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Monday, September 13, 2010
A Thousand Splendid Suns
What did A Thousand Splendid Suns teach you about Afghan society? What were your impressions of the culture and specifically what it meant to be a woman living in such a culture?
Chery, Judwina What A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me about Afghan society is that the people of afghan weren't free. especially, the women. The women had to follow so many rules and had no say in what is said or done.The socitey has people fearing for their lives and noone felt safe. My impressions of the culture and specifically what it meant to be a woman living in such a culture is that it kept people some people from being themselves and trying new things and as woman, it is extremely hard because they had no rights whatsoever to do anything. It shocked me to see the way the culture had people acting. I didn't agree with it very much because of the fact that woman were so belittled.
A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me that under Taliban rule in war torn Afghanistan, they established a system of gender apartheid which put women under constant house arrest unless they were accompanied by a male relative. It is a male dominated society. Colleges and employment were no longer privileges to women. Women no longer had a mind of their own and were forced into marriage before they were sixteen. The women, in a standard Afghan home, are considered useless, even today. Political turmoil, years of warfare, and deterioration of law and order has gradually left many Afghans homeless and impoverished. Personally, I feel women could have rebelled and went protested to be heard. How can you live your life if you’re being controlled? I’m sure if a majority of women went against Afghan rule, matters could have changed. I thought that the culture was unfair and woman should be able to have a mind of their own and make their own choices.
When I was reading the novel, I learned a lot about the women in the Afghan society. I learned that women are subordinate to men and that religion is taken seriously. My impression of their culture is that women are allowed to be treated like property and that the edcuation of women isn't a priority. Being a woman in such a culture seems extremely difficult because of the amount of sexism. A woman in the Afghan culture had so many limited rights including choosing their own husbands and going out in public. --Kaitlin Cornier
A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me how unstable Afghan society is. The political and religious unrest affects the lives of people and makes it difficult to carry on the tasks of daily life. It is especially difficult to be a woman because they have few rights and virtually no say in what they want or believe. As a girl it really bothered me to know that in this world there are girls who do not have the same rights and freedoms as me.
A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me that Afgan was a very complex society. People did not have much freedom, especially the women. The culture was very strict and judgmental. Women were forced to marry at a young age and were undermined and often abused by their husbands. Women especially had little freedom. When a new form of government was introduced to Afgan women were not allowed to show their face and not allowed to go out without a male family member to escort them. Those who did were beaten by the authorities. Being a woman from Afgan brought about many hardships. Women had no say in what was going on in society. They were looked down upon for showing skin and having children out of wedlock. Some women were shunned for having a child out of wedlock. They had to worship their husbands and would have to do everything that they were told. They were not allowed to talk back to their husbands. They were also offended when their husbands would marry again. It would very difficult being a woman in Afgan having little freedom and little involvement in the community.
The Afghan society under Taliban rule had no respect for women. Women were forbidden to leave their homes alone, show any part of their bodies, and even laugh in public. They had never been treated like men have and have always been degraded. After reading this novel, I have grown an appreciation for the rights that I have as a woman. Unfortunately, women in Afghanistan have to struggle every day to keep the little rights they do have. It is very upsetting to know that people live under these harsh conditions at home, while in America the Constitution proves us all to be equal.
What A Thousand Splendid Suns teach me about Afghan society is that it is a society based on strict rules of conduct, way of life, and religion. Women had to dress fully clothed and men were responsible for providing. The way the civilians lived was supposed to be based on the Koran, which is a huge importance in their religion. My impressions of their culture was that the Taliban and other government officials are too involved in people's lives. Women living in the Afghan culture are not given much opportunities. They are not really important, which is a disappointment.
The novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, taught me that the Afghan society was once one comsumed with war, death, and instablity. During the rule of the Taliban, people were controlled and intimidated. Women were totally stripped of their rights. They were expected to be submissive to ALL men, and were subjected to their husbands. If a woman disobeyed any of the Taliban's ridiculous edicts, they were beaten and humiliated. I agree with Marlene when she says she was bothered because of the way the women in the Afghan society were treated. As a woman, I too was angered at the way the women were treated, and was appaulded that the government was enforcing these laws.
