply Mary Wollstonecraft’s feminist notions on this text.

1.2 Thesis Statement:

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a novel that speaks about the position of women in Afghanistan and is, therefore, a good fare for a feminist reading.

1.3 Objectives of Study:

·         This study will deal with the recognition of feminist tone of the story.

·         It will convey the contrasting force between feminism and patriarchy and how both are misunderstood.

·         Clarification of ideas about feminism is the primary objective of the study.

·         I want to bring some awareness for the rights of women in accordance to the mutual understanding of both sexes.

1.4 Research Questions:

·         How does A Thousand Splendid Suns portray the position of women in Afghan community?

·         How has the bonding of two different women been played against patriarchal straightjacket in the selected text?

·         How can patriarchy affect the mind and life of a woman?

1.5 Significance of the Study:

This study will highlight the representation of female in  A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini. The research will be helpful for the students of feminism. This will help in developing the understanding about the problems of females which they face in their lives and the way they challenge those stereotypical roles. It will open a wide room for future researcher to work on the same text with some other themes as well as it will be feasible for them to find out something new and meaningful. There are many other themes in the novel i.e. political upheaval of Afghanistan, child legitimacy, women psychology, child psychology, symbolism, patriarchy as a rule, Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, education, love, deprivation, frustration, lust and suffocation.

It will not only criticize the male folks of the society rather it will serve as an education for both the sexes. There are many people especially males who are not doing well with their daughters, sisters and wives but, there are many who are serving them with all good they possess. This study will tell the society the real face of a real man as well. How they can be heroes and kings of the world. The study will prove that the real king or hero is not the one who brutalizes a woman but one who treats a woman with generosity and kindness. That is the basic teachings of all cultures to show kindness to the weak which is vanishing day by day because of the selfishness. This tape of very selfishness must be removed from the eyes of humans. Thus, I will try to remove this tape with a healthy education and argument.

It will tell the society especially women that they must not pretend as a fragile thing in the hands of a man. If, women show these notions to the opposite sex it will be convincing that they are roses to be crushed and the hands of men are the thorns. In this way women themselves are inviting men to the destruction of their own very being.

It will highlight the representation of women in the selected novel A thousand Splendid Suns which depicts the real struggle of women in a close-ended society for women. It is studied with the perspective of a woman as it talks through the very depiction of Maryam the protagonist of the novel. Mariam and Rasheed's second wife Laila are the victims of patriarchy with its different aspects.

CHAPTER 2

Review of the Literature

Literature review is the most essential part of a research work. Through literature review I have tried to contextualize my study in the existing scholarship in and around my area of research and find gaps in the previous research works.  I have tried to partially fill some of the gaps in my research. It has also helped me critically analyze my primary text. It has also paved the way to the findings of my study. It also signifies some important areas of the text. I have reviewed the following articles to situate my research and find out the gaps.

 Namita Singh, in “Feminism v/s Gender Equity” (2013), talks about gender equality and feminism. Women are indulged in war for their rights quite long now. They are deprived of thousands and thousands of rights both professional as well as personal. Women who raise their voice for their rights are termed as feminist. The author of the novel has used two major female characters Mariam and Laila as his mouthpiece to raise his opinion about feminism in Afghan community. In the novel we find the very root of patriarchy when we see no liberty for women to go to schools to form their personality. There is no ease for women to be a professional in any of the profession. Women are bound to be at home behind the walls of their husband's house, and they are meant to serve their masters no matter what. No matter how miserably they are treated by their brutal beasts. The protagonist of the novel is a true picture of a miserable lady slave and a toy in the hands of men. First her father demolished her psyche as a child and then her husband took every advantage of her innocence.

Patriarchy in Afghanistan is thoroughly affecting their women and country in general. It is ruining their physical and psychological qualities. There is no shape of their personalities in short we can say that their women do not possess any personality as their men never want them to develop their, mental abilities. Women in Afghanistan are like cows they just nod their heads to follow their masters blindly. Patriarchy is the biggest social phenomenon of Afghan society. It is letting the country down as they cannot progress alone with the power of gun and bullets. They need good minds, feelings and emotions to run the social system in a good harmony. It is their false belief that women cannot think, they do not possess even the lowest level of intelligence. Or, they might think that intelligence has nothing to do with progress only power will suffice. In both the cases they are falling from the height of ignorance and they will soon meet its depth.

Feminism is not just a term; it talks about society, politics and psychology of both men and women. When we see at the past of women's life specifically, we come to know that they are at war for gender equality. Gender equality does not mean to usurp the rights of male folks of a society and women are always victims. In fact, gender equality is to create a balance in the society. To work side by side as humans not pretentiously as two different creatures. When America blasted Afghanistan in 2001 it was a kind of freedom for their women. As, they wanted to get out of the prisons of their so called houses.

In the novel we see Laila as most voiced woman who has tried to voice her opinions every now and then for the rights of women. On the other hand, Mariam we see is one of the quietest women who has carried every torture but did not say a word. Yet at the end we see her frustration and aggression when she killed Rasheed to save Laila. She killed him and hit him a number of times. Though she has to die for this murder nut she seems to be quite satiate by her act of killing her husband. This is symbolic and gives the message that, she has killed patriarchy.

The lives of Mariam and Laila are different from one another. Laila is raised as a dearest child of her father. Who has raised her with love and affection? Who wants her to study and serve her country and people? Her father is not a typical man of a patriarchal society. He has his own ideologies about life and women. But, when we see Mariam, the beginning of her life is absurd so is the end. Her father is nothing but a fiction to her. In fact, both her parents are fiction to her. In the beginning we see her mother as a liar and then we see her father who seemed to fail to accept her as her doll as he told her. Mariam's life and death both are full of sufferings agonies. Laila's life has a kind of follow up like happy-misery-happy.

The novel does not only talk about emotional and psychological miseries of Afghan women but, it also tells us about the bad condition of their social set up and what animalistic behavior they have for their women. They have no proper hospitals to serve their women at the critical moment of child birth. They have no good doctors especially, female doctors as they do not let their women study. If they let them get good and quality education these issues might not occur. Secondly, it clearly shows their brutal and mean attitude towards their women, that they do not need any rights not even the basic ones.

The novel also talks about love, and how it connects people even out of misery and torture. Both major female characters are emotionally connected with each other. Laila sees Mariam as her mother who is very affectionate and motherly. As, her own mother is not stable one and she is almost all the time in mourning condition as both her sons have died in the civil war of Afghanistan. So, Laila somehow found her mother in her and Mariam found her daughter. This love has made them strong together. They have found the bond which was missing in their past lives.

A Thousand Splendid Suns reveals the very pattern of male psyche through its characters. They are always worried about their social status and good name. They never want to be called as a coward. In their perception if they will love their wives they will be considered as a coward which is the worst humiliation for them. They do not know how to differentiate between 'ego' and 'self-respect'. And, men in this novel are morally corrupt and weak. They pretend at first place what they are not as; we can see it in the characters of Mariam's father and husband. Father does not accept her because he is worried about his reputation more than Mariam's emotional connection with him. He let his wives take the extremely personal and major decision of his daughter's life and he does not even object for the miss-match of Mariam with Rasheed.

