Women's Rights In The Kite Runner

American women's lives are nothing compared to the lives of women in Afghanistan. The Taliban has limited the rights of women in the societies where they have taken over, including Afghanistan. The women are not respected nor treated equally because of the Taliban laws. The Taliban restrictions and mistreatments of women include: whipping, beating, outlawing education for women, sexually assaulting women and verbal abuse of women. In Khaled Hosseini's novel, The Kite Runner, the rights of women are affected by men having the cultural dominance over women, society rules, and lifestyle.
Men having the cultural dominance over women is a way that the author demonstrates the limited rights of women in Afghan society. According to Sharia law, a female’s testimony is worth ½ that of a man. This shows that women are automatically known as lesser individuals. In the novel, A Russian soldier wants to take advantage of the woman on the bus (Hosseini 114). This contributes to men having the ultimate power because he knows he has control and can do whatever he wants with her and she has no say so. A
quote from the novel says, “ But the way she was looking at Hassan, he might as well have been sitting on the throne at the Arg”. (Hosseini 217) This shows that men are expected to be treated with the highest respect. In the novel, Soraya reveals actions in her past and she says, “I ran away with an Afghan man. I was eighteen at the time...rebellious...stupid, and… he was into drugs…. Padar eventually found us. He showed up at the door and made me come home” (Hosseini 164)This supports the assertion made by scholars of Afghani culture who determined that “the innate belief in male superiority provides an ideological basis for the acceptance of male control over families” (Blood).According to a report on Afghanistan issued by the United States Library of Congress, the authority of a male family leader appears to be challenged when female family members behave in non-conforming ways; in fact, the report went on to say that “ Any evidence of independent female action is regarded as evidence of lost male control and results in ostracism, which adversely affects the entire family's standing within the community.” (Blood) Soraya’s father tells Soraya to come home because he does not want to ruin his reputation, nor the reputation of his entire family. If he didn't do such a thing, he would have been viewed as less of a man.
Next, woman’s role is dictated by societal rules, which portrays the women as lesser individuals compared to the male counterpart. Society rules are another way Hosseini reinforces the rights of women in Afghan society. A quote from the novel says, “the woman, who wrapped her head in a hijab….replied in a barely audible voice...never made eye contact.” (Hosseini 236). This was expected by the rules and customs of her society. Women may never come in direct contact with males, according to the enforced laws. Another quote that contributes to society rules states, “She was a shy woman that she spoke in a voice barely higher than a whisper and she would not raise her pretty hazel eyes to meet my gaze” (Hosseini 205). Her actions shows that it is known that females should not interact with others outside the family; they should not be heard by others outside the family. In these situations, the women follow and does not disobey the society rules. Last, Hosseini reinforces the rights of women by not having as many characters in the novel, contributing to the lifestyle.
The lifestyle of women is challenging in Afghanistan. Women die in pregnancy and childbirth, and they have no formal education. Afghan girls are engaged or married by age twelve. Some girls are bartered into marriage to repay debt or resolve a dispute. There are approximately three times more boys attending school than girls. If you are not a married woman, you remain irrelevant. Women are constantly being raped and sold into prostitution, and it is not considered a crime. Women are required to wear burqas (black head-to-toe-veils) because they are not allowed to be seen outside the family. In The Kite Runner, a woman was the target for getting stones thrown at her for disobeying the rules. Women have to deal with things like that everyday of their
lives. The Kite Runner is an eye opener for the things women have to deal with in Afghanistan, including their daily life torture, men having control over them and the harsh rules of society. None of the female characters in the novel are relieved of the oppressed that they endure paralleling the unresolved gender inequality in Afghan culture. Hosseini expressed how women live their lives and how their lives were lived. The reality of Afghanistan is greatly expressed in The Kite Runner.