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Following Hosseini’s original best-selling novel The Kite Runner, a novel exploring the journey of self-discovery of a young boy named Amir, A Thousand Splendid Suns pictures the stories of Mariam and Laila, two young women who live in the country of women and face heavy discrimination for being women throughout the novel. The country of Afghanistan is portrayed as a conservative country with traditional attitudes regarding the roles and images of both women and men in society. Unlike the common impersonation of feminism in modern literature, which reflects feminism as an opposition to men, Hosseini challenges gender roles and socialization through the subverted development of his female characters in response to different social and political issues that occur throughout the Afghan culture.
Hosseini initially introduces Mariam, a young woman who is taught early on the harsh realities of being a woman in the Middle East, particularly through her experiences as a young child being raised by her mother Nana. It is implied early on that women are held to lower standards in Afghan society, as Nana tells Mariam “There is only one, only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life, and they don’t teach it in school… And it’s this: tahamul. Endure…” (Hosseini ). In the beginning, the women have little sense of independence as it is constantly portrayed that they are suppressed by the men and sociopolitical hierarchies of society. Nana’s pragmatic perception of men in society is taught early to Mariam, creating a gender divide in Mariam’s perception of her culture as she grows up. “… a man’s heart is a wretched, wretched thing, Mariam. It isn’t like a mother’s womb.” Nana compares a man’s “wretched” heart, to a mother’s womb. While one is capable of harboring the fruition of life, it deeply contrasts with Nana’s perception of a man’s heart thus painting a negative image of men from the beginning. Her isolation from the rest of society and constant displeasure with the conservative attitudes of society are clear in her displeasing quotes regarding men. “Like a compass needle that always points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam.” (Hosseini 7)
Nana’s words come from personal victimization and experiences at the hands of men throughout her life, and she aims to hammer this idea to Mariam from the very beginning. In many ways, Nana is a representation of a woman in the Afghan culture who carries out the traditional gender roles of a woman. She was a housemaid to Jalil until she had a daughter with him, where she then stays at home with her daughter and is forced to live in a desolate, isolated shack away from her husband. When her only relative and her last sense of emotional support, Mariam leaves her house to visit Jalil in Kolba despite Nana’s warnings, she is consumed by guilt and insecurity and turns to suicide. Nana reflects a victim of the discrimination of the harsh treatment of women in Afghan culture who do not receive any form of support. Jalil turns her away since their marriage, as a man caring for his woman is seen as cowardly by the rest of his peers. This excessive idea is further established when the Taliban come into power and prevent women from doing the same daily tasks as men. Once again, this group of individuals who are majorly men impose strict and unfair rules on the rest of the women in the country, and further paint the idea that there is a huge divide between the rights and responsibilities of both men and women.
The The Taliban verbally and physically abuse Laila regularly due to her being out after curfew hours, and she is stripped of basic human rights while it is evident that she too lacks a sense of independence and equality. Despite these strict rules, Laila leaves the house every day and endures beatings and lashings regularly. “Laila never would have believed that a human body could withstand this much beating, this viciously, this regularly, and keep functioning.” (Hosseini ) However, Laila’s ability to withstand and persevere despite the beatings shows her merciless will and Hosseini’s empowering portrayal of women throughout the novel. This marks the beginning of her enduring journey to find a sense of independence and self-discovery in a society riddled with suppression and discrimination toward women.
A clear and early establishment of gender roles comes from Jalil, the illegitimate father of Mariam who has multiple wives (one being Nana). Jalil’s character and responsibilities are very reflective of traditional gender roles that Hosseini attempts to break. He is the partner responsible for working and acquiring money for his family, while his wives are constantly forced to stay at home and look after the kids in worn-down environments. Although he is consistently absent as a father figure for Mariam as she is a child, she holds him in a high place in her mind as a role model and aims to mirror his behaviors. She is told contradictory stories about him from both parents (Jalil and Nana) and yet chooses to side with the version that Jalil tells her, despite his absence in her life. “Mariam would listen dutifully to this. She never dared say to Nana how much she disliked her talking this way about Jalil. The truth was that around Jalil, Mariam did not feel at all like a harami. For an hour or two every day, when Jalil came to see her, all smiles and gifts and endearments, Mariam felt deserving of all the beauty and bounty that life has to give. And for this, Mariam loved Jalil.” (Hosseini 3)
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