A Thousand Splendid Suns: Essays

Essay One As an avid reader I enjoy different types of books. A Thousand Splendid Suns written by Khaled Hosseini is one of my favorite books because of its accurate depiction of Afghanistan after the defeat of the Soviet invasion. Unlike the Hosseini story of The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns focuses on the difficulties that women in Afghanistan faced when the Taliban came to power. The story revolves around two women with a substantial age difference and the personal pain they suffer in their marriages to the same husband.

Hosseini portrays the change in Afghanistan for women when the Taliban came to power and the strict rules they had to abide by. This piece of literature unsettled me because it was hard to believe that the Taliban were enforcing such discriminatory while such rules are not prescribed in the Qu’ran. Both of my parents are from Pakistan, the neighboring country of Afghanistan and every other summer I visit Pakistan and always saw a large percentage of Afghanis in Peshawar, my Mother’s hometown.

I never understood fully why they were there until I read A Thousand Splendid Suns, and realized that they were fleeing from the harsh rules of the Taliban. It was hard to understand that in a country so close to where my relatives live there was an extreme Islamic group enforcing cruel laws to all of the citizens. Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns has opened my eyes to the depressing and stifling conditions of Afghanistan, especially for women.

Hopefully now that the United States and its allies have rid the country of the rule of the Taliban, Afghanistan can serve as a peaceful home for all Afghanis especially those who had to flee their homes. Hopefully the sequel to A Thousand Splendid Suns will talk about the return of the Afghani refugees and Afghanistan practicing the correct version of Islam with equal rights for women. Essay Two I come from a family who has traveled significantly around the world. I have learned about different cultures, religions, and traditions. From Italy to Pakistan I have experienced life as a tourist.

I have made friends in each country but my closest friends were in Pakistan. Since both of my parents are from Pakistan I travel there every other summer to visit my relatives. My cousins and I would enjoy playing cricket with the boys from the village of Wazirabad. After the cricket games we would all get a soft drink and talk. Many of the village boys would ask me questions about living in the United States and I would feel slightly embarrassed. I would shift the spotlight from me to them and ask them questions about their family, friends and their school.

The younger boys would have interesting stories about school where as the older boys who were my age would not mention school. When I asked them they told me they did not attend school and instead worked during the day. I could see in their face that they were bothered by not going to school and I felt sad on the inside. These friends of mine were my age and instead of going to school like I do they must work to support their family. After learning more about their lives, my perspective of education changed immediately.

I never disliked school but sometimes I would rant about having to wake up early or having to complete a homework assignment. Now I realize how important my education truly is and how kids my age in different countries have to wake up early to work instead of go to school. I do not take my education for granted anymore. Ever since that summer trip to Pakistan my world has revolved around two things. My close relationship with my family and friends, and my education. I strongly agree with the British philosopher, Bertrand Russell when he said, “The good life is inspired by love and guided by knowledge. ”

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