Mary Ovsepyan Mrs. Shamoyan Writing for College 12 March 2023 Running A Thousand Miles For Freedom Paragraph 1: Give background information about the setting and the overall treatment and rights of women in Afghanistan at the time. Khaled Hosseini's novel A Thousand Splendid Suns delves into the lives of Afghan women in the 1990s. Women in Afghanistan faced severe restrictions on their personal freedoms and opportunities during this period. The novel emphasizes the patriarchal nature of Afghan society, in which women are expected to be subservient to men and perform only domestic duties. Women are not permitted to work outside the home or attend school, and are required to wear a burqa in public. Domestic violence was widespread, and women had few legal options or protection. Women accused of adultery or disobedience faced public …show more content…
She is the illegitimate daughter of wealthy businessman Jalil and her mother, Nana, a servant in Jalil's home. Mariam's childhood is marked by loneliness and isolation because her father is ashamed of her and refuses to publicly acknowledge her. When Nana dies, Jalil marries Mariam to Rasheed, a much older man from Kabul. Rasheed treats Mariam with kindness at first, but as their marriage progresses, he becomes increasingly abusive and controlling. She is already relegated to a subordinate position in Afghan society, with limited opportunities and freedoms. Rasheed's abusive and controlling behavior exacerbates Mariam's mistreatment, and he is jealous and suspicious of Mariam, blaming her for their inability to have children. When she becomes pregnant, he physically and emotionally abuses her and forces her to have a miscarriage. Mariam's situation worsens as the Taliban gains power, and she becomes even more isolated and vulnerable. Overall, societal prejudices, familial rejection, and domestic abuse shape Mariam's life