on working outside of the home. Whereas, mostly women who worked in those field than men. Since women were unemployment in working at
company, government or hospital, many services at those fields were decreased. Taliban also stated the rule, “Women are forbidden from working”
271. Both characters Mariam and Laila were not working. They were just doing
work at home as a housewives. In spite of the fact that civilians were suffered from poorness, women still could not help their husband to raise money.
Mariam and Laila were also suffered from poorness because Rasheed could not earn much money after his shop had been burned. They could not help
Rasheed since the law prohibited them.
3. Seclusion
Women had to be secluded from the society. The Taliban implemented Muslim law that enforced the hijab which means the seclusion of women
from society. When women wanted to go outside their house, they had to wear burqa. They also had to be accompanied by their male relatives. During
Soviet Union, all women had right to go everywhere. Meanwhile in Mujahideen regime, women did not have any courage to go outside because
of the war. Women got attacked and raped at that time. Since Taliban took over the country, women could not have freedom to go outside because
Taliban had stated the rules. There was a time when Mariam wanted to go outside to find her father, Jalil. She had to be accompanied by Rasheed and
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she also had to wear burqa. Laila had ever gone outside when she had to send her child, Aziza, to an orphan house. She was also accompanied by Rasheed
and Mariam. The novel also showed the rule which Taliban announced, “You will stay inside your homes at all times. It is not proper for women
to wander aimlessly about the streets. If you go outside, you must be accompanied by a mahram, a male relative. If you are caught alone on the
street, you will be beaten and sent home” 271.
4. Clothes
As I described in chapter two, burqa is a cloth which covers women’s skin from head to toe, even the face also has to be covered. The rules of women
were very strict, even women could not show their fingers. They would get punishment for the mistakes, for example, if a woman showed their fingers,
several Taliban men would hold her down and cut off the tips of her fingers. Women also would get beaten and covered in acid, if they were caught
wearing nail polish, makeup and white socks under their burqas. Women had to respect Islamic law by wearing burqa. Mariam had worn
burqa since she got married to Rasheed. There was no such strict rule to wear burqa when Mariam got married but Rasheed wanted Mariam to wear the
cloth. Before Taliban came, all women had the right whether they want to wear the burqa or not. Sometimes women wear burqa after married but some
of them decide not to wear. After Taliban came all women had to wear burqa. The rules stated,
“You will not, under any circumstances, show your face. You will cover with burqa when outside. If you do not, you will be severely beaten.
Cosmetics are forbidden. Jewelry is forbidden. You will not wear charming clothes. You will not speak unless spoken to. You will not make
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eye contact with men. You will not laugh in public. If you do, you will be beaten. You will not paint your nails. If you do, you will lose a finger”
271.
5. Health
