Justin's Graphic Organizer (pages 106-130)

This illustrates what happened in pages 106-130.  It is important to note the setting of Kabul, the family demographics, and the culture.  They are all connected to each other, and Åsne Seierstad is still trying to show the family values and ideas.  The setting is painted to be full of traditions and poverty, with most of their lives based on family and status.  She does not focus the book on specific events that she is witnessing, and most of the chapters are written explaining the society as a whole.

Summarizer, Mike, pg. 106-131

In the first of two chapters read for this assignment the lives of the relationships between mother and children of Bibi Gul, who is Sultan's mother, were summarized. The conditions and brief history of the apartment and village that Sultan's family lives in was also summarized. The village has been rattled with bullets from the past civil wars that took place in Afghanistan. Sultan is the master of the four bedroom apartment, which houses many people. In the next chapter, Mansur becomes attracted to a woman while working at Sultan's bookshop. He illegally goes on a date with the beautiful woman, and makes plans to propose to her, but the woman never returns to the shop to give him an opportunity to do so. Mansur is still wanting to marry a woman, and his friend Rahimullah tells him how he can get sex with women without getting in trouble himself. Rahimullah attracts a woman into the back room, and Mansur runs away from the shop before he can give into the temptation.

The author opens the first of these two chapters by describing the depression of Bibi Gul. She does this by describing her eating habits and other habits that can be attributed to depression. She then describes how the depression came about. She does this by writing about the life of each of Bibi Gul's children, in order, with other bits of information that can explain Bibi Gul's depression. The next chapter is started with Mansur being introduced to this unknown beautiful woman. His probable feelings of during this encounter are described. These feelings were described as a product of a good-hearted desire to have a woman in his life. Then the events of his date are described, along with his feelings then, and when the woman never returns to the shop. Later, his shock is described when Rahimullah casually describes his essential rape of other women. His feelings of pity for the women who was lured into the shop so that he could rape her are also well implied when he runs out of the shop in the last sentence of the chapter. By doing this, Mansur seems like a very good-hearted man who simply wants a woman in his life.

GO Andrew

 

The pictorial above shows the different levels of importance of the wedding rituals in Kabul. According to the book the meal was least important and sending home the token of marriage consummation was of most importance. I find it ironic that the blood stained cloth is the most important marriage ritual. Even though the culture is against sexuality.

Discussion Leader, Mike, pg. 80-106

• What do you think of the role of women in these chapters? Why?

Women seem like nothing more than property, and more specifically, marriage tokens. The role of women in these chapters is horribly degrading, so much so that a woman was offered to be sold for marriage for free! They don't even get a say in who the marry, the men and parents decide that. This seems to be a very sad truth facing women in Afghanistan.

• Are burkas degrading to the women who wear them?

These seems to be a matter of personal opinion. Our Western Culture views them as degrading, and as a result our group views them as degrading. We also view them as dehumanizing. It is important to point out that a different culture is prominent in Afghanistan than the culture that our group is a part of.

• How different would life be for us Americans if there was a 'prohibition against the reproduction of pictures,' as was the case when the Taliban were ruling Afghanistan?

There would be no television, no computers, no internet, and no Facebook. Materializing memories would suddenly become illegal. Such a change would be extremely different from our current lives. Everything that we take for granted would be different.

• What do you think of this line, "Without the blood, it would have been Shakila, not the piece of cloth, that was returned to the family." (Page 105).

Our group said that this is further proof that the value of women is horribly low in Afghanistan. The value of this woman's life seems to be largely based on her virginity. If she were not a virgin when her new husband had his first intercourse with Shakila, she would have suddenly been deemed an unacceptable wife by her husband. We said that this was quite simply, horrible.

