Discussion Topic B

   In the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini he portrays various literary elements that expose the taunting topic of gender relations that is evident in most Afghanistan countries. Allusion and metaphor are used to contrast the qualities that exist between a woman and a man. The main characters Mariam and Laila share a common aspect that has prohibited them from succeeding for the most part of their lives. Being a woman in Afghanistan is harsh. For Mariam and Laila, living under a man’s cruel punishment has eliminated them from doing activities they enjoy such as getting an education or having a job. They have both lost their parents which has been hard for them to overcome. The past experiences of both Mariam and Laila have shaped who they are and have made them stronger people. Therefore, the literary element of allusion creates a guide for both. They rely on what they know and make decisions based on their knowledge. Rasheed, husband of both, has denied the liberty that a woman deserves in life such as dressing the way one likes and talking to other people. “Oh, I also ask that when we are out together, that you wear a burqa. For your own protection, naturally.” (pg.223) From this quote one can infer the traditional beliefs that Rasheed still stands up to. He believes that women should be the complete property of their husbands. Being as stubborn as he is, Khaled Hosseini depicts how this has developed a difference in gender relations in the novel. The fact that Rasheed is the male in his household makes him feel superior to Mariam and Laila. He creates a boundary between men and women. When Laila has a son from Rasheed, he favors Zalmai over all. “He’d paid for new clothes, new rattles, new bottles, new diapers, when though they could not afford them and Aziza’s old ones were still serviceable.” (pg. 295) After Rasheed’s son died years earlier from his first marriage, he always desired to own another boy that could help him look over his wife and carry out the rules to his house. On the contrast to Rasheed’s fatherly love for Zalmai, he doesn’t accept Aziza. “There will be others like her, younger even,” Rasheed said. Everyone in Kabul is doing the same.” (pg. 299) Hosseini uses this metaphor to compare Rasheed’s act of negligence with Aziza over the rest of the young children in Kabul. Rasheed’s lack of respect for women carries along with the way he treats an innocent girl, Aziza. Without a doubt, the dominance of the male has condemned Afghani women in leading an independent life.