The theme of male vs female.

[Ophelia]

1- Rasheed and his wives.

a- Do you feel like posting a comment, or does the book say it all?

b- in the context, does Rasheed strike you as:

- a monster?

- an ordinary man?


2- Rasheed, Laila and their children (chapter 40).

a- Is the love Rasheed feels for his son, Zalmai, a redeeming feature for an otherwise bleak character?

b- Zalmai's feelings for:

- his mother " When Laila was alone with him, Zalmai was sweet..."

- his father

3- Rasheed, Laila and Zalmai: " Mammy has a new friend". ..





4-Tariq and Laila.
In the context, does Tariq sound too good to be true?
Can such a society nurture such men?


5- Giving birth in Taliban-controlled Kabul: which hospital? Chapter 39.

[page123]

Rasheed was more an ordinary man than a monster. This is how he was raised. A few exceptions may stay untouched by the environment but majority do get influenced. - just a personal opinion

[carebear]

Rasheed was a monster. He had very sadistic characteristic traits in his personality. His culture, environment, religion, and backround had a role in his horrid behaviors, however, there was another layer there that was all his own that inflicted the severe physical, verbal, and emotional abuse on the women in his life.

The shovel was too good for him.

[WildCityWoman]

I had no empathy with that man at all.

No - I do not truly believe there's any good in him. He's so hung up on being male. A very selfish person.

Tariq? Certainly there would be other men like Tariq - look at the author of the novel himself . . . he's a kind person with a lot of soul.

You might say it's 'equanimity' he has. That's why he's able to write so well about these women.