Justin's Vocab (pages 80-105)

1) Prohibition (page 80) the action of forbidding, a decree that prohibits something

2) Oligarchy (page 82) a political system governed by a few people, a form of government in which power effectively rests with a small elite segment of society distinguished by royalty, wealth, military might, or religious affiliation

3) Deliverance (page 83) salvation

4) Coquettish (page 86) a coquette is a women who flirts lightheartedly with men to win their admiration and affection; a flirt

5) Swathes (page 86) to wrap, bind, or swaddle with bands of some material; to wrap up closely or fully

6) Precarious (page 88) dependent on circumstances beyond one's control; uncertain; unstable

7) Harem (page 90) the part of a Muslim palace or house reserved for the residence of women

8) Obstinate (page 92) firmly or stubbornly adhering to one's purpose, opinion, etc.; not yielding to argument, persuasion, or entreaty

9) Chassis (page 103) the frame, wheels, and machinery of a motor vehicle, on which the automotive body is supported

10) Reverently (page 104) feeling, exhibiting, or characterized by reverence; deeply respectful

Vocab for pgs. 106-131 (Johanna)

1. Hafez and Rumi (pg. 109): Two famous Persian poets from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

2. Primus stove (pg. 110): A small, single-flame stove powered by kerosene. It is somewhat similar to a Bunsen Burner and is often used for camping.

3. Massoud (pg. 111): Military leader who played a leading role in driving Soviet troops out of Afghanistan. He is nicknamed the Lion of Panjshir. He was assassinated on September 9, 2001 by suspected al Qaeda agents. He was named a national hero in 2002.

4. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar (pg. 111): Prime minister of Afghanistan from 1993 to 1994. He is known as one of the most controversial leaders. He is accused of spending more time killing other Mujahedeen than Soviets and possibly civilians. He is currently wanted in the United States for participating in terrorist acts with al Qaeda and the Taliban.

5. Threadbare (pg. 110):  having all the original covering (such as wool or fur) worn off the fabric so that the threads are exposed; in other words, shabby or worn out.

6. Cupola (pg. 112): a roof or ceiling in the form of a dome

7. Khrushchev blocks (pg. 112): a cheaply built five-story building with 80 apartments, common in the 1960s when the Soviets occupied Afghanistan. Architectural excess was reduced under communist rule and many of these buildings were erected in Kabul during this time.

8.Maidenhead (pg. 116): Virginity

9. Tomes (pg. 123): a very heavy, large, or learned book

10. Exorbitantly (pg. 125): extravagant, unreasonable or highly excessive.

The Bookseller of Kabul: November 22, 2010 (Journal #1)

            Asne Seierstad introduces herself as a wartime reporter, which demands a certain level of respect. Her life's work is to travel through war torn cultures and draw out the stories. In The Bookseller of Kabul, Seierstad  tells the story of one Afghan family and wirtes with a voice that subtly establishes authority. Throughout the early chapters of the book, Seierstad references the family often which adds credibility to her writing. Asne Seierstad is foreign and so continuously citing an Afghan family announces to the reader that she doen't have as much experience as they would. By acknowledging this fact, she gains the reader's trust. In addition to this, Seierstad clarifies that the Khan family is upper middle class and fairly wealthy. She states that if she had been with any other family everyday would a "battle for survival." She chose her family because she felt inspired not because she wanted to represent all Afghan families. Seierstad is very aware that her book is not "giving a voice" to Afghanistan as a whole and that she wrote it for literary reasons. Her broad awareness of the variables surrounding her particular experience increases her prestige and proves that she doesn't just see things through a single perspective.

            Seierstad uses her selection of storytelling to convey the messages she wishes. In the first 106 pages of the book women are the underlying focus of the stories told. In chapter one Sultan Khan is introduced as the Bookseller and the first thing the reader is told is that he is looking for a new wife. In the rest of the chapter the other event of his proposal are recounted and there is a heavy emphasis on the fact that Sonya, the sixteen year old girl he marries, didn't have a choice. She cried when her parents told her the news but couldn't argue because it wouldn't have made any difference. Seierstad writes what must have been going through Sonya's head when she found out:

"She was petrified by fear. She did not want the man but she knew that she had to obey her parents. As Sultan's wife, her standing in Afghan society would go up considerably. The bride money would solve many of her family's problems. The money would help her parents buy good wives for their sons" (7).

