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Thousand Splendid Suns Background Information Notes

The document provides background information on several topics related to Afghanistan, including: 1) General conditions in Afghanistan include low literacy and education rates, poverty, and poor healthcare access. 2) Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-American author known for writing about the hard lives of women in Afghanistan. 3) Islam is the dominant religion in Afghanistan, followed by over 99% of the population, and plays a major role in Afghan culture and society. Ethnic divisions also exist between Pashtuns and Hazaras. 4) Afghanistan has experienced decades of conflict and political instability including a Soviet invasion and rule during the Cold War period.

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48 views3 pages

Thousand Splendid Suns Background Information Notes

The document provides background information on several topics related to Afghanistan, including: 1) General conditions in Afghanistan include low literacy and education rates, poverty, and poor healthcare access. 2) Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-American author known for writing about the hard lives of women in Afghanistan. 3) Islam is the dominant religion in Afghanistan, followed by over 99% of the population, and plays a major role in Afghan culture and society. Ethnic divisions also exist between Pashtuns and Hazaras. 4) Afghanistan has experienced decades of conflict and political instability including a Soviet invasion and rule during the Cold War period.

Uploaded by

Nathan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Background information notes

Was part of group that did the Taliban and the U.S. invasion

General conditions in Afghanistan

- About 25% of the children do not go to school. The boys usually stay about 5 years longer.

Afghanistan has a 44% literacy rate. Women have a much lower literacy rate than men.

- The average life expectancy. Women live on average 3 years longer. The basic health care is bad.

- 55% people live below the poverty line. 1/3 of the people cannot provide the basic needs

- As of 2020, 77% of the people had some form of health care

- Constant war has led to less spending on education and led to a terrible economy

Khaled Hosseini

- He was born in Afghanistan, but lived in America and Europe

- He has written three other books: The Kite Runner; And the Mountains Echoed; Sea Prayer.

- He writes to inform others about the hard lives women in Afghanistan lead in their household

and society

- He lives in Northern California with a wife and two children

- Other famous authors from Afghanistan include: Atiq Rahimi; Nadia Anjuman; Rahman Baba;

Pareen Pazhwak.

- A landay is a traditional Afghan poem that is usually short and sad.

Religious and ethnic divisions

- Islam was most likely created during the 7 th century. It has 6 main beliefs: The belief in the

angels of god; the belief in the oneness of god; the belief in the prophets or messengers of god;

the belief in books of god; the belief in the divine decree; the belief in the day of judgement.

- Islam has five pillars: The Shahada; Salat; Zakat; Saum; Haji.

- Islam plays a huge role in Afghan life as for 99% of Afghans are Muslim
- Hazaras are a minority and were attacked by the Taliban. Pashtuns are the majority.

- Being a Pashtun means that they are a descendant of the people that lived in the mountains.

Hazaras mainly lived in central Afghanistan.

- Sunnis believed that Muhammad’s successor should be Abu Bakr and Omar while the Shi’a

believe that Ali should be his successor

Shah conflict and Soviet takeover

- Daoud Khan successfully threw over his brother in law Zahir Shah.

- Many leaders were overthrown for their beliefs and strive for power.

- The Soviets assassinated the president and bombed Afghanistan. 2.8 million people sought

refuge in Pakistan.

- The Soviets assassinated the current president and enforced the installation of Babrak Karmal

- The Soviets invaded in an attempt to make Afghanistan communist during the Cold War.

Women in Afghanistan

- Pre-Taliban – The King sought to better the economy and the government. Post- Taliban –

Journalists are restricted from accessing information.

- The Talban and Afghan’s fight led to many people leaving schools in fear of being murdered,

especially girls.

- Women’s survival rates in Afghanistan is one of the lowest in the world.

- Women are not given many rights and the men try to take those remaining rights away.

- 28% of females in Afghanistan are married before the age of 18.

- Domestic abuse is very common in Afghanistan and women are deprived of some basic human

rights.

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