A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me a lot about Afghan culture and society. Because of the war that's taking place and because of 9/11, we automatically assume that everyone from the country is violent and hates the U.S. Reading the novel taught me that most of the Afghan's are actually victims of all the war. Reading the novel also made me realize that Afghan women are actually very strong fdor putting up with all that their husbands put them through.
A Thousand Splendid suns thought me that the Afghan Society used to prosperous full of culture, literature and history but changed into a society under a distress and depression caused by harsh government ruled by the Taliban. Their culture was based on religious and traditional customs. Besides religion, Afghan men were superior over women. Being a women in Afghanistan, especially during the Taliban reign, you were most likely to meet your husband in an arranged marriage, education and a career was not apart of your lifestyle, revealing skin was prohibited, and you were beaten if you were unaccompanied by a man in public. Afghan women and men had to abide to strict rules enforced by the Taliban. There was hardly any freedom.
A Thousand Splendid Suns has taught me how severe and oppressive the rule of the Taliban actually is. I was aware that the Taliban was very harsh and violent but this novel really opened my eyes and helped me understand exactly how violent. My impression of Afghan culture was that Afghan society is very mysogynist and oppressive towards women. In this society, women have no voice and cannot do much to change their abusive and/or imprisoning home lives. As an educated and progressive young woman, it angered me to see how the women of this culture are treated; they are treated like property.
In the novel, the culture and lifestyle of the Afghan citizens was accurately and perfectly illustrated. Readers experience the true Islamic society. Women are truly governed by a male superior government. Because Afghanistan is basically a theocracy, the Islamic religion governs and shapes the lives of the citizens especially the women of Afghanistian. Women were prohibited from walking the streets unaccompanied by a male figure. In the "modern" regions of Afghanistan, women have a bit more liberties, such as their expressions in the way they dress or the authority to obtain an occupation. Women are inferior beings. They have no right to express their opinions or feelings. Many women, like the main character, Mariam, are oppressed by their husbands. They are hidden behind the men of their society. Women are prohibited to choose their own clothing. Hijabs and burka, which are outfits that completely cover women from head to toe,are enforced by their husbands. In the novel, Afghanistan progressively becomes a war zone. From the once beautiful region where one can enjoy the scenery as Hakim took Tariq and Laila to a beautiful area to the warfare that arose throughout the country after the reign of the Taliban, people truly suffered in their country. Despite all these obstacles, Mariam and Laila were able to surmount over their trials, war, and their country and arise victorious.
Before reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, I thought of Afghanistan as a place of war and dismay. It taught me that Afghanistan was once a place of peace and educated people. Some people there were very artistic ad good with poetry. My impression of what it meant to be a woman were the same though. Women were not equal to men. They took demands and orders from men in order to stay alive. Women didn't have their own voice in society.
A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me that Afghan society is complex. They have certain rules and regulations that must be followed. It is also a place of political unrest as well as religious unrest. My impression of their culture is that women are seen as property. Women living in such a society are prisoners in their own country.
A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me that Afghan Society is male dominated. Politically, Afghanistan is unstable. There has been a history of unrest and this affects Afghan people a lot. My impressions of Afghan culture is that it scrutinizes women. Women in Afghanistan aren't treated fairly whatsoever. Education, roles in government, and simple liberties are things that women in Afghanistan aren't able to enjoy.
In my opinion I always felt that Afghan society was a society of civil unrest. While reading the book, I was amazed to discover the rich culture that it once had. Once I discovered that it was once a country where famous poets and philosophers once stood it was unthinkable. This book allowed me to be open minded towards the problems in Afghanistan. It allowed me to portray Afghan society as a cultural Islamic society and not what the media often portrays. However, this book taught me a deeper understanding towards the struggle of woman as well. I always wondered why Afghan woman did not leave their abusive husbands? Why did they continue to endure a life of pain and torment? While reading this book I realized every basic right that I have as a girl are not the same rights for girls in other countries. I understood that it is not that they want to be with their husbands but, that they have no choice. They are forced to endure a life of pain and misery. A life as an object and not seen or treated as an individual. There were parts in the book that were hard to read and made me angry or wonder why?? However, I understood that the life of an Afghan woman is a life of choices made for her. Someone chooses who she marries, what she will wear, what she will do on her spare time, how many kids she will have, and what will become of her. A life left with no other choice but to endure and quietly protest.
