The Strength Of Women In A Thousand Splendid Suns

Through their bravery and hope, Mariam and Laila demonstrated what little rights women had in Afghanistan, between the 1960s and 2000s. Men in Afghanistan treated women horribly and showed them absolutely no respect. Mariam and Laila were two great examples of the many women that were fighting for their rights. They were fed up with the constant abuse. They could not stand being treated like dogs anymore. So one day they stood up to their husband and fought back for once. This is great example of two strong female roles. The book A Thousand Splendid Suns demonstrates the courage and strength some women gained from the harsh treatment. This book might encourage other women to stand up for what they believe in and not just sit around

Although, Laila has never remembered her brothers because they have joined the war with the Soviets and the Afghans. Laila and her best friend, Tariq spend almost everyday with each other. Soon Laila hears that her brothers have died in the war. Then war reaches Kabul and bombs rain down frequently. Once Laila and Tariq are teengaers they begin to fall in love. Only to find out that Tariq has to move with his family to Pakistan to avoid the war. Laila’s parents finally decide to leave Afghanistan as well, but as they are getting into the taxi, a bomb hits their house and kills her parents and wounds her very badly. Rasheed and Mariam take her in and get her recovered quickly. Once she is healthy again a man named Abdul Sharif, comes to tell her that Tariq has died. Laila feels like she has suddenly lost everyone and does not know what to do. Knowing she is pregnant with Tariq’s childed and having no where else to go, she agrees to marry Rasheed. At first Mariam is threatened by Laila and jealous of the way Rasheed treats her. Nevertheless, after Aziza is born Mariam can not stay away from her and Laila and Mariam form a sudden bond. Rasheed and Laila have a son named Zalmai. Then one day Tariq shows up at Laila’s front door. Tariq and Laila soon realizes that Rasheed paid Abdul to come and lie to her so that he could marry her and she could give birth to the boy he had always

When Mariam was about nineteen Mir Akbar Khyber was murdered. People in Kabul then went to protest on the streets. Before the Taliban took control, women were finally making an effort to gain equality. A majority of the teachers and doctors in Afghanistan where women, before the Civil War and Taliban Control. Laila planned on becoming a doctor, until women were banned from getting an education. Although, when the Taliban took control in 1996, they constructed a system of gender discrimination, which put women under constant house arrest unless accompanied with a male relative. Most women were prohibited from going to work. They had to cover any windows in their room with black paint. They could not even leave the house without wearing a burqa, which covered their whole body. These women were not allowed to even visit male doctors for health reasons. The Taliban even encouraged young ladies under sixteen to get married. Laila was only about fourteen when she married Rasheed. Over eighty percent of these marriages were forced either by family or the Taliban. The Taliban even constructed a police force just to beat women who violated the Taliban code. The Taliban code restricted women’s behavior. For example exposing their ankles, laughing too loud, wearing shoes that made noise when walking, and/or wearing the