Welcome to AP Language and Comp 2011
Lots of reading, writing, and discussion to do...
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Bookseller of Kabul
I really like the Bookseller of Kabul so far. At times it reminds of a lot of A Thousand Splendid Suns, but I keep having to remind myself that these are real people, not just realistic, fictional characters. I think Sultan is so interesting, because he's so defiant. Living in a country in utter turmoil, he's willing to risk everything to bring literature to his people. If he were just a made-up character, it'd be easy to give him that role, but in real life, he has a family that he's risking for his cause. He's really remarkable because he's not afraid of his government, even though in his country the government is something to be afraid of. He isn't willing to let anything stop him from selling his beloved books, not jail, not book burnings, not even war. I'm interested to see what happens to Sultan and his family.
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I am enjoying the Bookseller of Kabul so far. I find it very interesting to read about a lifestyle that contrasts so immensely from my own. Following Sultan's life and his family's, I am exposed to a completely new view of women and how they are treated in foreign countries. The constant examples of Sultan's absolute power within his family at some points seem ridiculous to me. For example, when Sharifa must stay and live in Pakistan, even though she is lonely, hates it there, and has no family. Simply because Sultan ordered her to live there and care for the house, Sharifa must stay and suffer there until he allows her to return. Similarly, Leila suffers greatly throughout the story, and is at some points compared to a slave. What I find even crazier is the fact that she is being treated as a slave by her own family, who verbally abuse her and expect her to care for all eleven of them. The treatment of women throughout this story is very interesting and diverse to me, and I am curious to find out if Leila secures a job as a teacher, and her plan to free herself from her family succeeds.
ReplyDeleteI am also enjoying the Bookseller of Kabul. I agree with Allie in that the book definitely reminds me of A Thousand Splendid Suns. I really enjoyed that book a lot because it provided an insight into the lives of Afghan women and all the hardships they had to deal with. Like A Thousand Splendid Suns, Bookseller also incorporates aspects of life for women. I feel really bad for Sharifa. She devotes her life to being the perfect wife for Sultan. She makes him an elaborate dinner each night just in case he happens to show up (most nights he does not). Sharifa is lonely because her children are living with Sultan and his new younger wife, Sonya. Sharifa has to deal with loneliness and also jealousy. She always feels inferior.
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