There are several feminist symbols in the novel as well. Like; conceiving of a child. Conceiving of a baby for Mariam is to think for her betterment or, to think of the healthy marital relationship. She thinks that this is the only way to win her husband's heart as, he professes thins thing on her mind. He is so obsessed to have a child especially to have a baby boy. He is too patriarchal in his traits and very much conventional. He like other illiterate or stereotypical men thinks that this is in the hands of a woman to give birth whosoever they want, boy or girl. He does not understand that the pain through which he is suffering, his wife is suffering the same pain with more intensity as she kept the baby or hold the baby in her womb very lovingly. Because, this is not just to give birth it is more like a chance to make things better for her life and to lessen the sufferings.

Mariam's mother character is a strong feminist character and she is the one who talks about the real face of patriarchy. She keeps on telling her daughter that this the world of men and they will never allow us to be with then in an equal balance. They need their superiority to protect their ego. She suffered in the life as she couldn't get married because of a disease which people do not understand and called it a jin. And rumor spreads everywhere that she is possessed by some sort of jin and they called off the marriage. Then she made love with Jalil, he also cheated on her or miss-used her. It is wrong on the part of Nana as well as sin can never be defended but here what we see is that the person who is receiving all humiliation is a woman only. Nobody says anything to the male culprit. If her mother is wrong her father is wrong equally. Both are sinister. To punish one and to spare the other is not just. If we have to give sentence then we must give it to both culprits.

In the novel all the happenings which have shown the characters of women are representing the strong power of bearing in women. The level of patience and their way of connecting with each other. It clearly shows that women are very pure and strong emotionally. But, that does not mean all women and all men. Everything and every perspective differ from person to person and society to society.

Basharat Shameem, in his revie article “Living on the Edge” (2014), talks about different aspects of feminism and how women are presented in the novel. In this novel women have portrayed as the miserable creatures living in Afghanistan who does not deserve any human rights neither basic nor equal to men. The author quite artistically pictures the bad condition of Afghan women and tells his readers that it is not a specific phenomenon for a specific society rather, it is general. Every patriarchal society has these sharp jaws. His focus is his own birth place and country Afghanistan as he can tell the circumstances of his people more evidently.

The story conveys the message of peace under the guise of destruction. It is a technique that when you want to give value to some curtain notion you explain it with its opposite force. Same technique has been used by the author of the novel. To tell the importance of omen and feminism he comes up with the bad face of patriarchy. Here we can see it that he sets a devalue first and then tells the value of his main subject which is feminism. Without discussing patriarchy, how can we discuss feminism? If, there is no need of equal rights then why would we chant for gender equality? He first projects the bad treatments of men upon their women then talks about the real fabric. The author seems very clear to write about feminism as a male writer as he himself couldn't sustain the problematic lives of his country's women. There isn't any ambiguity in his perspective and projection of his ideas about women and feminism.

Women in the novel are in excruciatingly miserable condition. Some male folks are also in bad condition, they are suffering because they also talk about women's rights like Hakeem and Laila's friend. So, the target is feminism in general. If male lot of the Afghan community will support their women they will also have to face the music as they are in minority. Those who have old or backward ideologies with no awareness will never understand that how sensitive this issue is. They will always treat women as their subordinates. To directly give them awareness of feminism will not suffice. They need to get education both social and Islamic as, they misinterpret religion. They do not have a deep understanding of Islam therefore; they mould it either according to their understanding or as per their desire. It is not only a social corruption which demolishes thousands and thousands of women but, it is also a moral corruption to modify religion and use its teachings as per their own suit. That is why author keeps on giving references of Holy Qura'an in his novel, and reveals it to people that how unfaithful they are with their religion.

Women are used as a tool to spread the message of humanity and feminism. Why humanity, because the cultural system of Afghan society does not fix them in the category of humans. They use them and abuse them to their heart's content. This abuse does not remain verbal it transforms into physical torture. They hit them like an animal. They behave as their masters, and women are their servants’ petty servants who have to carry the burden of all blames of all misfortunes. If financial crisis happens a woman should be blamed that she is a bad luck to the family similarly, if a baby girl is born a woman is to be punished and blamed. This is highly unethical yet happening in real life of real world. It is not a fictional thing which a writer tells us in his story rather, it is a bitter reality of a patriarchal setup.

These types of inhuman behaviors nurture in states where they have no rules and regulation for their people especially, apparently the weak ones. Afghanistan is one of those countries where we see no constitutional law system. The society is abrupt and open to do anything. People are not bound with the chains of law. Especially men can do anything they want bluntly without any hesitation. They know there is not a single person who will question them for their ill doings. This immature state culture is not only ruining people's life and mentality but it is also one of the major hindrances which stop Afghanistan from progressing. For a progressing country constitution is primary and culture is of secondary concern. In Afghanistan things are moving other way around, as culture is running the state and people no matter how unethical their rituals are they have to follow them.

In any country or state when a crisis occurs women and children suffer the most. We can observe this very thread in the novel as well as, women and children are facing the torments of bad circumstances. They have to inhale every harsh breath but they have no right to exhale it out.

Bindu Ann Philip’s “Endless Endurance” (2016), in this Journal the writer speaks about the height of patience which the characters of the novel observed throughout the story. Mariam, Laila and Nana all have observed plenty of patience throughout their lives. The author of the novel has drawn the picture of these ladies to create a feminist piece of writing. All female characters have been bestowed this quality of patience and endurance. This is an obligation for them set by the society that they have to bear everything silently without making any sound. They cannot protest for their rights. This is the ugliest face of Afghan society that they demand non-living qualities in a living creature. Women are human beings like men, they have emotions, feelings and they do feel pain. But, in Afghan culture they are treated as an object. Yes exceptions are there like Hakeen and Tariq.

At first we observe Nana's character in the novel that how she has been treated by society and what type of person she has become. She is a very conventional character. She bears everything but in her own way. She keeps on telling her daughter to come out of the illusions which she has made for her father. Nana knows the reality and she wanted Mariam to know it too rather, to know it by heart. That is why she is quite harsh towards Mariam as she does not want to lose her and secondly she wants to teach her the harsh reality of life. She knows that nobody will accept her in this world wholly and solely. She is ashamed and afraid of her sin. All this brutality and bad experiences have made her a psychopath. Whatever she does, she does it out of frustration.

Then comes Mariam, she is a black picture of bearing tortures of life. Life whips her over and over again and she bears it with the hope of better future. That hope is a failure. Her life has not changed even after such a great input as the other members in her life like Nana, Jalil and Rasheed have not put any effort to make things better for her. Though Nana has tried but her way of doing so is wrong. She suffered from emotional to physical torture but remained quiet and hopeful. That is the fault of a victim especially, of a woman when she does not make sound against the victimizer. Mariam does not say a word because she knows that she does not have anyone to stand by her side. In the novel Mariam is the kind of character who is a victim from the start till the end. But while reaching towards the end, Mariams personality has a change. She tells the world that as a human being we have some certain limits even to bear something. At the end when she hits Rasheed and kills him that is the First and the last decision which she has made on her own. This very act shows that she is not ready to bear more and to see more of misery. Therefore, instead of killing herself she decides to kill the reason of all miseries.

