Introduction
The issue of women’s rights has always been an acute topic since while women in developed countries have the privilege of education and a career, having a sense of security and protection, many women in developing countries are restricted in their freedom. The novel A Thousand Splendid Suns was written by Khaled Hosseini thirteen years ago. The author narrated the life of Mariam and Laila, who had to endure violence, living in a constant state of fear, worrying that no matter what they do or say, punishment will follow. Although more than a decade has passed, the life of women in Afghanistan is still filled with injustice, and with the Taliban seizing control, they have no access to education or any prospects of independence or stability. Thus, while the novel by Hosseini depicts the lives of two women, it can be used to describe the experiences of millions of women in Afghanistan and their treatment, including domestic abuse and a complete lack of rights.
Discussion
The integration and interconnecting of Afghan culture, faith, and ethnicity, together with cultural and contemporary systems, shape the lives of women in Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, traditional patriarchal culture is premised on women’s roles as “keepers of the family honor,” where male regulation of women’s lives and bodies is essential and connected to their supremacy over the female population (Rahman 61). Such beliefs are vividly illustrated in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns by Hosseini through the experiences of Mariam and Laila. The two women were married to Rasheed out of despair or coercion, and in this marriage, the women endured both mental and physical abuse. In the end, Rasheed faced the fate he deserved, being killed by Mariam. Although Laila and the children were able to escape, Mariam was prosecuted for such a crime. Even today, this novel persists in being relevant and enrages those who find such treatment of women unfair.
The fate of Afghan women in bearing the children and being obedient to their husbands can be observed in the first part. In her marriage with Rasheed, Mariam had seven miscarriages, which made the man feel worthless and inferior. The disappointment and resentment toward Mariam manifested in physical abuse. Any irritation quickly triggers an outburst of aggression, such as in the fifteenth chapter when he dislikes the food that Mariam cooked for him. The author describes the horror of the woman when by the tone of Rasheed, she already knows what will follow: “She could feel her pulse quickening, her skin shrinking” (Hosseini 67). The following scene shows how “he snatched her hand, opened it, and dropped a handful of pebbles into it” (Hosseini 67). In this sense, a woman in Afghanistan is seen as the property of a man, and no one has the right to interfere. As Rasheed told Mariam at the beginning of their marriage in Kabul, “one wrong look, one improper word, and blood is spilled” since “a woman’s face is her husband’s business only” (Hosseini 47). Therefore, there is no protection for a woman, and she must only endure the pain.
As has been mentioned by other scholars, domestic violence is a global problem that has a serious impact on women’s well-being. The root of domestic violence may be deeply rooted in the community and the presumed traditionally dictated gender roles in different cultures. For example, men are supposed to play the dominating position in a patriarchal system, while women are expected to play a subordinate role. The Afghan culture is strongly patriarchal, and males dominate all institutions, which is why women often have poorer social standing than males do. For example, the adult literacy rates are 55.5% for males and 29.8% for women (Akbary 4). In 2015, an Afghan survey found that women are more likely than males to marry earlier in life (Akbary 4). Such domination of the male population leads to early marriages and a lack of access to proper education.
Already at the beginning of the novel, the reader sees the overall approach to education for women. The mother of little Mariam, who is without schooling, claims that schooling for girls is nonsense, stating that the girl will “learn nothing of value in those schools” and “there is only one, only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life, and they don’t teach it in school” (Hosseini 12). This emphasizes how society prioritizes male interests and desires, making women inferior. Moreover, the author accentuates that marriages that were not based on love were frequent. Mariam marries as soon as she is of age, and the suitor is chosen by the wives of her father, Nargis, Afsoon, and Khadija. The man who was supposed to marry Mariam was a shoemaker much older than the young girl. After moving to Kabul upon marrying, Mariam was reluctant to become close to Rasheed because this was not the man she loved. As Mariam put it, “his nails were yellow-brown, like the inside of a rotting apple, and some of the tips were curling, lifting” (Hosseini 36). In this case, her opinion did not matter when making a decision.
