Background of the Study Problem Formulation Objectives of the Study

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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of the background of the study, problem formulation, objectives of the study, and benefits of the study and definitions of terms. The background of the study conveys the reasons why I choose the topic and some related information about the topic. The problem formulation gives information about the problem analyzed in this study. The objective of the study conveys the goal of this study. The benefits of the study provide the benefit of this study for the readers and for me. The definitions of terms conveys some important terms used in this study.

A. Background of the Study

Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns is an interesting novel since the setting of the story is Afghanistan which is an Islamic country. It is a country that is strongly influenced by the Islamic practices and traditions. The Islamic practices provide all aspects of Afghans’ life, especially Afghan women’s life. This novel reveals the education and marriage life of Afghan women. It tells about the practices, traditions and everything happened to the Afghan women in the year of 1974-2003 during the Soviet Occupation, Mujahedeen Regime, and Taliban Regime. All of them are conveyed by the main characters in the story, Mariam and Laila. Their characters showed how the practices and traditions had influenced their education and marriage life. They showed the differences of a girl PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI who lived in a rural area and a girl who lived in a big city. I am particularly interested in the Afghan women’s life because of the period which is revealed in the novel. They experienced different treatment and chances in every regime. They also experienced the abuses and forces. They had to obey the rules that make their life more suffering. They experienced those terrible things and rules without any resistance. Therefore, this study intends to reveal the education and marriage life of Afghan women during 1974-2003. I focus on the education and marriage life because the story of the novel emphasizes those two things.

B. Problem Formulation

The research problem of the study is How does Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns reflect the education and marriage life of Afghan women during 1974-2003 through the main characters, Mariam and Laila?

C. Objectives of the Study

The objective of the study is to reveal Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns, the education and marriage life of Afghan women during 1974- 2003 reflected through the main characters, Mariam and Laila.

D. Benefits of the Study