Laila's Character is probably the only character which has the happy ending though she has lost Mariam and misses her yet she has a stable life by the end of the novel. As a woman Laila also has to face a lot of social tortures. Firstly she has lost her brothers for which she has lost the love and affection of her mother too. Secondly, she has to marry Rasheed who is quite older than her. Thirdly, she has to give up her love for Tariq for her family. Lastly, she lost Mariam who has given her a new life by saving her from Rasheed. Laila is emotionally broken but time has made her personality strong and mature.

Caroline Nagel’s “Geography of Muslim Women” (2005), is helpful to understand some other aspects regarding feminism such as, geographical and religious patterns of treatments to the women are discussed. It is quite vivid that behaviors vary from culture to culture and person to person. As, western traits are different from Asian traits particularly, they are in clash with the traits of sub-continent. It is not only about the fact that how a man treats a woman rather, it is more about how a woman behaves in different cultures and setups. Even in a same social setup these differences can be easily observed by comparing village woman to a city woman. Rustic and urban lives are two different status and people behave according to the rituals of their social setup. Like in rustic areas women are treated more brutally because of the illiterate minds and lack of awareness. In villages men are truly the masters of the house. Women cannot even have food before serving their masters. First they have to serve them then they will have food no matter how hungry they feel.

Same thing have been discussed by the novelist in A Thousand Splendid Suns that men take all the liberty of their physical strength and molest women both physically and emotionally. In the case of Mariam, she endures every single torture given by her husband. It can be seen in the very situation where Rasheed forces her to eat pebbles, breaks her teeth and leaves her bleeding. That is how a through beast will act and move shamelessly in society. In fact theses type of patriarchal societies support such beasts and boost their confidence to obtain more cruelty. Women in Afghanistan are enduring all these bad behaviors and not raising voice for their rights is the biggest fault on their part. They are killing themselves every day for a thousand times. They do not have any choice to choose their life pattern. Nobody asks them how they want to live and what their perspectives are. How they want to lead their lives. They have no personal space. They do not get any chance to think of themselves. They always and always have to think about their masters. Whatever their masters tell them they have to do accordingly. And, even after enduring all these harsh behaviors they have to be obliged to their masters as they give them food for their survival. That is how they treat their slaves as well so, what is the difference between a slave and a wife? In fact a slave is in much better condition as his/her emotions are not crushed.

This article also discusses the religious aspect of a Muslim society. In Islam there are some obligations which a woman should follow like, veil, head cover and son on and so forth. But, in Islam there is no such thing or notion that a woman is a slave or toy in the hands of a man. In fact Islam has categorized the rights of both genders in a very comprehensive fashion. It is society and people who bring changes in the codes of Islam as per their suit. It is then not only a single violation of woman rights but, the violation of Islamic code and conduct which is more serious and broader issue. It leads us towards religious and moral corruption. It is not allowed in any religion to mold it according to the desires of people. Religion cannot be changed for society rather, society has to change itself and take the shape of religion. Islam has provided dignity and grace to women as, before Islam women have been treated as an animal or as an object. Therefore, it is not correct to criticize Islam or any religion in the study of feminism. As, Islam is a complete code of life and the very fabric of women rights cannot be left vaguely. If, a person does not observe religious obligation that person cannot be exemplified to explain any religious thread.

In the novel almost all male characters are using religion and its quotes according to their own will. They are not trying to understand it rather; they have made their own interpretation of its rules. As Rasheed treats Mariam as his slave because in his false perception he thinks that women are the subordinate of men. And, Jamil married for four times because he also thinks in his illusion that it is permitted in religion to have four wives but, he does not understand the essence of this act. He does not know how, why and when a man can have foru wives and on what bases he can have four marriages. And they only know the knowledge which is for their benefit. Why Jamil does not know that sexual affair without marriage is a sin in Islam. If it is a sin then why only Nana has been punished? Why nobody has rebuked Jamil for his shameful act except of his wives? Society has nothing to say because they have a lot of Jamils there with their big egos. They will do anything but they will never smash their ego. They rather, like to polish it more and more, flourishing their ego in corporation with inhumanity. That is why they are getting insensitive and impatient.

In this chapter I have discussed different articles and opinion of different writers. Through which I have thrown light on my study. These articles are helpful in getting full essence of the topic under discussion. Similarly, this study will provide many aspects for future researchers. They can find information regarding feminism and women marginalization in patriarchal societies. This research will help them to find new topics and threads to pull out for explanation.

Political upheaval of Afghanistan and women, Religion and women, women marginality, and men’s superior ego are the topics which can be further explained and studied. Future researchers can make a comparison of eastern feminism versus western feminism and many more.

Conclusion

Literature review is helpful as I have found some of the gaps in the cited works. It will help me in the analysis of the text. There are many perspective through which the text has been evaluated as; politics and feminism, political feminism of Afghanistan and so on and so forth. This study will talk about the aspects of feminism in the novel. This aspect has not been thoroughly discussed by any of the writer or critique. This study is based on textual analysis by applying theoretical framework of feminism.

CHAPTER 3

Theoretical Framework and Research Methodology

This chapter will describe the theoretical framework used in this study to strengthen the argument. Through the methodological framework things will be explained in a constrained way so that the research procedure does not look absurd. I have delimited my study as I have dealt with the theory or theme of feminism in A Thousand Splendid Suns. This study will deal with the descriptive pattern thus; it will be a qualitative research. As here I will analyze the text so, there would not be any data collection as in quantitative research.

3.1. Theoretical Framework

The basic theory which is applied to the study is feminism. To apply this theory I have invoked Mary Wollstonecraft as my theorist. Following statement supports the rationale of my study from Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication on the Rights of Woman.

Women are told from their infancy, and taught by the example of their mothers, that a little knowledge of human weakness, justly termed cunning, softness of temper, outward obedience, and a scrupulous attention to a puerile kind of propriety, will obtain for them the protection of man; and should they be beautiful, everything else is needless, for at least twenty years of their lives. (Wollstonecraft 19)

I have used this theory in the perspective of mutual relationship of men and women. Feminism is when a woman raises her voice to get her rights or when someone talks about gender equality in a particular social system. Therefore, whosoever will talk about gender equality or women rights in general will be known as a feminist. There are several types of feminism described by different feminist; Radical feminism, liberal feminism, Marxist feminism, gynocentric feminism, post-modern feminism, religious feminism, cultural feminism so on and so forth. I will work under the impact of liberal, radical and religious feminism for which I have selected Mary Wollstonecraft as my theorist. As, for religious outlines I will be dealing with some of the religious quotes and references from the Holy Qura’an.

