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The undeniable villain of the novel. Rasheed owns a shoe shop in Kabul, and is initially a successful businessman, though as things unravel in Afghanistan, he ends up struggling and eventually losing his business. Before marrying Mariam, he had already been married once before, but his wife and son had died—his son drowned while Rasheed was ...
Only when Laila provides him with a son do Rasheed's redeeming qualities emerge: With Zalmai, Rasheed is patient, loving, kind, and gentle. However, Rasheed's affection for Zalmai does not extend to Laila's daughter, Aziza, or to his two wives. Rasheed's cruel, manipulative ways eventually result in Mariam killing him in self-defense.
He's cruel. He's manipulative. He's a raging misogynist. We all know how his first son died: he drowned in a lake while Rasheed got drunk. That was a turning point for him, sure, but we're not sure whether any dude who "shoved the barrel of [his] gun" into Laila's mouth has much going for him (3.40.56). Rasheed is pretty much the product of his ...
Mariam and Laila’s husband, Rasheed, is an older man who owns a shoe shop in Kabul. He is the primary antagonist of the novel. Rasheed exemplifies the very worst treatment women endure at the hands of men, and his violence grows in intensity as political violence overtakes the city. When Rasheed first marries Mariam, he is not very hostile ...
When he returns to the room, Rasheed puts a gun in Laila’s mouth. Laila and Mariam dig a hole in the yard. They need to bury the TV in case their home is raided by the Taliban. Summary: Chapter 41. Rasheed finds a job at a restaurant, but he is quickly fired. Rasheed begins selling household items, and hits everyone in the family except Zalmai.
Mariam is overwhelmed and flees the crowd. She finds Rasheed’s house and locks herself inside. When Rasheed returns from work, he does not notice the cleaning Mariam has done, but he compliments her cooking. Rasheed suggests he show Mariam around Kabul the next day, and he gives Mariam a burqa. Rasheed expects his wife to be respectful ...
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Hosseini develops Rasheed's character and introduces a symbol through the gift of the burqa, both elements building on the theme of gender roles. Rasheed's traditionalism emerges more fully through his treatment of and expectations for Mariam as his wife. While he allows her a week to adjust to her new life, he does little else to help her.
