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.
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