In the first chapter she starts with some simple questions and with their answers which almost everyone attempts the same way. Here asking these questions do not mean to check the intellect power of her readers in fact, she wants to convey the idea that we count all humans equal; men or women. We grade people according to their reasoning, knowledge and virtue then why is this happening that the society is not in a proper balance. Here she tries to communicate the very idea of chauvinism in western cultures and in other patriarchal societies. Women are also human beings like men they can also compete them in reasoning, knowledge and virtue then why are they considered as their subordinates? That is the idea which she wants to communicate through these questions. She is of the view that there should not be any gender discrimination in any of the societies. All human beings are equal. She also tells women that they do not understand their real essence and meaning to come in life. In her eyes if, men are wrong then women are wrong equally as they accept whatever their masters tell them. Women behave in such a manner that men get the chance to violate her rights. She proves that she is not against men rather; she wants a harmonious and balanced relationship of men and women to build a healthy society.

She is of the view that men cannot claim high status upon women just because of their physical powers. This physical strength is not to humiliate women but to accommodate them. If, they are physically strong so, on human grounds they should protect their women but, they are doing the opposite of it. They use their power and false ego to hit their women and to crush their body and soul. That is what Mary Wollstonecraft speaks against. She does not propose the idea of women empowerment over men. She wants a healthy and mutual relationship between two genders.

She further explains in her book that, this gender discrimination is a through disgrace to humanity and mankind. Through this element the whole society suffers. It corrupts the society with its filthy roots. On moral grounds there is no such thing as patriarchy or chauvinism. In every religion and culture it is prohibited to treat a living being with such a disgraceful way. Men think that they are the crown of all creations but, they do not realize that crown does not become those who do not deserve it. There is difference between having something or to earn some thing. If only men are the crown of creations then they must possess the caliber to own the authority with grace and decency. It is so unjust that only a man can heir the property of a family as he is the head of a family as I said crown of all creations. Women also have the right to claim for their property as they are also the parts and parcel of the society. And, most of the time they carry more burden as compare to men. They have to take care of their family, provide good education and upbringing to their children as well as serve their masters according to their desires. Thus, they contribute equally in the making of a society. Nobody can negate their importance if, only they themselves start appreciating the qualities they have.

Fault does not only lie on the part of patriarchy, women are also to be blamed of their bad condition in society. Why parents especially, mothers prefer their boys over their daughters? Why do people think it as a stereotypical notion that, a woman loves her son most? As, women represent themselves in this way. If women want to change the thinking pattern of male folks, for that they will have to change their ideologies first. If brutality of patriarchal pattern is below humanity, then the humiliation which women give themselves is also below the standards of humanity. One cannot ask for respect, it must be earned; this statement is not only to taunt men it applies on both the genders.

She is of the view that, every profession where power and subordination lies is dangerous for morality and society. She further says that; human bodies cannot rule but talent and knowledge can. It is the talent which makes human superordinate or the knowledge which can make someone distinguished amongst all. She gives the example of army and its ranks and how they need to have the system of leadership to be like a sea wave and act in a single direction. As, only expertise of some particular field can tell the details about their field and knowledge as, the sailors, only their vices can tell the different cast not everyone who is sailing in the boat. Therefore, it is understood that talent can lie in anyone’s lap; either men or women.

She further speaks about the disgraces of women in the ideologies of men in detail. Milton in his epic Paradise Lost says that, women are made of sweet and fragile material. This very statement is quite absurd to interpret. Is it true that he wants to say that; women are sweet, fragile bodies to follow men blindly and to fulfill their desires? The major ideology reveals here, it is in the ideology of men that women are to make them feel good. They are made to fulfill their sexual desires and purpose of their being is ended here. And it is natural in their minds that women have sweetness and artificiality in them to please men. They do not understand the true purpose behind this physical change. If, there would not be any change, how would we categorize men and women as two different genders? It is already been told that the natural make up of both the genders is to make them in relation with equality not to discriminate any one of them. As everyone is equal in the eyes of God; deeds, virtue, knowledge and caliber matter in His court. Mary Wollstonecraft wants to create an inspirational source for women and to make them realize that they are something and they have to believe in themselves.

She also talks about cultural upbringing of girls. How since beginning they have been told to follow their bosses. They are trained to be followers. By this act of immorality they demolish the constitute of marriage. They bring an immense damage to it. Marriage is a pious relationship between man and woman; it must be based on friendship. There should not be any superordinate and subordinate relationship here. It is a fashion to lead lives not a profession which we do to aim something.

She condemns many writers who portray women as the weaker vessels of society. She also asks women to raise voice for the right of getting quality education. To negate the very need of education and awareness for both the genders is inevitable. Both must know their rights and how to use them in a civilized way. If, men have been educated in a proper direction then they would not be savages at the present time. They have been made savages and women have been made weaker vessels by the rotten social education. Therefore, quality education must prevail everywhere. Thus, she tells not only the rights of women but flaws of women as well. She tells them to eradicate those flaws as they stem their low repute in the society. In her eyes education is the only thing which can change their lives therefore; they must strive to get good education.

3.2. Research Methodology

It is a qualitative research and exploratory on design therefore, I have applied method of Textual Analysis on my study. Textual Analysis has helped me to find out the relevant Textual evidences of feminism in Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns. I have used Catherine Belsey’s essay on Textual Analysis to justify my research method. As in her book Textual Analysis as a Research Method she has mentioned her view about Textual Analysis and she also has told the importance of Textual Analysis. The following rext I have quoted from her book:

            Textual Analysis is indispensable to research in cultural criticism, where cultural criticism includes English culture, cultural history and cultural studies, as well as any other discipline that focuses on texts or seeks to understand the inscription of culture in its artifacts. (Belsey 1)

In qualitative research I am exploring the Khaled Hosseini’s text A Thousand Splendid Suns. This exploration of the text will help me to find out the expected result at the end of my research. I have also taken help from Gabriele Griffin’s book Research Methods for English Studies. As he quotes in his book: “Textual Analysis will yield very different findings from conducting interviews with a reading group” (Griffin 6).

CHAPTER 4

A Textual Analysis of A Thousand Splendid Suns

In this chapter, I have dine textual analysis of my selected novel through feminist lens.. Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns is a novel that talks about Afghanistan and the plight of women of Afghan culture. Patriarchy rules the entire society and women do not have any rights to raise their voice for their betterment. The behavior of afghan women is also quite submissive. They also take this rule as their written destiny by ALLAH Almighty. They consider it as their religious obligation to endure every torture which they receive from their men. The misinterpretation of religion can be clearly seen in the text. In the text it is vividly clear that the purpose to show the miserable condition of Afghan women is to aware them of their rights and to tell them to pave their way towards independence. The writer wants the women of his country to be aware of his rights.

As, in the text the characters of Mariam, Nana and Laila are the picture of immense endurance of brutality. Story begins with the miserable condition of Nana and the illusive fantasy of Mariam about her father. The rupture of Mariam’s fantasy is the beginning where she realizes the true ideologies of her mother. Nana keeps on telling her that this world is not for them and men rule upon their bodies and souls. They do not allow them to think of themselves. Their whole world must revolve around them.  She wants her daughter to be a realist and she is also afraid of her daughter’s heart break. It is quoted in the text; “Learn this now and learn this well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman”( Hossieni 7).

