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Literature grants a voice for an individual to project their thoughts, feelings, and experiences enabling them to escape from reality. In both ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ and ‘The Kite Runner’ the novels explore the impact of relationships in a war-stricken Afghanistan as a mechanism to convey the voice of the people in Afghanistan. Hosseini centralizes the female narrative at the heart of ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ to project the sufferings of the females who were forced to conform to a life of domesticity and silence. Females in Afghanistan were constantly stripped of their freedom and independence exacerbated by the seizure of Afghanistan by the Taliban. The lives of Mariam and Laila are at the heart of the novel, established as foils through their contradicting childhood, experiences from their marriage, love, and devotion lead to the formation of a beautiful female bond as they find solace in their companionship. Mariam and Laila find escapism from their traumas within their relationship that guards them from the extreme hypocrisy within the phallocentric society of Afghanistan. In ‘The Kite Runner’ Hosseini centralizes the depths of relationships he emphasizes the importance of choices in a relationship that can have everlasting consequences on the character and life of an individual. Similar, to ‘Thousand Splendid Suns’ the ‘Kite Runner’ also explores the friendships between Amir and Hassan just like Mariam and Laila. Set in Afghanistan, Amir is desperate to win the local kite competition, his loyal friend Hassan assists him to win the competition but during the competition Amir witnesses the traumatic incident of the rape of Hassan but chooses to remain silent, years later he returns to Afghanistan to gain redemption and atone for his sins. Both novels are set in Afghanistan, and demonstrate the effects of political and religious turmoil, showing victims of the repressive regime of the radical Islamic group the Taliban, whose fundamental belief in Sharia law is acknowledged by many as a misinterpretation of the Quran. In the novel, Hosseini portrays the torture inflicted on the females by the Taliban with graphic, poignant imagery. These extreme measures ensured conformity to their regime, from a feminist perspective the exploitation of females by reducing them to their biological function is a significant concern. Feminists argue about the liberation of females who can live in a society that allows them their freedom and independence this contradicts the highly patriarchal beliefs of the Taliban. Therefore the fundamental principles of Sharia law serve as an instrument that articulates a phallocentric society, manipulating the terms that are laid out in Sharia law to justify the misogynistic mindsets of the males. The males are the main beneficiaries of these measures as they protect their supreme position in society, upholding patriarchy by punishing the females. Both texts portray the justification of religion as a tool to corrupt cultural beliefs, the manipulated interpretations of the Quran are employed to uphold patriarchy, which is criticized by Hosseini in the novel.
Within both texts Hosseini explores the institution of marriage, many feminists have critiqued the concept of marriage, defined as a tool that allows patriarchy to justify the assertion of totalitarian, tyrannical control over the woman who is established as a subordinate sex to the man. Hosseini ‘In a Thousand Splendid Suns’ criticizes the forced marriage between Rasheed and Mariam, marriage is established as a trap for the females, who enter a binding contract that strips them of their freedom and individuality, forcing them to submit to the tortures of their husbands. In chapter 10, Rasheed’s confrontation with Mariam a week after their wedding reveals his demanding, misogynistic mindset when he vocalizes that ‘as of tomorrow morning I expect you to start behaving like a wife.’ The imperative sentence emphasizes Rasheed’s dictatory attitude towards Mariam, at the very beginning he establishes the expectations he has of Mariam, which is to remain within the domestic, the personal pronoun of ‘I’ further emphasizes the demanding nature of Rasheed’s character within their marriage that causes Mariam to lose her voice. Rasheed’s excessive control in their marriage is further emphasized by his question ‘What did you think?’ ‘That I’m some kind of a housekeeper.’ He patronizes her through the rhetorical question. Rasheed is not looking for an answer, but conformity from Mariam that is highlighted by the noun ‘housekeeper’, the connotations of the noun link to the domestic, for example, cooking. This evidences the totalitarian control that Rasheed has as he confines her to the home, therefore controlling her freedom. This allows Rasheed to uphold his patriarchal beliefs. In response to this Mariam submits to commands of Rasheed, she ‘swept the floors, beat the cobwebs: opened the windows to air the house.’ From a feminist perspective, this is a significant concern as the domestic sphere defines Mariam, she loses her freedom trapped within the domestic. This total control over Mariam by Rasheed suggests his fear of a female’s autonomy. This is further evidenced by Rasheed’s objectification of females ‘women come uncovered, talk to me directly, look me in the eye without shame.’ The sexual connotations ‘uncovered’ emphasize the hypocrisy towards females, he feels threatened by a woman’s loose sexual morality which emasculates him, as a result, he uses the justification of honor-based violence through ‘blood is spilled’. This is a reference to honor killing which is a punishment to the females who bring shame to the family through sexual transgression. The concept of ‘honor killing’ is a troubling phrase for feminists. The current use of the term is that ‘women embody the honor of the males’ which means that the female’s conduct reflects the males that she is associated with, therefore the male must control the female’s sexual autonomy. As a result of this belief the violence towards females is a method used to regulate and contain a female’s sexuality. The reference to honor killing asserts totalitarian control over Mariam mentally and physically. As a result, in chapter 11 Mariam is forced to wear a ‘burqa’ with regards to Afghan culture the ‘burqa’ is a form of control used to oppress the females it symbolizes the ownership of the husbands over their wives. Significantly, Rasheed quotes ‘a woman’s face is her husband’s business only’ enforces the possession of the female’s body and beauty as the ‘burqa’ contains the woman’s purity which is solely for her husband. In conservative South Asian cultures when a woman is married her body becomes the possession of her husband, therefore justifying the marital rape and domestic abuse that is inflicted by the males within their marriage. These misogynistic views towards females are criticized by Natasha Walter, she addresses the biological reduction of females through the assertion, ‘Hosseini vividly brings home what life is like for women in a society in which they are only valued for their reproduction.’ In chapter 14 after Rasheed’s marital rape of Mariam ‘he left the room’ the repetition of the phrase ‘leaving her’ emphasizes the objectification of Mariam, Rasheed uses her body as his possession which he can exploit as he pleases. Male sexual desires are portrayed as a biological imperative, a highly patriarchal perception that Rasheed is allowed to use Mariam’s body as an object to satisfy his sexual desires because he is a ‘man.’ The miscarriages that occur within their marriage evidence Rasheed’s biological reduction of Mariam he expects her to grant her a child, and when she fails to do so he becomes ‘more remote and resentful’ he ‘comes back in the middle of the night for brief rough sessions of coupling’ at this stage in their marriage Rasheed completely disregards Mariam’s consent, highlighting the totalitarian, tyrannical control he has over Mariam, which is a feminist concern as Mariam has become an object that is vulnerable to Rasheed’s sexual exploitation. Therefore, this is a critique of forced marriage by Khaled Hosseini, he uses the novel to inform readers of the tortures inflicted on the females in Afghanistan. Mariam’s story is used as a mouthpiece for Hosseini, to vocalize his concerns about the voiceless females of Afghanistan who continuously suffer from the traumas of marital rape, and young Afghan girls who lose their innocence at a premature age, as a result, they are forced to normalize the violence that is embedded within their relationship.
Contrastingly, in ‘The Kite Runner’ Hossein portrays the love marriage between Amir and Soraya which juxtaposes the forced marriage between Mariam and Rasheed. In chapter 12, Amir describes Soraya using romanticized imagery, the personification of the ‘dappled sunlight had danced in Soraya’s eyes’ and of the ‘hollows above her collarbone’ emphasizes Amir’s attraction towards Soraya, it presents the innocence and purity of Amir’s love he admires Soraya’s beauty. The personification of the ‘sunlight’ connotates the idealization of Soraya whose beauty is seen by Amir as otherworldly, this enables Soraya to have an identity and to be valued for who she is not for her biological function. This contrasts with Rasheed’s perception of females whom he perceives as possessions, Mariam is never appreciated for her efforts as it is imposed as a duty to her. Hosseini uses the relationship of Amir and Soraya to critique the concept of arranged marriage he emphasizes the importance of consent and love within a marriage relationship. This is never the situation in the marriage of Rasheed and Mariam as the marriage between them is a form of totalitarian control used to justify patriarchy. However, Soraya and Amir’s love marriage allows them to transcend into a sanctuary where both can be reliant on each other, because of the acceptance and equality that is embedded within their relationship. In chapter 12, Soraya’s confession about her elopement with an Afghan man evidences the understanding that Amir has of Soraya’s past unphased in his desire to marry her ‘Nothing you said changes anything. I want us to marry,’ Amir is accepting of Soraya’s past he embraces her regardless of her past, whereas Rasheed uses the justification of honor killing to regulate Mariam’s sexuality. Therefore, Khaled Hosseini critiques the double standards of people within an arranged marriage due to the damage it can cause mentally and physically. Hosseini vocalizes that people should be more tolerant towards consensual and love marriages.
