A Thousand Splendid Suns is a fiction novel set in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in the 1960s to early 2000s. This novel is based on two young women, Mariam and Laila, who face the struggles of an underdeveloped culture that discriminates against women. Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini wrote A Thousand Splendid Suns based on his knowledge. The excerpt in question occurs after Mariam married Rasheed and began fulfilling her duties as a wife. This particular passage takes place in Kabul, and the author explains Mariam's new life as a married woman through various themes; however, I believe the most important theme would be gender roles regarding male dominance. Hosseini further develops the theme of gender roles and uses the motif of the burqa, a traditional outer garment for Islamic women, to symbolize the paradox of freedom in prison. The author also expounds on the theme by using similes and the lexical field of oppression throughout this passage.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay To express the theme of gender roles throughout this passage, Hosseini paints "a feeling of shrinking." This man's will seemed to Mariam as imposing and unwavering as the mountains of Safid-Koh that dominate Gul Daman. Mariam's inner thoughts emphasize the authority men have over women in Afghanistan. The comparison between Rasheed's "will" and the "mountains" unequivocally demonstrates that Mariam believes it is futile to fight back. Additionally, Hosseini refers to the mountains “overlooking” the city that Mariam has known since growing up there. Hosseini uses this reference to describe how men in Afghan culture continue to reliably control women and, it seems, in the same way that the mountains will always be there. Additionally, the burqa itself turns into a symbol of mistreatment and oppression for Mariam as she is. forced on her; it is a symbol of Rasheed's will and control, and it destroys what little affection Mariam had for Rasheed. Hosseini depicts “the suffocating way in which the pleated fabric pressed against his mouth.” This quote shows how the author portrays the disturbing idea of ​​patriarchal culture through the silencing of women. However, Hosseini combines them with soft consonants, reflecting the softness of the fabric and how continued oppression can become even comforting, as it does for Mariam. The personification, however, reveals that a burqa is only a tool of patriarchy; he “presses” as if he has his own mind “against his mouth” and “suffocates,” making breathing, speaking, and rapid movements more difficult. This passage also gives insight into the relationship between Mariam and Rasheed. As they pass through Kabul, Mariam finds Rasheed's proximity increasingly calming and comforting. During Mariam's first meal at a restaurant, she overcomes the unfamiliarity of eating among strangers by taking comfort in what she knows: Rasheed. Mariam accepts his orders without any resistance and seeks comfort under the Burqa which becomes a veil to protect herself from the outside world. “It was like a one-way window. Inside, she was an observer, shielded from the scrutiny of outsiders. She no longer feared that people would know… all the shameful secrets of her past.” This sentimental custom serves as a shield against wandering eyes and protects her from his.