Here Nana tells Mariam the true nature of the Afghan community. Men are always flawless and they never accept their faults. Everything that happens to them is the fault of their women. They humiliate them to satisfy their so called ego. He uses several symbols in the novel to reveal the pathetic condition of Afghan women. As, Nana talks about snowflakes as a sigh that a woman raises out of misery and pain represents the death of womanly emotions and soul. A woman dies every day in these types of cultures where they cannot anything but suffocation. Snow represents death, shallowness, hollowness and coldness of male folks of Afghan culture. Men there behave as savages who do not have any feelings and emotions. They treat their women as an object. But, they do not realize the very phenomenon of self-destruction. By doing this they also become emotionless as they cannot feel anything but only the lust for power, money and women. They use women to relax their sexual desires and then through them away like an abused thing.

In the text, I have found many quotations which are telling women to stand up for their rights with a touch of irony. Laila’s father is quite supportive and he wants his daughter to get quality education. On the other hand, Mariam also wants to learn but her mother stops her and tell her that there is an only lesson which she needs to learn is “endurance”. Hakeem despite the fact knows the cultural norms of his society, asks his daughter to fulfill her dreams. Yet the story takes a turn and Laila doesn’t achieve what she wants to achieve. In contrast she has to marry Rasheed. Irony here is that even having a support a woman cannot fulfill her dreams. A woman can only dream and in many of the cases they cannot even dream of their goodness like Mariam and Nana.

It is also very much clear in the text that even a humble mind like Mullah Faizullah cannot understand the miserable plight of women. When Nana commits suicide and Mariam blames herself for her mother’s death, he consoles her and tells her that it is Nana’s mistake as, she always been a hasty woman. Whereas, Mariam knows this thing that this is neither Nana’s mistake, nor hers, it is a collective sin of their society. A society which, only blames a woman and never accuses a man for his sins and mistakes. A society which, always finds flaws in its women. All patriarchal societies are the societies of cowards. Women of Afghanistan are sick and tired of this injustice but they cannot say a word in protest. They are tamed to bear everything. Nana did mistakes in her past life and her decision of suicide is also wrong. She does not think of her daughter that she will be alone after her eternal departure as she knew this fact that her father will never accept her because of the pressure of society. She knew that Jalil does not have guts to take her daughter in. She has shown her impulsive nature and left her daughter alone in the sharp jaws of male dominant society. But even after having a glance on her mistakes the fact of endurance in her life is in evitable. She has engraved a lot of pain in her heart throughout her life. Having a low financial repute is a curse in the text. A woman in Afghanistan is a weaker vessel and a woman of low financial background is nothing, but an object to use and abuse.

The writer also has showed the difference in male and female attributes in the text. It is clearly seen in the text that Hosseini has portrayed women as a sensitive being and men as an insensitive creature. Men are indifferent as far as emotions are concern. They are more practical in nature. But, as far as the text is concerned it is truly shown the most of the men in Afghanistan are living with their false ideology of superiority. As, Nana tells Mariam that a man’s heart cannot feel anything. It does not bleed like a mother’s heart. A man does not have the stamina and patience to keep a child in his womb for nine months. That is why he is deprived of the higher status and grace of the title Mother. It is only a woman who can bear her child in her womb and bear the labor pain. Man can only ask for gifts and surprises in his life; he wants a boy or a girl. Along with all these pains and killing of desires a woman also has to listen to the accusation of giving birth to a baby girl. Nana is quite right in this regard but Mariam has misunderstood her as she was under the spell of her father’s fantasy world,as Hosseini writes,“A man's heart is a wretched, wretched thing, Mariam. It isn't like a mother's womb. It won't bleed; it won't stretch to make room for you” (Hosseini 26).

Most of men always think that women cannot do anything and they do not have any feelings and emotions. It kills a woman to be treated like a doll. As in the western play A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, the protagonist has been treated in a doll like manner. Similarly in Afghanistan women are treated as an object. In the play there is a little decency and modesty has been shown. But here in the text under study has shown the true picture of patriarchy. Here women are only objects. The handling with doll is somehow a little gentle whereas, in Afghan community the concept of delicacy for women is quite missing. A woman’s heart is so soft and tender that it can melt for a tiniest act of sweetness. Even a smile of love will suffice to generate feelings in the heart of a woman. Then how and why people think that women do not possess any feelings? They are human beings like men they are not carved bodies of stone. When a man mistreats with his lady he mistreats with whole humanity. Women are mistreated in Afghan society that is why its people are so rigid, rough and uncivilized. Because, a woman also has the responsibility to shape the personality of her children. When she herself is a frustrated soul, how can she bring a good personality? And all these personalities make a society. When a woman is uneducated then how can she bring an educated person in the society to contribute in its betterment? All these things are taken for granted in Afghanistan according to the text. Only few people of main cities believe in the quality education for their women like; Kabul.

There is a comparison of main cities and countryside life of women in the text. It is explained through the different backgrounds of Mariam and Laila. Both are women yet both have different upbringing and training. Though they live in a same country but they do have some differences in their life styles. For instance Mariam belongs to a small city of Herat where the miseries of women are more intense then the major cities like Kabul. Laila also has suffered a lot in her life even then some of the days of her life are pleasant and memorable. On the other hand Mariam does not have anything in her hands which is good and pleasant to be recalled. She has only few fantasies which she hates after knowing the truth of her father’s fake world. The real world of her father is now a hell for her. She lives in this hell every day and every minute of her life. There is no escape for her. Writer has shown no escape or way out for Mariam in the text. Yet at the end of the story she finally finds it in the face of death. She receives death as an honor as, she has killed Rasheed and patriarchy with her hands. This very impression of killing Mariam for Rasheed’s murder is similar to the killing of Tess the protagonist of Thomas Hardy in The Tess of D’Urbervilles. Both share the same situation and plight. Both have suffered throughout their lives with disrespect and accepted death with a high grace. It seems that Mariam has no guilt after killing her husband as she has killed him to save the life of her daughter like friend Laila. Laila is again symbolic here as, she represents feminism and Rasheed represents patriarchy. Therefore, Mariam saved feminism and murdered patriarchy and won the battle with her life. She represents the war between feminism and patriarchy.

The text has displayed the weak minds of male folks of Afghan community that they ridicule their women and whenever they want to ridicule any man of their surroundings they mock them as women. Rather, they call them womanly. As; Rasheed says to Mariam in one of his remarks about politics that, Najibullah is slightly more “contemptible” than a woman. He laughs sarcastically and mocks at Mariam. As novelist portrays the behavior of Rasheed in following lines: “Mariam heard the answer in his laugh: that in the eyes of the Taliban, being a communist and the leader of the dreaded KHAD made Najibullah only slightly more contemptible than a woman” (Hosseini 58).