Reading a Thousand Splendid Suns taught me very much about Afghan society. It is a society filled with much disorder, chaos, and instability. For women living in Afghanistan, life was terribly difficult as well as frightening. When the Taliban came into power in 1996, women’s advancement in education and employment was completely crushed due to the ruthless laws of the Taliban. Additionally, the Taliban also enforced laws that if any woman’s windows of her house were noticeable to the community, they must be painted black. Women were always required to wear a burqa while they are in public to cover their entire body and leaving only one space open in order for them to perceive. Basically, women were in no control of their own lives and decisions at all. Young girls were even forced into marriage at the age of sixteen. These marriages often brought suffering, heartache, and pain to the lives of many young girls. Most of all, every women living in Afghanistan were just looking to fight for their equality and freedom. I personally believe that women should have the direct power of themselves and their decisions in life. There is absolutely no reason for women to be treated as they were in Afghan society for being a certain gender. I also insist that women should have been given the right to work in order to gain independence and become responsible on their own instead of feeling obligated to depend on an older man and endure their beatings.
What A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me about afganistan society was that they mostly lived in poverty and after war hot them whateverlittle freedomthey had was taken away. However i think women had it even worse because before the Taliban ruled had little freedom like they had to do what their husband wanted and women were also degraded and treated very badly and when the Taliban came to power the women were treate even worse like they couldn't leave the house without a male and they could no longer be educated and they had many other unfair rules and if they didn't follow these rules they would be severly beaten. Again I think that I was very hard to be a women in this time because your opinion or say didn't matter and you were considered a mans property than your own individual person.
During the time I spent reading this novel: On the beach, on the train, in my yard, and in my free time I felt grateful because women in Afghanistan don't have those simple privileges. The Afghan society is unreasonable, sexist, violent, and filled with trials and tribulations. My impressions of the culture is that women were treated like objects instead of human beings. Women had their domestic role and their duty was to obey all men, stranger or not. Extreme life choices such as marriage is chosen for them and I don't think that's fair. Women should be able to have equal rights as the Afghan men and have the right to make her own decisions throughout her life.
Reading this book showed me that the afghan society placed a lot of pressure on women. They were not allowed to basically live their lifes as they wanted to and this is sad because their religion is one of peace and beauty. However all of that changed with the war. Even though everyone had to deal with the brutality, women was the most targeted. Being a girl myself it bothers me that girls my age were treated this way. Women during this time had to endure a lot and this book should empower girls and let them know that no matter how hard things get they can survive.
A Thousand Splendid Suns opened more than a new world but a new appreciation to my life in the United States. The culture and religion is different to us because we grew up in a society where we can speak our mind and finally for many years women are more than housewives. In Afganistan their religion allows the objectification of women and allow men to have several wives. Women have to be covered from head to toe and they cannot talk to other men. They are looked at as property and are sometimes treated as slaves. We are not familar with the words of the Qu'ran so we cannot judge. But unfortunately our country has taken its forces into Afganistan and we have been at war with them for reasons I do not agree with. The people of Afganistan have been oppressed by the Taliban, the government and our Armed Forces.
A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me that it is very hard to be a woman in the Afghan society. Women have to be stronger and have a bigger heart in order to survive. I also learned the government and religion go together in Afghanistan. Most importantly i learned that the people of Afghanistan have a lot of faith and are very loyal and proud of their country.
A Thousand Splendid Suns has opened my mind to the harsh realities that women are still forced to live by today in a number of countries. This novel elaborated on Afghanistan which is one of these very countries. This nation's society restricted women to such an extreme so that no female could ever be happy. In this story they lived a life of fear and submission. Afghan culture, along with a number of other cultures around the world, commonly include the degrading of women and the empowering of men as the fundation of their tradittions. This goes way back into historical times.
Chery, Judwina
ReplyDeleteWhat A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me about Afghan society is that the people of afghan weren't free. especially, the women. The women had to follow so many rules and had no say in what is said or done.The socitey has people fearing for their lives and noone felt safe.