Both texts evidence a contrasting experience of friendship, the friendship between Mariam and Laila is an escape for them into a sanctuary, which guards them against the tortures of Rasheed. In ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ the friendship between Mariam and Laila is a symbol of loyalty and protection in the phallocentric society of Afghanistan, this enables them to escape from emotional and physical sufferings. The marriage between Laila and Rasheed occurs due to Mariam’s inability to grant Rasheed a child, Rasheed marries Laila to legitimize Laila residing in their home. Initially, Mariam and Laila hate each other ‘Mariam took no notice of her’ she is hostile towards Laila blaming her for taking her husband but as the novel develops the women are drawn towards each other. Their friendship becomes an escape for them ‘a look past between,’ an ‘unguarded knowing look.’ Both Laila and Mariam are victims of patriarchy- their friendship transcends into a beautiful female bond that allows them the freedom to withdraw from the abuse of Rasheed. Increasingly, Laila and Mariam become strong companions who can rely on each other most significantly evidenced, when Mariam saves Laila from the animalistic abuse that Rasheed inflicts, by killing him. In Chapter 45, Mariam reclaims her independence as she ‘brought down the shovel’ she reflects on the pain and suffering that Rasheed had caused her that contradicted the love and acceptance she had received from Laila. Mariam’s unphased motive to kill Rasheed is due to her love for Laila, from the extremity of her actions she is willing to sacrifice herself to protect Laila’s life. Hence, Mariam is established as an archetypal victim of the abuses inflicted by Rasheed despite the efforts that she had invested in her relationship. The female friendship symbolizes the transcendental power of love, which enables them to escape from the trauma and abuse of their experiences. Mariam feels legitimized, her protection of Laila transcends the sufferings caused by Rasheed. Mariam dies as a martyr, her extreme act of violence allows her to obtain her identity, her last few words leave a poignant image in the minds of the readers ‘This was a legitimate end to illegitimate beginnings’ This demonstrates the willingness of Mariam to sacrifice herself for the greater good. Furthermore, Mariam and Laila’s friendship highlights the juxtaposition between their characters to emphasize that both women are victims of patriarchy. Hosseini initially establishes Mariam and Laila as foils to each other, this represents the attitudes of Afghan society towards females, through both the characters as readers we can witness the descending position of females in Afghan society. As the critic Natasha Walter argues, ‘by putting Mariam and Laila in contrast like this. trying to explain the complexities of Afghan society to the reader.’ Mariam resided outside of Herat, which was an underdeveloped, medieval city in Afghanistan, with conservative views that restricted females. This was increasingly evident after the Taliban seizure where the strict enforcement of laws confined women to the domestic closing all girl’s schools, consequently alienating the Heratis. In comparison to Herat, Kabul heavily juxtaposed the city of Herat many individuals held liberal views. As evident by Laila, she is brought up in a liberal progressive society, where people were equal in many aspects. In the 1970s Kabul was increasingly westernized; women were able to break free from extreme Islamic traditions, thus making women eligible for jobs and granting them a right to vote, they were able to enjoy the freedoms that they had previously declined. Therefore, returning to Natasha Walter’s argument Hosseini goes deep into the heart of the complexities of Afghan society which is sexism towards females.