It clearly shows that they do not possess any ethics and values. Their cultural norms are different from any of the civilized nation as, they make fun of their own graces.

As we dig deep and deep into the text we see more and more sacrifices of women. Mariam and Laila suffered the brutal side of their husband as well as the misinterpreted vows of marriage. Marriage is nothing but a coffin in their lives. It is seen in the text that both of them do not express their feelings after their marriage with Rasheed. Though Mariam does not have the habbit of expressing herself but Laila does. Laila in her past life had two friends to whom she used to share her feelings and love; one is her father Hakeem and the other is her neighborhood friend Tariq. She also loved Tariq and she sacrifices her love for her family. Rasheed quite cunningly played the game and won Laila to fulfill his desires. It also shows that in Afghanistan women are worthless. They are just like the goods of a merchant to be sold off.

Through this continual exercise of abuse the minds of female characters in the novel have been demolished completely. Mariam several times thinks to herself that may be she is the one to be blamed and accused. She questions herself that what harm has she caused to this man for such a brutal treatment which she receives from him? She is unable to understand her mistake. And the mistake lies in her very unawareness of her powers and courage. She has accepted every cruelty and endured every torture that is her mistake. This endurance for nothing is her mistake. To not take initiative for her rights is her mistake. She herself has buried Mariam within her heart and received this disrespect and misery. She thinks to herself that she might be a characterless woman that is why her husband does not like or love her. Instead of accusing herself she must think of the faults of her weak moral support. Her nerves are weak instead of her character. She must curse her nerves rather than to curse her personality. She must curse the wicked norms of her society and the humiliating upbringing of women in her culture where people take woman as a tool or factory of reproduction and self-satisfaction. Men are like hungry wolves and they will gobble up their women to satiate their hunger. They are not hungry for their blood rather; they are hungry for their bodies. They discriminate there women and take pride in it. Why it is not asked yet that if, women are so miserly and ugly creatures then why do these men make sexual relationships with them? Why don’t they go somewhere else to satiate the thirst of their sexual desires? Why don’t they ask some other creature to give them their heirs? Answers are simple, but the questions are excruciatingly crucial. The reason behind proposing these questions is that; they treat their women as something highly disgraceful so, with this idea they should not even touch them. If, they will touch such a filthy stuff it will make them filthy too. Yet at the end of the day women of every society must understand their worth and value of their grace. They must respect themselves so that others see them with the eyes of respect. A woman should never doubt her abilities rather; she should trust herself and prove everyone wrong with the show of their guts.

In the text there are numerous miseries which the female characters are facing. This show of miseries and pain is not to display the weaknesses of women rather; it communicates the strength of their inner abilities. They can endure more than men and they can bring changes in the society. In Mariam’s case her faith and hope for better future is her power which has kept her alive with a man like Rasheed who is a savage under the guise of a human face. And the self-realization and self-confidence is the strength of Laila. Though she knows that she is living with a brute and sharing his roof with him, even then she has the hope of escape and freedom. Even the chaotic condition of Afghanistan cannot break their souls. It cannot crush it. And the statement becomes the reality that; you can rule the bodies but you cannot rule the hearts of your people.

Laila has many dreams to pursue but it is not easy for her to fulfill her dreams as she has a weak financial support. The only bread earner is her father Hakeem who cannot pave the way for her daughter’s better future. Her parents are no more with her. She has lost the goodness of life after their death. A girl of her age sees dreams of happiness and beautiful relationship but she cannot have this fancy with her anymore. Secondly, the Taliban have made things even more crucial and they have prohibited education for women. To survive in such society a woman needs a shelter in the face of her husband. He is the one who can make her dreams true or crush them with his feet. Laila is married with Rasheed who is an experienced soul-crusher. He has exploited her situation very cunningly. He knows how to rule a woman in a capitalist style where, all rules are for his benefits. Laila is forced to think to herself that to have a husband like him is to better kill him or embrace death for good. There is no doubt that she is an intelligent girl and she sacrifices her dreams and love for what? The answer is to face brutality of her husband and to bear the lessons of life without joining any school or college. Life has taught her a lot with harsh experiences and reality.

It is told before that man never accepts their mistakes and flaws in a patriarchal society. They find every flaw in their women. There is financial crisis for almost everyone in Afghanistan as the community and political system is shattered completely. Everyone is now hand to mouth same happens to Rasheed as well. But again instead of recalling his own mistakes he yells out his frustration on Mariam, Laila and Aziza. He beats them to show how impatient he is. Here this thing comes out under an open sky that men have a very weak temperament. They cannot endure things and situations like women. Rasheed knows his ladies are not to be blamed and they are not the faultier even then he makes them his prey to exhale his anger. He is a nasty man of no caliber. The only thing he knows to torture a lady through his bad behavior and worse traits. He has a very creepy mind which makes him look spooky. As, whatever one does it comes on the face.

Women in these types of regions are born to face the rigidity of their community. Harshness becomes the part and parcel of their lives. They do not know any way through which they can escape from such harshness. They are bound to follow the cultural rites. There is no identity of a woman in such societies. Women are just to bear and engrave the eternal sorrow into their souls. They take this poison every day and in every minute of their life. Every breath that they inhale is poisoned with the harsh air of sorrow and agony. Women in a patriarchal society also become habitual to the fact that for every ill will they will have to blame themselves. There is no way out except of accepting their fault for nothing. In the text first there is Mariam who blames herself for not generating love in her husband’s heart and then Laila also blames herself for all wrong doings. Their psychological structure is damaged badly. After facing some of the incidents they start believing in this fact that they are the subordinates and faultier of everything. Bad financial condition, political upheavals everything has happened because of their bad luck. Their bad luck for their husbands as well as for their country.

Aziza suffers because of the bad condition of her family. There isn’t any bond between her parents and her father does not love her as she is a girl, a daughter not a son. She is spoiled because of the bad tongue of her father. She has learnt the abusive words. Yet till the end of the story she will find a way out with Laila to get quality education and to acquire good personality. But her character represents the nature of a child. Children are very keen observers. They grasp things quite easily. They also change their ideas and minds after the passage of time. It all depends on the upbringing of their parents. Their behaviors are not what they have learnt from outdoors at first parents nurture positivity or negativity in them. It is in the hands of parents how they deal with their children and what kind of environment they provide them with. The word parents does not mean mother only. It includes both; father and mother. In the text it seems as if Afghan community believes that the role of parents is not a collective contribution rather it is a woman who is responsible for the upbringing of her children. Father has nothing to do with it. His responsibility is to earn bread for his family. There isn’t any doubt in this fact that men are supposed to support their families financially but that does not mean that they do not have anything to do to make their children a good character. As, children will take impressions from both of them. They will not discriminate between them. If mother is not of a good and positive personality it will transmit into the personality of children. Same is the case with fathers they also have to showcase a strong and positive character in front of their children. But this does not happen in the story. Rasheed is least bothered about theses ideals. He only can play blame game like other men of his type. He is quite stereotypical and feels proud of being the ruler of the family though he is good for nothing.

