The Swallows of Kabul 

~Blog Post #1~

Topic C

April 23,2015

By: Megan Teehan

          Atiq and Musarrat’s relationship seems to be dictated by many conflicts. Some of the various conflicts include Musarrat’s sickness and Atiq’s job. These conflicts are escalated when the couple is weighed down by the stress and pressure they experience each day because they live in Kabul. Although Atiq expresses his concerns and feelings about his marriage to Mirza Shah, Atiq does not do much to better his marriage when he is finally home with his wife. In the Middle East, women are viewed as property and subordinate to their husbands. The wives are required to be grateful to their partner for providing for and protecting them. Since this is required of the women, they are obligated to complete tasks like cooking and cleaning for their husbands. Musarrat is suffering from a terrible disease and is very weak. This has taken a toll on their marriage because she is unable to complete the simple tasks, and Atiq isn’t home to take care of her. After twenty years of marriage, Atiq cares for Musarrat and wants her to feel better. Those feelings are frowned upon in the Middle East, and Mirza Shah highly suggests that Atiq, “Kick her out. Divorce her and get a strong, healthy virgin” (28). Atiq is torn because he loves Musarrat and does not want to leave a sick woman on the street with no family to care for her. This internal conflict is revealed when he avoids going home, and when he converses with Musarrat. This illness and conflict has divided the couple to the point where they no longer talk with each other.  The environment in which they live create social pressures that define their marriage.