My impressions of the culture and specifically what it meant to be a woman living in such a culture is that it kept people some people from being themselves and trying new things and as woman, it is extremely hard because they had no rights whatsoever to do anything. It shocked me to see the way the culture had people acting. I didn't agree with it very much because of the fact that woman were so belittled.
A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me that under Taliban rule in war torn Afghanistan, they established a system of gender apartheid which put women under constant house arrest unless they were accompanied by a male relative. It is a male dominated society. Colleges and employment were no longer privileges to women. Women no longer had a mind of their own and were forced into marriage before they were sixteen. The women, in a standard Afghan home, are considered useless, even today. Political turmoil, years of warfare, and deterioration of law and order has gradually left many Afghans homeless and impoverished.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I feel women could have rebelled and went protested to be heard. How can you live your life if you’re being controlled? I’m sure if a majority of women went against Afghan rule, matters could have changed. I thought that the culture was unfair and woman should be able to have a mind of their own and make their own choices.
When I was reading the novel, I learned a lot about the women in the Afghan society. I learned that women are subordinate to men and that religion is taken seriously. My impression of their culture is that women are allowed to be treated like property and that the edcuation of women isn't a priority. Being a woman in such a culture seems extremely difficult because of the amount of sexism. A woman in the Afghan culture had so many limited rights including choosing their own husbands and going out in public.
ReplyDelete--Kaitlin Cornier
A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me how unstable Afghan society is. The political and religious unrest affects the lives of people and makes it difficult to carry on the tasks of daily life. It is especially difficult to be a woman because they have few rights and virtually no say in what they want or believe. As a girl it really bothered me to know that in this world there are girls who do not have the same rights and freedoms as me.
ReplyDeleteA Thousand Splendid Suns taught me that Afgan was a very complex society. People did not have much freedom, especially the women. The culture was very strict and judgmental. Women were forced to marry at a young age and were undermined and often abused by their husbands. Women especially had little freedom. When a new form of government was introduced to Afgan women were not allowed to show their face and not allowed to go out without a male family member to escort them. Those who did were beaten by the authorities.
ReplyDeleteBeing a woman from Afgan brought about many hardships. Women had no say in what was going on in society. They were looked down upon for showing skin and having children out of wedlock. Some women were shunned for having a child out of wedlock. They had to worship their husbands and would have to do everything that they were told. They were not allowed to talk back to their husbands. They were also offended when their husbands would marry again. It would very difficult being a woman in Afgan having little freedom and little involvement in the community.
The Afghan society under Taliban rule had no respect for women. Women were forbidden to leave their homes alone, show any part of their bodies, and even laugh in public. They had never been treated like men have and have always been degraded. After reading this novel, I have grown an appreciation for the rights that I have as a woman. Unfortunately, women in Afghanistan have to struggle every day to keep the little rights they do have. It is very upsetting to know that people live under these harsh conditions at home, while in America the Constitution proves us all to be equal.
ReplyDeleteWhat A Thousand Splendid Suns teach me about Afghan society is that it is a society based on strict rules of conduct, way of life, and religion. Women had to dress fully clothed and men were responsible for providing. The way the civilians lived was supposed to be based on the Koran, which is a huge importance in their religion. My impressions of their culture was that the Taliban and other government officials are too involved in people's lives. Women living in the Afghan culture are not given much opportunities. They are not really important, which is a disappointment.
ReplyDeleteThe novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, taught me that the Afghan society was once one comsumed with war, death, and instablity. During the rule of the Taliban, people were controlled and intimidated. Women were totally stripped of their rights. They were expected to be submissive to ALL men, and were subjected to their husbands. If a woman disobeyed any of the Taliban's ridiculous edicts, they were beaten and humiliated. I agree with Marlene when she says she was bothered because of the way the women in the Afghan society were treated. As a woman, I too was angered at the way the women were treated, and was appaulded that the government was enforcing these laws.
ReplyDeleteA Thousand Splendid Suns taught me a lot about Afghan culture and society. Because of the war that's taking place and because of 9/11, we automatically assume that everyone from the country is violent and hates the U.S. Reading the novel taught me that most of the Afghan's are actually victims of all the war. Reading the novel also made me realize that Afghan women are actually very strong fdor putting up with all that their husbands put them through.