This passage represents Sonya and her struggle, but also many other girls in similar situations. All of the pressures of society, her parents, and money force Sonya to accept her fate, but by including her emotions in the story, Seierstad highlights the injustice of her situation. Another interesting aspect of this passage is the fact that it is written from the Sonya's perspective but in the author's words. In the end when she states that Sonya's parents needed to "buy" wives for their sons, she again zones in on the dehumanization that women faced. They were no more than objects to be passed around. This also can be seen in the following chapters which describe Sharifa's (Sultan's first wife) situation. Since her husband remarried, she lives alone with her daughter in Pakistan and is at Sultan's beck and call. She's a captive and cannot do anything without his permission. By telling her story as well, Seierstad speaks for a woman who cannot speak for herself. It is reasonable to assume that many other are in similar situations and also could not voice their opinions.

            Although the family she lived with was not a typical Afghan family economically, it was traditionally. Seierstad knows that she isn't giving those all Afghans a voice, but it is interesting to consider who she is speaking for. Could Seierstad's purpose for this book have been to bring to light the oppression that women in Afghanistan face? It seems to be a reasonable conclusion judging by the content of the first sections of the book, and it will be interesting to discover if this is an enduring theme. Instead of focusing on all Afghans, perhaps Seierstad is choosing to focus on only women. In a culture that is so male-dominated, it seems to be a noble undertaking. Sultan Khan is portrayed as a very self-centered man (not to say that all Afghan men are), but maybe this was her way of showing some of the men in Afghanistan that it isn't "all about them."

Summary for pgs 80-106 (Johanna)

No Admission to Heaven

This chapter is a list of the sixteen decrees issued by the Taliban when they took over in 1996. Fifteen out of the sixteen decrees are prohibitions that dramatically changed Afghan culture. Many aspects of the people's lifestyle were stripped away. Things like shaving and music became illegal and if the laws weren't followed, the "perpetrator" went to prison. In addition to this, a broadcast was made to women that forced them to stay at home and raise their family. Women could no longer have jobs…or anything for that matter.

Billowing, Fluttering, Winding

In this chapter, Shakila, Sultan's sister, is at a bazaar with her other sisters to buy things for her wedding. She weaves through the throng like an expert, and the other two struggle to keep up. The entire market is described and the reader can picture everything that is on display. The chapter also discusses how all women are out in burkas even though the Taliban have left. A brief "fashion" history is given in the middle of the chapter discusses the burka's role over time. It finishes with the sisters haggling over more wedding goods and returning home after a successful day of shopping.

A Third-Rate Wedding

The final chapter of this section depicts Shakila's wedding to Wakil. It starts out with the night before when all of the female relatives on both sides are gathered for a "bachelorette party" of sorts known as "henna night." They dance and sing and eat and are almost out of control, but Shakila is not allowed to participate. She must sit, stone-faced and non-committal on a couch. Her appearance is that of a doll due to all the makeup she wears. The next day all the women wake up to be made up for the ceremony. The wedding takes place in a family member's back yard and everyone is invited. All of the rituals of traditional Islamic wedding ceremonies are described and it ends with the next morning when a small cloth is returned to Bibi Gul to prove that Shakila was "pure" for her husband. 

Asne Seierstad is a very direct writer who does not leave the reader questioning about the story. In each chapter, if she wants the reader to know something, she writes it; however, her story is shaped by what is told and what isn't. Seirestad focuses heavily on the oppression Afghani women face by centering the chapters on them. In No Admission to Heaven, by including the list of decrees she is showing the reader that women had little to no rights under the Taliban. The next two chapters focus entirely on the women's perspective of Shakila's wedding. Everything is described in detail except the men's role in the ceremony. Their part was on the backburner in the telling of the wedding story. By focusing greatly on the women's perspective, the reader gains a great understanding of the injustice they faced and in a sense; Seierstad gives a voice to those forbidden to speak out.  

Graphic Organizer, Mike, Assign #2

Andrew 42-88 Vocab

1.Tajiks pg. 50...The Tajiks are mostly Sunni Muslims and speak Persian. They live predominantly in the north-east and in the west. Some also live in Kabul. 

2.Pashtun pg. 50...are a people who live in southeastern Afghanistan and the northwestern province of Pakistan. They are one of the largest ethnic groups in Afghanistan.

3.hashish pg. 53...Hashish is a sticky, thick, dark-colored resin (like sap) which is made from the cannabis plant.

