The novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, written by Khaled Hosseini, is filled with pages of heartbreaking stories depicting the role of women in the Afghan community. Hosseini's novel is a great example of how literature depicts women and their role in society, especially in Afghan society. The novel A Thousand Splendid Suns is an intense account of gender roles that helps uncover how women are represented in the literary world. (repetitive of what has just been said) The women in Hosseini's novel struggle to strengthen their individuality and fight. for their human rights in a world dominated by men. This essay will aim to uncover how literature portrays gender specifically through education and societal expectations. Laila's father is one of the few male characters who breaks the stereotypical gender role. As Pepelar writes in his analysis of Hosseini's novel, “[Laila] grew up in a home with educational opportunities” (4). Laila's father considers that the education given to men is just as important as that given to women. Because of what Laila's father considers important, she receives far more education than any girl her age, and certainly more than Mariam could dream of. Singh analyzes Laila's educational journey stating, "Laila's restrictions on education, choice and liberation also limit her great potential due to the male-dominated world. His childhood shows great potential for education throughout school, many opportunities, and free of one's words and appropriation” (89). Despite Laila's intellectual advantage, she is not considered more worthy than any other woman. She is still oppressed by gender stereotypes and the roles that women must assume in a society like that of Afghanistan. As Singh states: "The novel does not emphasize women's rights, nor restrictions on education.”