ReplyDeleteA Thousand Splendid suns thought me that the Afghan Society used to prosperous full of culture, literature and history but changed into a society under a distress and depression caused by harsh government ruled by the Taliban. Their culture was based on religious and traditional customs. Besides religion, Afghan men were superior over women. Being a women in Afghanistan, especially during the Taliban reign, you were most likely to meet your husband in an arranged marriage, education and a career was not apart of your lifestyle, revealing skin was prohibited, and you were beaten if you were unaccompanied by a man in public. Afghan women and men had to abide to strict rules enforced by the Taliban. There was hardly any freedom.
ReplyDeleteA Thousand Splendid Suns has taught me how severe and oppressive the rule of the Taliban actually is. I was aware that the Taliban was very harsh and violent but this novel really opened my eyes and helped me understand exactly how violent. My impression of Afghan culture was that Afghan society is very mysogynist and oppressive towards women. In this society, women have no voice and cannot do much to change their abusive and/or imprisoning home lives. As an educated and progressive young woman, it angered me to see how the women of this culture are treated; they are treated like property.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel, the culture and lifestyle of the Afghan citizens was accurately and perfectly illustrated. Readers experience the true Islamic society. Women are truly governed by a male superior government. Because Afghanistan is basically a theocracy, the Islamic religion governs and shapes the lives of the citizens especially the women of Afghanistian. Women were prohibited from walking the streets unaccompanied by a male figure. In the "modern" regions of Afghanistan, women have a bit more liberties, such as their expressions in the way they dress or the authority to obtain an occupation. Women are inferior beings. They have no right to express their opinions or feelings. Many women, like the main character, Mariam, are oppressed by their husbands. They are hidden behind the men of their society. Women are prohibited to choose their own clothing. Hijabs and burka, which are outfits that completely cover women from head to toe,are enforced by their husbands. In the novel, Afghanistan progressively becomes a war zone. From the once beautiful region where one can enjoy the scenery as Hakim took Tariq and Laila to a beautiful area to the warfare that arose throughout the country after the reign of the Taliban, people truly suffered in their country. Despite all these obstacles, Mariam and Laila were able to surmount over their trials, war, and their country and arise victorious.
ReplyDeleteBefore reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, I thought of Afghanistan as a place of war and dismay. It taught me that Afghanistan was once a place of peace and educated people. Some people there were very artistic ad good with poetry. My impression of what it meant to be a woman were the same though. Women were not equal to men. They took demands and orders from men in order to stay alive. Women didn't have their own voice in society.
ReplyDeleteA Thousand Splendid Suns taught me that Afghan society is complex. They have certain rules and regulations that must be followed. It is also a place of political unrest as well as religious unrest. My impression of their culture is that women are seen as property. Women living in such a society are prisoners in their own country.
ReplyDeleteA Thousand Splendid Suns taught me that Afghan Society is male dominated. Politically, Afghanistan is unstable. There has been a history of unrest and this affects Afghan people a lot. My impressions of Afghan culture is that it scrutinizes women. Women in Afghanistan aren't treated fairly whatsoever. Education, roles in government, and simple liberties are things that women in Afghanistan aren't able to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion I always felt that Afghan society was a society of civil unrest. While reading the book, I was amazed to discover the rich culture that it once had. Once I discovered that it was once a country where famous poets and philosophers once stood it was unthinkable. This book allowed me to be open minded towards the problems in Afghanistan. It allowed me to portray Afghan society as a cultural Islamic society and not what the media often portrays. However, this book taught me a deeper understanding towards the struggle of woman as well. I always wondered why Afghan woman did not leave their abusive husbands? Why did they continue to endure a life of pain and torment? While reading this book I realized every basic right that I have as a girl are not the same rights for girls in other countries. I understood that it is not that they want to be with their husbands but, that they have no choice. They are forced to endure a life of pain and misery. A life as an object and not seen or treated as an individual. There were parts in the book that were hard to read and made me angry or wonder why?? However, I understood that the life of an Afghan woman is a life of choices made for her. Someone chooses who she marries, what she will wear, what she will do on her spare time, how many kids she will have, and what will become of her. A life left with no other choice but to endure and quietly protest.
