18 pride. It includes desire of reputation of status, recognitions, appreciation by
others and feeling of importance. 3 The Self-actualization Needs
The self-actualization needs are the final needs in the top of Maslow’s hierarchy needs. After someone has satisfied all the needs above, he will be
motivated to gain and be more than he is now. The self-actualization is a need for fulfillment of one’s unique potential, for example knowledge and beauty.
C. Sociocultural - Historical Background
This part deals with the sociocultural-historical background of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns. Mann 1969 says that culture is the most
pervasive of social context. To understand the importance of human society as a socializing influence on behaviour reference must be made to culture because it is
the most significant feature of any society.
1. Afghanistan
The setting of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns is Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a part of South Asia. Saikal and Maley 13 say that Afghanistan
has been marked by a strong society and weak state. The strength of society has come from its various characters, in which multiple, largely autonomous, social
units, most importantly tribes and their subdivisions, have retained their identity within a political unit.
19 Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns takes the years of 1960’ –
2003 as the setting of time. A regime change happened in that period. Saikal and Maley 1 state that regime change is a traumatic and disruptive experience in
many countries, but few countries have paid to hold traditionally accepted relationship of authority as Afghanistan has experienced since the communist
coup of April 1978. In Afghanistan, ethnic divisions are a major basis of different identity of
Afghan micro-societies. Saikal and Maley 14 say “ethnicity is a broad and not particularly satisfactory term, but it captures social homogeneity falling short of
the more specific shared norms which may distinguish particular micro-societies.” There are many etnhic groups in Afghanistan. However, there are several big
ethnic groups. The Pashtun is the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. Members of the Pashtun ethnic group historically formed possibly the
largest single ethnic group in Afghanistan, followed by the Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazaras, Aimaq, Nuristani, Kirghiz, and a considerable number of smaller
groups Saikal and Maley 14.
According to Saykal and Maley 66, the Pashtun is the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan that is relatively high in south and southeast Afghanistan. As the
largest ethnic group, the Pashtun has a special authority. Afghanistan is also influenced by the the Pashtun’s culture. Anderson 274 says, the largest ethnic
group, the notional ancestor of the Pashtun is defined as the Qays who were inherited directly from the Prophet Muhammad. It is possible for the Pasthun to
have an authority. While Islam connects virtually the entire Afghan population, the society is
divided along ethnic and tribal lines. The largest ethnic group, thePashtuns, is also a tribal group. Tribes are formulated through
20 patrilineal descent, and the notional ancestor of all Pashtuns is Qays, who,
it is said, received Islam directly from the Prophet Muhammad. Effectively, Pashtuns deny having any pre-Islamic past or experience of
conversion. Being Muslim is thus inextricable from their tribal heritage.
Anderson 274
It is usual for the majority group to be more powerful than the minority group. The Pashtun as the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan may become more
powerful than other ethnic groups. Moreover, the Pashtun argues that their ancestor is inherited directly from Prophet Muhammad.
In the period of time, there is regime change in Afghanistan. It is also stated in Khaled Hosseini’ A Thousand Splendid Suns that there is an existence of
Taliban. Taliban is a big community of moslems who have an authority in Afghanistan. Taliban is a guerrila force. Taliban collects young Pashtun men
whose families has fled to Pakistan during the war against the Soviets Hosseini 292.
Afghanistan is an Islamic country. It is stated in Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns that Afghanistan develops strict Islamic law. There are
many rules, especially for women. Women are not allowed to travel without a male relative. They also must wear burqa, an Islamic clothes which cover all
body. They will be punished if they dissobey it. Since the Mujahiden take over in April 1992, Afghanistan’s name had
been changed to the Islamic State of Afghanistan. The Supreme Court under Rabbani was filled now with hardliner mullahs who did away with
the communist-era decrees that empowered women and instead passed rulings based on Shari’a, strict Islamic laws that ordered women to cover,
forbade their travel without a male relative, punished adultery with stoning. Even if the actual enforcement of these laws was sporadicat best.
Hosseini 277
21 So, the position of women in Afghanistan is lower than men. Afghanistan
limits women’s movement. Afghanistan gives many rules for women but not for men.
2. Islamic view of polygamy
