An analysis of western Islamic stereotypes through Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns In today’s western world, the religion of Islam and how its followers interpret it is often criticized and questioned. Many of these stereotypes exist due to actions performed by extremists driven by religion, such as those who participated in the tragic event of September 11, 2001. These organizations radically interpret the book of Islam, called the Qur’an. This concept can be applied to every religion: each of their followers annotate the holy texts uniquely. In modern schools and workplaces, cases of the mistreatment of Muslims still occur and are primarily based on the actions of these extremist groups of people. In regards to the cause
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These ideals are also portrayed through one of the main characters, Rasheed. Throughout the novel, the history of Afghanistan unfolds alongside the characters lives’. The Mujahideen and Taliban were primarily in power as the story progressed. With these regimes came violence, the shaming of women, and other horrible activities like rape, looting, and rioting. Many stereotypes that exist in the west are reinforced through these two organizations as readers may think the holy text of Islam preaches these actions. An example in the novel occurs when one of the main characters, Mariam, kills her husband as an act of self defense. She is sentenced to prison by the Taliban. The Mullah who decides whether or not Mariam will be killed, explains his dilemma, “What frightens me, Hamshira, is the day God summons me… I am determined to carry out his word. However painful it may prove” (Hosseini 365-366). Mariam is sentenced to death after this, and Hosseini shows why the western world may believe certain stereotypes. He depicts how the Taliban dismisses the fact that Mariam was protecting herself when she killed a man, and that she will die in order for the Mullah to be accepted by God. This reinforces generalizations people make today in the sense that the novel fell short of …show more content…
Alongside the author’s acknowledgment of these prejudices, he shows another side of the religion that its faithful followers encourage others to focus on. Through the introduction of radical Islamic groups such as the Taliban, and Mujahideen, Hosseini primarily portrays their methods in Rasheed, one of the main characters of the novel. Apace with these representations comes a deeper meaning to the religion that appear in the midst of the horrific events and teachings, such as Ramadan and the true meaning behind a woman covering her hair and body. By characters taking advantage of these teachings, the author shows why stereotypes exist; the actions and beliefs of select groups of people. The novel demonstrates how Muslims interpret their faith in various ways and choose to carry out their lives according to these interpretations. Through these descriptions, the author teaches his audience what the religion truly means by showing how its teachings are differently interpreted by the characters of the
These ideals are also portrayed through one of the main characters, Rasheed. Throughout the novel, the history of Afghanistan unfolds alongside the characters lives’. The Mujahideen and Taliban were primarily in power as the story progressed. With these regimes came violence, the shaming of women, and other horrible activities like rape, looting, and rioting. Many stereotypes that exist in the west are reinforced through these two organizations as readers may think the holy text of Islam preaches these actions. An example in the novel occurs when one of the main characters, Mariam, kills her husband as an act of self defense. She is sentenced to prison by the Taliban. The Mullah who decides whether or not Mariam will be killed, explains his dilemma, “What frightens me, Hamshira, is the day God summons me… I am determined to carry out his word. However painful it may prove” (Hosseini 365-366). Mariam is sentenced to death after this, and Hosseini shows why the western world may believe certain stereotypes. He depicts how the Taliban dismisses the fact that Mariam was protecting herself when she killed a man, and that she will die in order for the Mullah to be accepted by God. This reinforces generalizations people make today in the sense that the novel fell short of …show more content…
Alongside the author’s acknowledgment of these prejudices, he shows another side of the religion that its faithful followers encourage others to focus on. Through the introduction of radical Islamic groups such as the Taliban, and Mujahideen, Hosseini primarily portrays their methods in Rasheed, one of the main characters of the novel. Apace with these representations comes a deeper meaning to the religion that appear in the midst of the horrific events and teachings, such as Ramadan and the true meaning behind a woman covering her hair and body. By characters taking advantage of these teachings, the author shows why stereotypes exist; the actions and beliefs of select groups of people. The novel demonstrates how Muslims interpret their faith in various ways and choose to carry out their lives according to these interpretations. Through these descriptions, the author teaches his audience what the religion truly means by showing how its teachings are differently interpreted by the characters of the