ReplyDeleteReading a Thousand Splendid Suns taught me very much about Afghan society. It is a society filled with much disorder, chaos, and instability. For women living in Afghanistan, life was terribly difficult as well as frightening. When the Taliban came into power in 1996, women’s advancement in education and employment was completely crushed due to the ruthless laws of the Taliban. Additionally, the Taliban also enforced laws that if any woman’s windows of her house were noticeable to the community, they must be painted black. Women were always required to wear a burqa while they are in public to cover their entire body and leaving only one space open in order for them to perceive. Basically, women were in no control of their own lives and decisions at all. Young girls were even forced into marriage at the age of sixteen. These marriages often brought suffering, heartache, and pain to the lives of many young girls. Most of all, every women living in Afghanistan were just looking to fight for their equality and freedom.
ReplyDeleteI personally believe that women should have the direct power of themselves and their decisions in life. There is absolutely no reason for women to be treated as they were in Afghan society for being a certain gender. I also insist that women should have been given the right to work in order to gain independence and become responsible on their own instead of feeling obligated to depend on an older man and endure their beatings.
What A Thousand Splendid Suns taught me about afganistan society was that they mostly lived in poverty and after war hot them whateverlittle freedomthey had was taken away. However i think women had it even worse because before the Taliban ruled had little freedom like they had to do what their husband wanted and women were also degraded and treated very badly and when the Taliban came to power the women were treate even worse like they couldn't leave the house without a male and they could no longer be educated and they had many other unfair rules and if they didn't follow these rules they would be severly beaten. Again I think that I was very hard to be a women in this time because your opinion or say didn't matter and you were considered a mans property than your own individual person.
ReplyDeleteDuring the time I spent reading this novel: On the beach, on the train, in my yard, and in my free time I felt grateful because women in Afghanistan don't have those simple privileges. The Afghan society is unreasonable, sexist, violent, and filled with trials and tribulations. My impressions of the culture is that women were treated like objects instead of human beings. Women had their domestic role and their duty was to obey all men, stranger or not. Extreme life choices such as marriage is chosen for them and I don't think that's fair. Women should be able to have equal rights as the Afghan men and have the right to make her own decisions throughout her life.
ReplyDeleteReading this book showed me that the afghan society placed a lot of pressure on women. They were not allowed to basically live their lifes as they wanted to and this is sad because their religion is one of peace and beauty. However all of that changed with the war. Even though everyone had to deal with the brutality, women was the most targeted. Being a girl myself it bothers me that girls my age were treated this way. Women during this time had to endure a lot and this book should empower girls and let them know that no matter how hard things get they can survive.
ReplyDeleteA Thousand Splendid Suns opened more than a new world but a new appreciation to my life in the United States. The culture and religion is different to us because we grew up in a society where we can speak our mind and finally for many years women are more than housewives. In Afganistan their religion allows the objectification of women and allow men to have several wives. Women have to be covered from head to toe and they cannot talk to other men. They are looked at as property and are sometimes treated as slaves. We are not familar with the words of the Qu'ran so we cannot judge. But unfortunately our country has taken its forces into Afganistan and we have been at war with them for reasons I do not agree with. The people of Afganistan have been oppressed by the Taliban, the government and our Armed Forces.
ReplyDeleteA Thousand Splendid Suns taught me that it is very hard to be a woman in the Afghan society. Women have to be stronger and have a bigger heart in order to survive. I also learned the government and religion go together in Afghanistan. Most importantly i learned that the people of Afghanistan have a lot of faith and are very loyal and proud of their country.
ReplyDeleteA Thousand Splendid Suns has opened my mind to the harsh realities that women are still forced to live by today in a number of countries. This novel elaborated on Afghanistan which is one of these very countries. This nation's society restricted women to such an extreme so that no female could ever be happy. In this story they lived a life of fear and submission. Afghan culture, along with a number of other cultures around the world, commonly include the degrading of women and the empowering of men as the fundation of their tradittions. This goes way back into historical times.
ReplyDelete