Against a backdrop of war and terror inflicted by the Taliban, a residue of of hope remains in the city of Kabul. In The Swallows of Kabul, the author, Mohammed Moulessehoul, shows how there is still optimism and reminiscence of the past, though it is being slowly gnawed at by time. In this novel, the characters are oppressed and frustrated, but by embracing the more joyful past or looking towards the future, they can cope with the everyday trials that accompany Taliban tyranny. In the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to Zunaira and her husband, Mohsen. They have a relatively more modern relationship than others in their situation, and together they look towards the future Kabul, and still remember the past and their former lives. However this all ends when Mohsen looses sight of his morals and his past, and participates in stoning a woman to death in the public square. “What frightens me and saddens me at the same time is that I didn’t even try to resist.” (pg. 38) He is involuntarily letting go of hope and being thrust down into the unbearable truth without the lifeline of optimism for the future to keep him afloat. He succumbs to the helplessness, and throws his wife in jeopardy by dragging her down with him. They dig …show more content…
He feels that this is the only way to finally rid himself of the hardship he suffers in Kabul. “No thank-yous, no good-byes. I’ll pick a road at random and follow it all the way to the ocean.” (pg. 66). By abandoning the burden of Kabul, he will be leaving all his issues behind the city walls, because he will have managed overcome his present struggles by looking toward the future. “He shakes his fist in the air and casts his vengeful eyes over Kabul, the old sorceress…” (pg. 105). When plunged into a horrific situation, much like the one described in this novel, the only way to deal with the pain it causes is to focus on a more bearable