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Babi and Rasheed are complete opposites on the subject Of the equality of women. Rasheed believes women should be in a man’s control at all times, while Babi believes that women should be able to make their own choices, get an education and be of the same standard as men. There are some men, in the Afghan society, who believe that women are their property and their only purpose is to produce a son to carry on the family name and make their husbands happy. In “A Thousand Splendid Suns” we see this predominantly through Mariam and Rasheed.
He takes the Taliban’s rule very seriously. He expects Mariam notjust to cover her head but her entire body. Shortly after their wedding Rasheed told Mariam his feelings and bought her a burqa insisting that she wore it whenever she was going out In public. Rasheed believes that wearing a burqa shows women their place in society and further more proves the point that men think women are sly and sneaky creatures trying to tempt men with their bodies. “Where I come from, a women’s face is her husband’s business only…
Mariam had never before worn a burqa. (A Thousand Splendid Suns, page 63-64) Women are only seen useful to cook clean, and produce children in Afghan society and when they are unable to perform these tasks their husbands persecute them for it. Every man wishes for a son to carry on his family name. This is shown very well through Hosseni’s character Rasheed who is angry with Mariam because she cannot give him a son. This leads Mariam to become useless to him. “Now you know what your rice tastes like. Now you know what you’re given me in this marriage.
Bad food, and nothing else. ” (A Thousand Splendid Suns, page 94) Rasheed’s behaviour with Mariam is a complete contrast to the way Babi is with Laila. He believes that women should have an education, and that this education will lead Afghanistan to becoming a better country. Babi who is a university-educated man, has also been a high school teacher. Babi makes it clear to Laila from a young age that the most important thing in his life, after her safety, is her schooling. He says that “Marriage can wait, education cannot…
Because a society has no chance of success if its women are neducated. ” (A Thousand Splendid Suns, page 1 03) and ensures Laila of the significance. On the other hand, people like Rasheed have no understanding of the significance underneath education for women. Most likely, they would have had no such education on the influence of women in the development of their country. While men like Babi exists, majority of the Afghani culture does not allow such exploration for women. Thus it is crucial for men to equally learn proper information of having equal rights with women.