KHALED HOSSEINI’S A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS: AN ECOFEMINIST ANALYSIS

Abstract

This research paper investigates Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns using an ecofeminist framework to illustrate the interrelationship between violence against women and violence against nature within Afghanistan’s patriarchal and war-damaged society. Through a qualitative approach and close reading, the study shows how natural imagery of dust, drought, ruins, and sunlight reflects the emotional and physical injuries suffered by the female characters in the novel. The research builds on theorists of ecofeminism such as Shiva, Warren, and Plumwood to establish Mariam as representative of endurance and sacrifice, and Laila as representative of renewal and hope, illustrating theoretical concepts of resilience and regeneration in ecofeminism. The findings suggest that both women and the environment are devastated in similar ways under the weight of patriarchal oppression. The research concludes that not only does Hosseini illustrate the connected suffering of women and land, but he also demonstrates a vision for transformation through resilience, rebuilding, and solidarity against oppression.