33 said. Rasheed you cant
do this.
10 III
Go back to the room. Mariam backpedaled
again. No, dont do this
Now “Were leaving this
spring; Aziza and I. come with us Mariam”
Decisive Woman
229
11 III
“As a matter of policy, we do not interfere the
private family matter, hamshira.” Officer said.
“Of course you don’t, when it benefit of man,
isn’t this a private family matter, as you say? Isn’t
it?
Feminism Awareness
238
12 III
“They can not make half of the population stay
home and do nothing,” Laila said.
“Why not?” Rasheed said. For once. Mariam
agreed with him. “This is not some
villages. This is Kabul. Women here used to
practice law and medicine; they held office
in the government”
Feminism Awareness
249
B. Analysis of Laila Characteristic
34
Laila was a young girl, beautiful, and also smart. Revolutionary girl was her
nickname, because she had been born the night of the April coup of 1978 and she lived with her family in Kabul. Her mother always that she had inherited her hair
color as well as her thick-lashed, green ayes, her dimpled cheeks, her cheek bones, and the pout of hr lower lip. Mammy said to her.
“Her beauty was the talk of the valley. It skipped two generations of women in our family, but it sure didn’t by pass you”, Laila Hosseini 2007, 98
Laila’s grandmother and her mother had beautiful faces and their beauty was very famous in the valley. The valley referred to the Pansjar one hundred
kilometers northeast of Kabul. Laila’s friend also admitted that she had a beautiful face. One time a boy had
tapped her on her shoulder and said to Laila. “You’re so very pretty, yellow hair. I want to marry you”. Hosseini 2007,
105
Because of her pretty face, many boys disturbed her and wanted to be her boyfriend. Laila already had a boyfriend. Tariq was her boyfriend. Laila knew that
Tariq would always protect hr.
She also was a smart girl in school; it was described by her when her teacher
asked her about countries. “Bucharest, Havana” Laila managed.
“And are those countries our friend or not?” teacher asked. “They’re friendly countries.” Laila answered. Hosseini 2007, 102
35 Her father also described that his little girl was a smart girl, her father always
made it clear to Laila from a young age that the most important thing in his life, after her safety, was her education. Laila understood it.
Her father said, I know you’re still young, but I want you to understand and learn this know, married can wait, education cannot. You’re very, very bright girl. Truly,
you are. You can b anything you want, Laila. I know this about you. And, I also know that when the war is over, Afghanistan is going to need you as much as its
men, maybe even more. Because society has no change of success if it women are uneducated, Laila. No change. Hosseini 2007, 103
She had received the Awal Numra certificate, given yearly to the top ranked student in each grade for the last two years. Laila made her father very proud with
her.
Laila was also a good girl. Her kindness had been seen since she was a child. It
could be seen when she helped her mother when her mother invited neighborhood women over tea and pastries. She got to lick the bowls clean, set the table with cups
and napkins and the good plats. “You’re a good daughter,” mammy said after a deep sigh.” And haven’t been
much of a mother to you” Hosseini 2007, 129
Her mother could not give Laila enough attention. Laila knew that her mother was very shocked when she heard her sons did in war against Soviet. Laila also
know that hr mother loved them very much. Laila had two brothers who died in war. Laila always listened carefully when her mother talked about her brothers.
Laila was care and deep affection. This nature was shown by her when Tariq
asked her to move with him to the saved place but she denied and decided to stay with her father.
36 “I can’t.” Laila said.
“Don’t say that. I love you.” “I’m sorry”
“I love you” It’s my father I can’t leave.” Laila said.” I’m all he has left. His heart couldn’t take
it either.”Hosseini 2007, 166
Even she realized that she loved Tariq very much but she decided to stay in Kabul with her father. She could not wipe away the obligations of hr life any more
that he could his. But it went on, his pleadings and her rebuttals, and his tears and hers. In the end, she had to make him leave.
Laila was also a good listener. She always listened when her mother told her a
story about hr brothers and sometimes she felt that her mother more cares to her brothers but she still loves her mother very much.
“Ahmad going to be a leader, He had the charisma for it. People three time s his ag listened to him with respect. Laila. And Noor, Oh my Noor. He always makes
sketches of buildings and bridges. He was going to be an architect, you know. He was going to transform Kabul with his designs. And now they’re shaheed, my boy,
and my martyrs.” Hosseini 200, 128
One day when Laila listened carefully when her mother told her a story about how her brothers died as shaheed in war, Laila knew that her mother very proud
with them.
Laila was also friendly too. She had a good friends and also her classmates like
Giti and Hasina. It was described when Laila and her friend went home from school.
“I think Laila has a crush on Tariq. I knew it Isn’t he Laila?” Giti said earnestly. “I do not have a crush on anyone”Hosseini 2007, 104
37 They were taking care each other; Hasina was twelve, three years older than
Laila and Giti. They were talking about everything, they’re laugh together.
Laila also has Courageous. it was described by her when. It was happen when
Laila tried to help Mariam. Mariam is a Rasheed first wife. Rasheed start to yelled and beating Mariam and Laila tried to help hr against Rasheed.
I should have known that youd corrupt her,Rasheed spat at Mariam. He swung the belt, testing it against his own thigh.
stop it bas the girl said. Rasheed you cant do this. Go back to the room. Mariam backpedaled again.
No, dont do this Now
Rasheed raise the belt again and this time came at Mariam. Then an astonishing thing happened: the girl lunged at him. She grabbed his arm
with both hands and tried to drag him down, but she could do no more than dangled from it. She did succeed in slowing rasheeds progress toward Mariam.
Let go Rasheed said. You win. You win. Don’t do this. Please, Rasheed, no beating Please don’t do
this. In the end Mariam knew that there would be no beating, not that night. He stayed
that way a few moments longer. He threw Mariam one last, murderous stare, and gave the girl a shove in the back on the way out. When she heard their door close,
Mariam climbed back into the bed, buried her head beneath the pillow, and waited for the shaking to stop. Hosseini 2007, 216-217
After a terrible accident, Mariam realized that Laila tried to help her against Rasheed. After what Laila did to her that night there was no reason to hate her
again. She tried to be friendly to Laila. They became a friend, like sister or mother and daughter.
Laila was also Decisive Woman. It was described by her when she had idea to
runaway from their husband Rasheed. And she asked Mariam to join her. That is a
38 big decision for them. Thy started something big in their lives. They wanted to live
independently. “Were leaving this spring; Aziza and I. come with us Mariam” Hosseini 2007,
229
The journey that they had been trough did not work well; they got caught by the Taliban officer, and sent them back to their husband. Laila believed that there was a
hope among those problems. Laila fight for their lives, they knew how to survive. They did not car bout Rasheed. They had to survive for their future, for the
children. Laila had experienced the worst moment in her live. Laila had lost her parent
when rockets slammed into her house. She also has to struggle against starvation, brutality and fear.
C. Laila, Viewed From Feminism Theory