There is a misconception in the minds of the people that children do not notice or feel things deeply but they do. They are more sensitive than adults. They can judge things with the rolling of someone’s eyes. They can judge the negativity and positivity in the air. It is not that children are not sensible they are. They are sensible but emotionally weak. They cannot carry emotion easily. They do not know how to deal with their feelings that is why they react in a different fashion. But the case of Aziz is different in the text; she is sensible, observant and good in hiding her emotions too. She notices things from Laila’s way of looking and tries to console everything without listening to any question.

Laila would notice the dirt under Aziza's fingernails, and Aziza would notice her noticing and bury her hands under her thighs. Whenever a kid cried in their vicinity, snot oozing from his nose, or if a kid walked by bare-assed, hair clumped with dirt, Aziza's eyelids fluttered and she was quick to explain it away. She was like a hostess embarrassed in front of her guests by the squalor of her home. (Hosseini 97)

Here again it is conveyed that how Aziza feels guilty about her bad condition and Laila and Aziz both are ashamed of their miserable conditions. Yet again they are feeling guilty and blaming themselves. To some extent they should blame themselves as they have accepted this destiny submissively. That is their mistake for which they must feel guilty.

The author mentioned the word modern a number of times in the novel which indicates that there is some liberty as well in this community. Kabul is the heaven on earth for modernists. But native people who are rigid with their rituals and very much concern about their conventional thinking do not like these modern people. And people who are stereotypical like Rasheed mock at them and ridicule their lifestyle. They call it shamelessness that their wives are roaming around with strange guys with so much make up on and nothing in their brains as Rasheed says this and he believes in this myth of his own that women do not have brains and they cannot think. He lives with his fake illusions and every time tries to pull women down with his sarcasm. He criticizes every good thing about women just for the sake of criticism and to make them feel bad rather, worse. He keeps on sneering bad commentary about these modern people. The purpose behind the show of modernity with this massive rigidity is to tell people that they should not lose hope. Things will go right with their positive input. The writer also suggests that to change their fates they will have to change themselves and their thinking patterns. It shows that writer has not said anything abruptly. He knows the facts and figures. He has first observed the situation then raised his voice to tell the entire world the reality of this hypocrite class of Afghan community. These hypocrites can live a modern life then question arises why not all of the Afghan can lead the same life with same norms? Answer will remain absurd.

Because of the stiffness between the cities of Afghanistan its culture also has a lot of digressions and dimensions. In some of the regions women cannot even walk alone. Wherever they will go they must have the company of a male member of the house. For example in Pashtun region women cannot be seen in the streets. Most of the time rather, for the whole of their lives they have to stay at home. They have no rights to get education and to pursue their dreams. They are born to follow their lords blindly. On the other hand big cities like Kabul give opportunity to its women to at least get education and pursue their dreams. But the financial condition of people does not allow them to meet their goals of life. The civil war has made everything chaotic for people. That is again the irony of fate that they have chance yet they cannot avail it. Though in Kabul there is liberty to some extent even then women are suffocating from one thing or the other. But in other regions like Pashtun they are suffering and living a dead life. They live in their graves from the first day of their life which is terrific.

The pathetic comparison of Laila and Mariam by Rasheed shows the lusty personality of Rasheed and the rusty minds of Afghan men. The way he calls Laila a “Benz” and Mariam a “Volga” clearly represents the very idea of women worthlessness. Here it is crystal clear that women are just objects in the lives of their men. They use them as per their desire and then through them in some corner of their so called provided shelter. This also reveals his intention of bringing malice into the hearts of his wives against each other. He is truly a cunning soul. Never leaves any opportunity to disgrace women and their agonies. He mocks them and ridicules their weak condition rather; he enjoys his superiority upon them. It is not only about a single character but it is more about the facts and figures of patriarchal society and culture. Men behave in this fashion and make themselves kings. But they are just kings or triton in their own perception in reality they are nothing but a petty victimizer of women and humanity. They hunt humanity and aim at their women as a beast.

This mentality of brutality and egoism is nothing but a curse upon them. It is not only those women of a patriarchal society must think about freedom but it is more about to bring awareness in the men who carry the phenomenon of patriarchy with pride. They are suffocating their own very self. The whole fabric of patriarchy is equally suffocating for both men and women. The male members of such societies do not understand the fact that they are killing their emotions, feelings and pleasures of soul satisfaction. As it is determined that at the end of the day satisfaction matters the most. Pleasure of body is for a time being but pleasure within soul remains forever and ever within a person. The satisfaction of soul comes with love, sacrifice and kindness. Without kindness there is no image of humanity or no portray of humanity can sustain without kindness. People love birds, hawks, dogs, lions and cats then why not a woman, who is of the same category? The answer is most probably the sick mentality of Afghan community. Patriarchy is not the invention of a normal working mind. It is truly proposed by a psychological sick mind. A normal person cannot discriminate his similar being just to satiate his ego. Love, respect and kindness are bigger and more graceful feelings than of ego and jealousy. Novelist actually tries to support kindness and love by telling the ugly face of cruelty and brutality. But these people are so grasped by the roots of patriarchy that they have forgotten their own roots. They have forgotten the purpose of their life which is to spread ALLAH Almighty’s orders to humans with humanity, love and kindness. Novelist talks about religion Islam and the misinterpretation done by people as per their suit. It is to tell people that Islam is the only religion which has changed the status of women in the society. It has given them the grace, respect and honor. As, before Islam women were living in utmost agony. They had no social status and no social standing. They were not even treated as humans. This is Islam which has changed their fate from misery to glory. But the men of Muslim societies have forgotten the essence of their religious teachings. Thus, manipulation of religion can never be justified.

The death of Mariam is the most highlighted event of the novel. This transparently shows that no matter how many times a man kills a woman in his life yet he deserves no punishment or moral disgust. But a woman is put to sentence to defend a life. What did she do wrong? Where is the sin? She has killed him to save Laila’s life in fact she has saved everyone’s life yet she is wrong. Through this event writer has successfully shown the unjust rules of patriarchy. There is no place from where a woman can find justice in Afghanistan. At first their masters will decide their fates and then their law will decide their death. And why not isn’t it right to end a miserable life with a miserable death? It is clearly conveyed that in all circumstances women have to face the music which will burst their ears. It is heart wrecking and over whelming how Khaled Hosseini has brought out the ugliest face of patriarchy. The ultimate destruction of whole society is presented in an apt manner.

The novel presents a comprehensive picture of the condition of women in Afghanistan. The writer tells the miserable image of his country’s women and the illiterate ideologies of the male folks yet he is not hopeless. He carries the hope with him. Which, is visible in the text and the ending of the story is also optimistic. How things go better till the end of the story and the way he has showed Laila with a positive insight. Laila and Tariq both are mature now and understand the situations and ways to tackle it. At the end the idea of changed psychological patterns is very much there.  The thinking patterns have been changed they leave Pakistan and go back to their own homeland to make things better. Both of them want to contribute in the prosperity of their country and nation. Mariam is given life once again at the end of the story with Laila’s tears and graveness of her loss. She has lost a mother, friend and a gem of a person. She can never compare her with anyone neither can she erase her from her heart. Mariam is the soul of novel. She is the heart of the story. Through her sacrifices and endurance, feminism has come to light. Her plight has shown the way and paved it for the coming generation. She is a kind of a character which scratches hearts pierce them and make their mark.