4.fez pg.65...a felt hat either in the shape of a red truncated cone or in the shape of a short cylinder made of kilim fabric

5.avaricious pg. 61... greedy of gain : excessively acquisitive especially in seeking to hoard riches

6.superfluous pg.67...unnecessary or needless

7.lassitude pg.74...weariness of body or mind from strain, oppressive climate, etc.; lack of energy; listlessness; languor.

8.coup d'etat pg. 73...The sudden overthrow of a government by a usually small group of persons in or previously in positions of authority.

9.clandestine pg. 77...characterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment, esp. for purposes of subversion or deception

10.five pillars pg. 51...Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad;Establishment of the daily prayers;Concern for and almsgiving to the needy;Self-purification through fasting; andThe pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.

Johanna, Discussion Leader (pgs. 37-80)

1. Why do you think that the Afghan women describe their love poems as landay? Short, "like a scream or a knife stab."

The women’s love is like their poetry: short-lived and passionate. Each poem is only a few lines long but sends a powerful message:

“Tomorrow morning I will be killed because of you.

Do not say that you did not love me” (Seierstad 39).

The women in Afghan culture are not allowed to love and by embracing it, they risk their lives. The poetry that these women write relate directly to their emotions and the romances that they have. The poetry is like a “scream” because it is the only way they can be heard in such an oppressive culture. It is like a “knife stab” because like the poems, they meet an abrupt end.

2. When Sultan visits Sharifa, they laugh and reminisce together. Do you think that this will encourage him to send for her instead of leaving her there alone?

This short visit does not in any way suggest that Sultan will be sending for Sharifa. The fact that she is trapped in the house in Hayatabad, Pakistan ensures that he can also keep working through the house. On page 45, Seierstad states that work was the most important thing in Sultan's life and he isn't about to give that up. Sharifa provides the perfect "place holder" for his business in Pakistan and he can enjoy the pleasures of his younger wife, Sonya, back in Kabul.

3. Was it surprising that the textbooks printed during the Taliban's rule were all war-focused? (ex: alphabet).

It seems that this tactic of ingraining governmental beliefs in the youth of a country is not a new idea. In Nazi Germany, the curriculum was controlled by the government, and anyone who didn't comply was fired. The Taliban followed this example by doing away with all books that contained anything but their beliefs. This can be seen through the various examples of math problems and English programs installed by the Taliban that were full of propaganda.  They wanted to create a loyal following of their regime and went to the most extreme measures to achieve it.

4. When Bibi Gul is marrying off her two daughters, why do you think she is so unforgiving when it comes to Bulbula? She is her own child and it seems that she doesn’t even love her.

It seems that in Afghan culture, women are no more than bargaining chips. Their value lies in what someone is willing to pay for them, and parents banter back and forth with suitors to raise the price. What is peculiar is the fact that this tradition continues across generations. Mothers auction off their daughters just as they were. Bib Gul is a perfect example of this. When she was young, her parents gave her away at age eleven. She never had a choice in the matter and now that it is her daughter getting married, she is enjoying her one sliver of authority.

Justin's Summarization (pages 37-79)

Suicide and Song
This chapter declares that women "have no right to meet, to love, or to choose" their husband.  Women are just objects to their husband, like a property.  It then goes into old poetry showing that some women do rebel against the injustice they are put in through song and poems about forbidden love, sex, and other topics.


The Business Trip
Sultan takes a trip to Pakistan in the search for a printer, and has to visit relatives since he is in the area.  While visiting the relatives and talking about new developments in their lives, a brother of Sultan asks for Belqisa's hand in marriage (Sultan's daughter).  Sultan also visits Sharifa and they gossip about Saliqa, neither liking what a problem she has become.  The author makes Sultan to seem a little more preoccupied with himself than religion, as he does not like to give money.  The chapter ends with him on his journey back to his second wife, thinking about how much he appreciates Sharifas experience.


Do You Want to Make Me Sad?
This chapter is about Sultan and his mother marrying off two of his sisters.  One is sold for 100 dollars, the other is given for free as she is considered useless with a disability.  Shakila had many previous suitors, but they all fell through.  She has many worries about her future husband, but there is nothing she can do.  After she meets her fiancée with a cold encounter, she says she does not know if she is in love and is worried about her future.