In the end, many women in marriages were exposed to abuse and disrespect. Jafari mentions in their study that the abuse against married women in Afghanistan is not uncommon. Man’s carelessness shows itself in his refusal to help his wife with domestic tasks and the ongoing maltreatment of his children (Jafari 811). Violence evolves from its least aggressive case, in other words, verbal aggression, insults, and degradation, to its most extreme condition, namely, physical violence (Jafari 811). In cases of physical abuse, the husband or, occasionally, the husband’s relatives would beat the woman (Jafari 811). As a result, women live in constant stress since they know they will find no support.
The above-mentioned violent treatment of women is described in the novel through the example of Rasheed, who is discontent with his life. The readers can see through his actions and words that he is a man with a hurt ego, unable to satisfy his subconscious desires, and finding solace in abusing his defenseless wives, gaining a sense of power only at home. In one episode, when Rasheed is going around the city with Mariam, he mentions that “around here is where foreign diplomats live, rich businessmen, members of the royal family that sort of people. Not like you and me” (Hosseini 48). In these words, one can see how the man draws a parallel between the rich and poor, putting himself in the latter category, which makes him feel inferior. As for the case of gradual abuse, this is observed throughout the novel, when at the beginning of the marriage, Rasheed raises a hand at Mariam, and toward the end, he not only beats his second wife, Laila but drags Mariam by her hair and makes her eat pebbles.
Finally, women are deprived of several financial and social possibilities in Afghanistan, and scholars emphasize how the change could positively influence society. Economic empowerment of women would raise their households’ standards of life, slow the rate of population increase, and promote social peace (Roshan 230). Investments in girls’ schooling and women’s economic prospects have a colossal impact, improving socioeconomic development such as children’s health and well-being as well as households’ and communities’ financial standing (Roshan 230).
Reducing conflict and violence is also correlated with improving women’s status (Roshan 230). Consequently, advancing gender equality is crucial for both economic development and national security. The transformation toward more liberty is shown in the novel as well. As Laila’s father once told her, “Women have always had it hard in this country” (Hosseini 86). However, with the communist rule in Afghanistan, the government made more contributions to encourage women to seek education. Additionally, in the end, the readers can see how Laila had an opportunity to have a job in Kabul and became a school teacher. In this sense, women can make more contributions to the economy and the nation.
Conclusion
Hence, despite the fact that Hosseini’s book is about the lives of two women, it may be used to represent how millions of Afghan women face domestic violence and a total lack of rights. The first point is that Afghan women are seen as the property of men and used to provide offspring, and the punishment for not being able to do this is seen in Mariam’s experience. Then, women in Afghanistan marry early and have lower literacy rates since, as mentioned by Mariam’s mother, girls need other skills. Moreover, abuse of wives is not uncommon, and Rasheed abused two of his wives without any qualms. Finally, scholars provide a picture of how women can contribute to the economy and the nation, which is seen through Laila’s experience as a school teacher and the government’s contribution to female education during communist rule. Thus, the novel by Hosseini evokes compassion in anyone who reads it, and one can only hope for a better future for Afghan women.
Works Cited
Akbary, Mohammad Fazel, Tolulope Ariyo, and Quanbao Jiang. “Sociocultural Determinants of Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence Among Women and Men in Afghanistan: Evidence from Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey 2015.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, vol. 37, no. 11, 2022, pp.1-25.
Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. United Kingdom, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2009.
Jafari, Hussain, Hassan Zareei Mahmoodabadi, and Zahra Naderi Nobandegani. “A Study of Domestic Violence Against Married Women in Afghanistan: Grounded Theory.” Journal of Social Behavior and Community Health, vol. 6, no. 1, 2022, pp.810-818.
Rahman, Farhana. “Narratives of Agency: Women, Islam, and the Politics of Economic Participation in Afghanistan.” Journal of International Women’s Studies, vol. 19, no. 3, 2018, pp.60-70. Web.
Roshan, L. A. “Women, Peace and Security in Afghanistan.” International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR), vol. 6, no. 1, 2019, pp.228-230. Web.