The state of Afghan women as portraited in a novel "a thousand splendid suns" by khaled hosseini

Abstract

This research aims to examine the challenges faced by Afghan women, as depicted by Khaled Hosseini in his literary work titled A Thousand Splendid Suns. The work highlights the pervasive problems of misogyny throughout Afghan society. Afghan women reside within a socio-cultural framework characterized by a pronounced patriarchal structure, wherein the prevailing norms of patrilocality and patrilineality impose significant limitations upon them, ostensibly justified by religious and cultural principles such as Pushtunwali. The novel portrays Afghan women as being objectified and used as commodities. The legislative efforts of successive Afghan administrations to promote women's liberation have been impeded by male individuals. Due to their dominant nature, men exercise authority over women and deprive them of their rightful entitlements. In order to maintain the existing social order, they implement stringent regulations, commonly referred to as Sharia rules. The present study arrives at the conclusion that Afghan women have been subjected to flogging and lethal acts, young girls have been coerced into entering into marriages against their will, and educational institutions and healthcare facilities catering specifically to women have been deliberately set on fire. Throughout history, there has been a persistent pattern of men engaging in the mistreatment and exploitation of women. The research additionally asserts that Afghanistan exhibits a deeply entrenched sexist culture, with the challenges faced by Afghan women being further intensified by persistent conflicts.