Oppression In A Thousand Splendid Suns

Hope, everyone has experienced it at least once in their life. Whether it's hoping for a better life, world peace, or your favorite soccer team winning the world cup, everyone has hoped for something. However, in some cases there is no hope, and the remaining hope someone may have is suppressed, many times by oppression. Oppression, by Merriam-Webster, is unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power. When oppression suppressed the hope someone has, it doesn't just take their hope away, it causes injury, pain, and loss. In the book A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, oppression plays a big role in the life of the characters. It had a profound impact on their lives and also influences the plot and storyline as well. The effect and

“She can leave. I won’t stand in her way. But I suspect she won't get fair. No food, no water, not a rupiah in her pockets” (Page 215). This decimated Laila’s vision of becoming well educated and employed. Her father was no longer with her to help motivate her to keep striving for the best, which crushed Laila. Even Rasheed has lost someone is his life, his first son. “You heard how his son died?” “He drowned didn’t he?” “...he was crying drunk that day” (Page 227-228). This, although never brought up again, may explain Rasheed’s action towards Mariam, Laila, Aziza, and even Zalmai. Since he lost his only son, he most likely wanted to have another one, almost a replacement of sorts, and in order to do that he would need a wife, Mariam. After Mariam failed to produce a child he needed another wife, Laila. After Laila produced a girl Rasheed, by then, was infuriated. At first, after Miriam's miscarriages, he started to display more of his anger, but after Laila gave birth to a girl, he took it as a mockery. This fully enraged him, and after this point he beat and screamed at all three of the women. Finally when Laila had her second child, it was a boy Zalmai. Rasheed bough Zalmai everything he wanted, even though he couldn't afford some of it, he found a way to purchase it. He

One of the strongest forces of oppression that appears in both, Osama and Suns, is the Taliban. In Suns, at first, the Taliban bring hope to the main characters, especially Rasheed, “At least the Taliban are pure and incorruptible… they’re decent Muslim boys… when they come they will clean up this place. They’ll bring peace and order. People won't get shot anymore… No more rockets! Think of it.” (Page 274). Rasheed entrusted so much into the Taliban that he even says “I, for one, will shower them with roses petals” (Page 275). This shows a side of Rasheed that could possibly suggest that he is a fan of the Taliban's newly implemented Sharia law and his actions towards Mariam, Laila, and Aziza However, the hope invested in the Taliban was immediately ousted like a panicked investor when his stocks crash. This occurs when the Taliban’s “message” was received. The message instructed people on how to live their life including what they had to wear, how many times they had to pray, what they could play, things they could do, and other instructions that would change the way people lived their life. The “message” banned singing, dancing, and many other hobbies or pastime activities. It also forbid women from doing much by forcing them to remain inside their house, and telling them they cannot speak unless spoken too. This affects two of the main female characters in