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION

After the political upheaval of Afghanistan and the event of 9/11 in United States Afghan women derived the attention of the world towards their miseries and plight. In this study I have found the elements of female violation both physical and emotional. Feminism came into being after the incidents of brutality and unjust behavior of men with their women. It is man’s ego which leads him towards the beastly face of patriarchy. In reality there isn’t any discrimination between men and women. Both have their own standing in the society. No-one can deny the role of men in the society similarly; a woman’s part in society cannot be negated as well. There is no creature made by ALLAH Almighty which has no purpose to come into being. Then why to discriminate a human from the other human? As, humans men and women both are the crown of all creatures.

I have also focused on the perspective of religious quotations in the novel and the misinterpretation given by its characters to immune themselves. Writer has chosen this way to communicate with the women of his land that religion is something to be understood it must not be a belief which manipulate things and bring chaos to lives. It was important to convey this message as women or anyone can be easily or emotionally blackmailed through the wrong display of religious beliefs. Therefore, it is obligatory in Islam to understand the Holy verses of Qura’an with their true essence so that nobody can ever play games with your soul and body. Women in the novel also have believed and followed the very interpretation of endurance for a woman by religion. It is very much their but not only for a woman rather; for everyone. Endurance, kindness, patience and love bring peace to society that is why Islam focuses on these terms the most. People should learn to forget and forgive. Forgiving someone is a great deed in Islam. That is how positive vibe runs throughout the society and creates a harmony.

            Ego has no moral, ethical or religious standing. It is just a self-phenomenon created by some of the people in many cultures. Taliban’s major issue is ego and the lust for power. They like to abuse authority in every manner. It is shown in the novel that how Talibans have used their power and abused the authority. The sickness of their mentality is also shown by their treatment with their women. They do not permit them to get education or to get medical facilities even. In their school of thought men deserve all goodness of life and women are nothing but their slaves. It has been proved with the consultation of text. This study also tells that in every crucial moment of a state women and children suffer the most whether its war, civil war, external matters or the external matters of a state. But here the situation is more intense as; women are suffering of the ailments of civil war as well as the rigidity of their cultural ego. They also have to deal with the supremacy of men. Women and children both are deprived off their basic rights. They do not have any right for their development as a person or as a wholesome being. Men are tamed to be brutal like a savage and women are trained to behave as a prey to theses savages. Men are to live life and women are to count days of their life. Men are to get pleasures of power and authority and women are to taste death every day. There is no balance between them. The scream of a lady seems music to their ears. They enjoy wounding their souls and to watch them cry with agony.

            To substantiate the argument I have reviewed other literature and work related to this study. I have found many relevant ideas about the theme of feminism in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Writer’s interview in this regard has helped the study to conduct its findings. He has revealed his ideals about feminism and the bad condition of women in Afghanistan. He also talks about his perception about feminism. He shares his take on his own work and how he sees it. Some of the events in the novel are true events which the writer observed during his visit to Afghanistan. And some of the places and images are fancied. He finds the ways of Afghan community suffocating. It is suffocating for their women though they do not have the right or courage to say it. It seems their women have to go gentle into the death or they cannot utter a sound with the very pain of death even. Their submissiveness has changed their fate into an agonized reel of life. They have no equilibrium of mind and personality. They are shattered completely wholly and solely.

            A woman’s voice or words which tell a man some talk of wisdom is racket to them. As; they think that women can never be a wise person. These ideas have been presented in the novel as well as some of the critiques pointed out this fact of ignorance. Some of the critiques say that Mariam is an over exaggerated character as; no human can bear torture throughout his/her life. But the comparison which I have drawn between Mariam and the protagonist of Tehmina Durrani’s Blasphemy; her protagonist is far beyond supernatural than Mariam. The character of Mariam tells the real life of an illegitimate child and an isolated woman who has no family. She is alone in a wilderness having a company of a beast. Mariam’s flaw of life is her blind belief in her slavery. She never tried to get out of these conditions. There are no initiatives seen by her character to change her life from miserable to glorious. She waited till things got worse and the worst action took by her at the end of her story.

            The study is analyzed and taken place under the impact of Mary Wollstonecraft’s theory of feminism under the shade of her book A Vindication of the Rights of Women. This theory has helped in digging out the text and to understand the feminist approach of the writer.  In A Vindication of the Rights of Women Mary Wollstonecraft talks about mutual relations rather than to have an argument upon superiority and inferiority of tow sexes. Similar interpretation of feminism has been presented by Hosseini in the. He has shown the shortcomings of women as well. He does not only portray the afflicted face of patriarchy but he also talks about the reasons behind patriarchy. All these aspects have been analyzed through the analysis of the text. Textual analysis has made the argument more substantiate and valid.

            Thus, the result of this study tells that the poor conditions of women in A Thousand Splendid Suns have been presented and the elements of feminism are very much there in the novel. Therefore, it proves the research statement/hypotheses right by all means. In future further elements of civil war and its effect on women and children can be researched along with marginalization.

WORK CITED

 

Bibliography

  BIBLIOGRAPHY  Basharat Shameem. "LIVING ON THE EDGE: WOMEN IN KHALED HOSSEINI’S." Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL) 2.04.2014 (2014): 66.

Bindu Ann Philip. "Endless Endurance: A Feminist Study of Khaled Hossaeini's Novel A Thousand Splendid Suns." International Journal of Applied Research (2016): 11.

Caroline Nagel. Geographies of Muslim Women. Ed. Ghazi-Walid Falah and Caroline Nagel. Newyork: Guilford Press, 2005.

Hosseini, khaled. a thousand splendid suns. great Brittain: bloomsbury, 2007.

Namita Singh. "Feminism v/s Gender equity: Socio-Political Activism in." International Journal of Educational Research and Technology (2013): 92.

Shameem, Basharat. "Living on the edge: Women in Khaled Hossieni's A Thousand Splendid Suns." Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL) (2014): 5.

Sing, Namita. "Feminism v/s Gender equity: Socio-Political Activism in." International Journal of Educational Research and Technology (2013): 92.

Wollstonecraft, Mary. A vindicat5ion on the rights of woman. pdf, 1792.

Belsey, Catherine.“Textual Analysis as a Research Method.” In Gabriele Griffin, ed.  2005.157–74.

Griffin, Gabriele, ed. Research Methods for English Studies. Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, 2005.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4kyalTT_wY 15. March. 2017.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=useqwpkN18E 15. March. 2017.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ez9GhYm080 15. March. 2017.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=moQQP6e5rIU 12. March 2017.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW55_aFYpu8 12. March.2017.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzwMvYmZ8_U 24. Feb. 2017.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oWstZMSMVo 25. Feb. 2017. 
All copyrights are reserved by the researcher.