The Symbol of the Burqa

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Follows the burqa as a symbol of oppression, control, and also anonymity and protection.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Rasheed's Burqa Rasheed's Burqa from "A Thousand Splendid Suns". A Tool of Control The First Burqa Rasheed gives Mariam a sky blue burqa. He says it is to protect her honor. She finds it suffocating.

Rasheed's Burqa from "A Thousand Splendid Suns". A Tool of Control The First Burqa Rasheed gives Mariam a sky blue burqa. He says it is to protect her honor. She finds it suffocating.

A Tool of Control The First Burqa Rasheed gives Mariam a sky blue burqa. He says it is to protect her honor. She finds it suffocating. Learning to Wear It Mariam stumbles at first, but she learns that the burqa gives her anonymity. She can observe without being seen. It becomes a shield. The Double Standard Rasheed looks at pornographic magazines but insists on burqa. The hypocrisy is clear. The burqa is about his control, not piety.

Laila's Burqa Laila's Burqa from "A Thousand Splendid Suns". A Prison of Cloth Forced to Cover Rasheed demands Laila wear a burqa when outside. She feels trapped. The limited vision makes her stumble.

Laila's Burqa from "A Thousand Splendid Suns". A Prison of Cloth Forced to Cover Rasheed demands Laila wear a burqa when outside. She feels trapped. The limited vision makes her stumble.

A Prison of Cloth Forced to Cover Rasheed demands Laila wear a burqa when outside. She feels trapped. The limited vision makes her stumble. Anonymity as Protection Laila later finds that the burqa hides her from prying eyes. When she walks to the orphanage, the burqa hides her identity. It is both a cage and a cloak. The Taliban's Mandate Under the Taliban, burqas are mandatory. Laila wears it to avoid beatings, but it is a constant reminder of her lack of freedom.

The Burqa as a Symbol of Oppression

A State of Siege The Taliban's Edicts Women must be covered from head to toe. The burqa is enforced with beatings. It is a symbol of their total subjugation. Mariam's Endurance Mariam has worn a burqa for decades. She is used to it. But she knows it represents the patriarchal system that destroyed her life. Laila's Hope Laila dreams of a day when women can walk freely without burqas. After the Taliban fall, she sees women uncovering their faces. The burqa becomes a choice, not a command.

1974, early in Mariam's marriage

1992, after her marriage to Rasheed

1996-2001, during Taliban rule