However, in ‘The Kite Runner’ the phallocentric narrative evidences a one-sided friendship between Hassan and Amir, the complexities within their friendship lead to a breakdown of their relationship that they are unable to save. This is asserted by critic James O’Brien ‘It is this muddled unbalanced and ultimately tragic relationship (Amir and Hassan) lies at the heart of The Kite Runner’. In chapter 4 when Hassan and Amir visit the pomegranate tree which is situated in an abandoned cemetery, Amir carves out on the tree ‘Amir and Hassan the Sultan of Kabul’. This emphasizes the purity of their relationship, the innocence of their childhood memories reflects their strong friendship. The personification of the ‘shadows of the pomegranate leaves dancing’ emphasizes the comfort that the tree brings them, the shade of the tree allows them to escape into a sanctuary protecting them against the world around them. Most significant in their friendship is the symbolism of the pomegranate tree, this alludes to the biblical reference to the original sin with the pomegranate symbolizing the forbidden fruit, therefore it foreshadows the sin that Amir regrets consumes him trapping him in the hell of his conscience. Whereas the tree can also exist as a sign of hope for Amir, when he returns it allows him the opportunity to atone for his sins. Therefore, Hosseini uses the evolving friendship of Hassan and Amir to convey that being loyal and staying truthful create a solid foundation for maintaining a healthy relationship.
In both texts, Hosseini centralizes the theme of loyalty to assert that loyalty is a key element in a relationship that forms an everlasting bond. The loyalty between Mariam and Laila is reciprocal they are bound by the devotion that they have for each other. In chapter 46, Laila is desperate to hold onto Mariam she even states that she will testify for her ‘I’ll tell them what happened’. Laila is desperate to save Mariam reflecting the love and affection that Laila has for Mariam. Even during death, Mariam leaves with satisfaction and nobility, she has fulfilled her role as ‘a friend, a companion, a guardian’ loyalty has allowed her to uphold the beautiful bond that she had with Laila, allowing her to leave the world as a woman who ‘had loved and been loved back.’ Finally, Mariam leaves with dignity established as a martyr who sacrificed herself for the love and devotion she had for Laila. Similarly, Laila evidences her loyalty to the dead Mariam by going back to visit Herat, she returns to find Mariam the repeats the question ‘Is Mariam here? It has been so long! Is she here?’ emphasizes her desperation to see Mariam. This highlights that loyalty is a crucial element in maintaining a relationship.
On the other hand, loyalty within the relationship of Hassan and Amir in ‘The Kite Runner’ is one-sided Amir does not reciprocate the same loyalty and devotion that Hassan invests in their relationship, in contrast, he exploits Hassan’s integrity and sincerity. Hosseini through the depiction of the evolving friendship of Amir and Hassan highlights the importance of loyalty that maintains a healthy relationship. Hassan is straightforward in his loyalty towards Amir whereas, Amir deep down has a complex approach to their relationship. In chapter 5, Aseef the local bully tries to attack Amir and Hassan, in response Hassan pulls a slingshot to protect Amir ‘I turned and came face to face with Hassan’s slingshot’ The slingshot in this chapter serves as a powerful weapon. Despite, Hassan’s trembling hands he musters the courage to defend Amir this shows his unbound loyalty towards Amir saving him from the threat of Aseef. However, Amir does not acknowledge the efforts of Hassan through ‘neither one of us said anything as we walked home in trepidation,’ Amir’s narcissism is increasingly evident as he fails to appreciate the courage that Hassan showed to protect him. Therefore, Hosseini highlights that loyalty within a relationship lays the foundations for maintaining a healthy relationship.
In conclusion, within both texts Hosseini portrays relationships as key components to the formation of an individual’s character, emphasizing the influence of these relationships that leave a permanent mark on an individual’s life. Through ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ he spreads awareness of the atrocities towards the females forcing the readers to recognize the oppression of females within a phallocentric society. Similarly, in ‘The Kite Runner’ Hosseini challenges the class and ethnic divide emphasizing the burden of guilt that weighs upon Amir for marginalizing Hassan remains until he seeks atonement for his sins.
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