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Questions and Answers
What is the significance of the narrator's birth being at dawn?
What is the significance of the narrator's birth being at dawn?
The Pashtuns see it as an auspicious sign.
How did the narrator's father's cousin, Jehan Sher Khan Yousafzai, react to the narrator's birth?
How did the narrator's father's cousin, Jehan Sher Khan Yousafzai, react to the narrator's birth?
He came to celebrate the birth and gave a handsome gift of money, but brought a family tree showing only the male line.
What is the traditional attitude of Pashtuns towards the birth of a daughter?
What is the traditional attitude of Pashtuns towards the birth of a daughter?
For most Pashtuns, it's a gloomy day when a daughter is born.
How was the narrator's birth different from their parents' first child?
How was the narrator's birth different from their parents' first child?
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How is the narrator's father, Ziauddin, different from most Pashtun men?
How is the narrator's father, Ziauddin, different from most Pashtun men?
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What is the significance of the narrator's birth time according to Pashtun tradition?
What is the significance of the narrator's birth time according to Pashtun tradition?
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How did the narrator's father react to her birth in contrast to the general Pashtun custom?
How did the narrator's father react to her birth in contrast to the general Pashtun custom?
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What was the reaction of the community to the narrator's birth?
What was the reaction of the community to the narrator's birth?
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What is the traditional role of daughters in Pashtun culture?
What is the traditional role of daughters in Pashtun culture?
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How did the narrator's father's cousin, Jehan Sher Khan Yousafzai, react to the narrator's birth?
How did the narrator's father's cousin, Jehan Sher Khan Yousafzai, react to the narrator's birth?
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Study Notes
The Narrator's Birth
- The narrator's birth at dawn is significant in Pashtun tradition, as it is believed to be a blessed time.
- The narrator's father's cousin, Jehan Sher Khan Yousafzai, was disappointed by the birth of a girl, as is traditional in Pashtun culture.
- In Pashtun culture, the birth of a daughter is traditionally met with disappointment, as boys are preferred for their ability to support families financially.
- The narrator's birth was different from their parents' first child, as it was a girl, whereas the first child was a boy.
- The narrator's father, Ziauddin, is different from most Pashtun men in that he valued his daughter's birth and encouraged her education.
- In Pashtun tradition, a dawn birth is considered a good omen, signifying that the child will be blessed with good fortune.
- Unlike traditional Pashtun men, the narrator's father was overjoyed by her birth, which went against the cultural norm.
- The community's reaction to the narrator's birth was one of disappointment, which contrasted with the narrator's father's reaction.
- In Pashtun culture, daughters are traditionally seen as a financial burden on families, and are often expected to prioritize domestic duties over education.
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Description
Khaled Hosseini's 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' Quiz: Test your knowledge of the novel's opening and the birth of a daughter in a Pashtun village. See how much you remember from this poignant and powerful story set in Afghanistan.