The author seems to paint a picture of a broken society that is deep in male dominate tradition.  She seems to talk down to the men, making them seem selfish and brutal.  Again, the past of the country was included in the writing, as it is important to show how war-torn and desperate the society is.  The author did include a few poems, showing that women are not mindless robots.  It seems like she writes with a skeptical mind, although not necessarily telling it bluntly all the time.

11/18 Graphic Organizer for pgs. 3-37 (Johanna)

Sultan Khan is the bookseller of Kabul. He is a well-respected man in his tribe and "always gets his way." Even though nobody in his family agrees, Sultan takes a second wife and seemingly replaces Sharifa. At one point the family lives in Pakistan, but when it is safe to return, Sharifa is left to live there with her youngest daughter. Suddenly she has been ousted from her place of respect in society and must follow her husband's wishes-even though he doesn't treat her like a wife. She has no power without him and is incapable of divorce. This demonstrates the male superiority of Afghan culture and the limitations that women experience. On one side, Sharifa is forced to accept Sultan's marriage to another woman and "pull herself together" while he forgets about her. On the other side is Sonya, a girl of 16, who is forced to marry the 50 year old Sultan by her parents. She must also "pull herself together" and become the new wife in the family. Neither one is allowed and opinion or a choice.

Vocab Builder, Mike, Assign #1

Mike Falk

Vocab Builder, Assign #1

1. Commandos, pg. IX …The term commando, in English, means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means élite light infantry and/or special forces units, specialised in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and effect
2. Sumptuous, pg. X … magnificent and splendid
3. Dari, pg. XII … an Iranian language spoken in Afghanistan
4. Escapades, pg. XIII … adventure: a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)
5. Bazaar, pg. XIII … a street of small shops
6. Burka, pg. XIV … a loose garment (usually with veiled holes for the eyes) worn by Muslim women especially in India and Pakistan; "the Taliban forced all women to wear the burka"
7. Vacillated, pg.XVI … uncertain in purpose or action
8. Prudent, pg. 3 … careful and sensible;
9. Chit, pg. 4 … a dismissive term for a girl who is immature or who lacks respect
10. Suitor, pg. 6 … someone wanting and hoping to marry a woman 

Justin's Discussion Questions (pages 1-36)

How is Sultan immediately portrayed by the author?  An intellectual or a traditional?

“Nevertheless, no one dared speak out against him- he always got his own way” (7).

He is shown to be deeply religious and traditional in culture, but an intellectual compared to the rest of the country in education.  The author shows him in a negative light when he is marrying a second wife, but shows him as brave when he is hiding books.  It will be interesting to see which one eventually overpowers the other.

What authority does a woman have in marriage in Afghanistan?  How is Sultan and Sharifa’s marriage shown?

“She hates him for having ruined her life, taken away her children, shamed her in the eyes of the world” (24).

Women have no authority whatsoever in marriage.  The culture views marriage as a business deal between the families, the girls are reluctant.  Sultan and Sharifa’s marriage seems unhappy, but nothing will change.  Sultan provides the money and Sharifa cares for the children and house, while Sonya is the new excitement and is young herself.


How does the author paint the setting and the characters from the beginning?

“We shared many good times, but I have rarely been as angry as I was with the Khan family, and I have rarely quarreled as much as I did there” (xiv).

It is shown to be torn by war and held down by traditions.  Afghanistan is seen as almost hopeless, as there has been fighting for over 30 years.  The characters are conservative, and although they are not the usual type, they are still expected to follow the extreme set of rules.


 What emphasis or purpose did the stories of Jamila and Saliqa have?

Pages 31-37

These stories create the idea of the helpless women in the Afghan culture.  It is interesting to note their views; as they are mostly in the same position as their husbands in public.  What is to be noted is that these are not heard first hand, as the book is like a memoir.

Andrew 3-37 (with a twist)

The author describes the rather horrid political and gender problems facing the booksellers family.

The tone of the section is of disgust. Which mainly focuses on the living conditions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, the author also feels remorse for the first wife and what she has to go through. The author describes herself indiscreetly, leading to surprise when she reveals her gender.