Mellan raderna i Tusen strålande solar : En hermeneutisk studie av kvinnans underordning i en religiös kontext

The aim of this study is to explore the representation of women´s subordination in Khaled Hosseini’s novel Thousand splendid suns, with particular focus on feminism, patriarchal structures, androcentrism and religious norms. The background to this study is my own interest in feminism, theology and literature and how those three can work as components. Therefore, this study contributes with a perspective of how literature can portrait difficult subjects, such as feminism and religion. This study makes use of a method called hermeneutical textual analysis and examines how the female characters, Mariam and Laila, challenge the prevailing gender order in a Muslim society. By focusing on a theoretical framework consisting of feminism, androcentrism and gender and Islam, the study aims to answer how the novel illustrates and discusses phenomenon such as norms, gender roles, oppression and religion. Together with three questions, the study discusses a possible result related to the analysis. Mariam and Laila are struggling daily with their lives together with their shared aggressive husband Rashid. At first, the two women are fighting towards one other and sees each other as enemies. But over time they begin to feel solidarity towards each other and starts a friendship and a deep sisterhood. The novel illustrates the importance of solidarity within families, friendship and especially between women and how significant that is in the fight for equality. The novel illustrates and visualizes how religion can be used as something oppressive and how the patriarchal structures use religion as justification. The result of this study and analysis shows how patriarchal structures and androcentrism are strongly maintained through the men in the story and their performance of power. Furthermore, has the analytical work also shown that religion, in this context and novel, is used to maintain the patriarchal structure and challenges feminist ethics. Lastly shows the study the importance of solidarity and hope within women and in their fight for equality between genders.