Theocracy in a Thousand Splendid Suns

Jessica Sanchez June 3,2012 Theocracy in A Thousand Splendid Suns Theocracy is a government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme ruler of the land. The God’s rules are interpreted through government officials. One of the most infamous theocracies in world history was the Taliban from 1991- 2001. Under this government, kite flying and music playing was prohibited, all men were required to grow out their beard, change their name to Islamic names, ordered that all people attend prayers at mosque five times a day. If any of these rules were broken, punishment would ensue. Punishment included fingers being chopped off, public beatings at what used to be a school stadium and so on. On top of all these rules and regulations, there were more specific ones for women. Women were not allowed outside unless accompanied by a male relative, they were to be covered from head to toe. Women had to stop studying and conform to living at home with the windows boarded up. Women were not allowed to wear perfume or nail polish. The only use for a woman was to procreate, satisfy a man’s sexual needs, and do housework. The Taliban felt that all these regulations and prohibitions were needed in order to protect a women’s honor, and preventing adultery and honoring the Islamic religion. The novel “A Thousand Splendid Suns” depicts the life of two women living together in a polygamous marriage during the Taliban rule. This novel is allegorical to theocracy because it shows how different characters represent objects or authority under the Taliban rule. To begin with, the title of the novel can be interpreted differently. “ A Thousand Splendid Suns” is about the men and women under the Taliban government. Women were paid no importance and were disregarded as much of possible. Therefore, men were the supreme power and were placed on a high pedestal. Hence, the name “ A Thousand Splendid Suns” can be seen as a thousand splendid sons for all the men in

References: Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns New York: Riverhead books, 2007. Print. “Some of the restrictions imposed by Taliban in Afghanistan.” The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA). N.P., N.D. Web. 3 June, 2012 .