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Teachers & SchoolsWomen and Femininity
If there's one subject that A Thousand Splendid Suns focuses on, it's the nature of women. Laila and Mariam live through a rough period for women's rights in Afghanistan. They're controlled by the government, treated as property by their husbands, and forbidden from taking part in society. Yet, through their strength and resilience, the two women are able to overcome these obstacles. It might not always be pretty, but that's the point. The women in the novel aren't like Princess Peach waiting for their Mario—they're incredibly tough women trying to take control of their own lives.
While many novels define femininity as soft or sensitive, A Thousand Splendid Suns uses characters like Mariam and Laila to show that femininity is actually defined by inner strength and courage.
A Thousand Splendid Suns argues that men's fear of women does not only damage the individuals involved, but also society as a whole.