Exploring Afghani Culture Through Literature

Abstract

This lesson explores how literature written by an Afghani author offers insight into Afghani culture leading up to 9/11. Students should be familiar with the effects of the Middle Eastern colonial experience—and the subsequent challenges of the postcolonial era. They should consider religious, generational, and cultural conflicts, effects of modernization, political struggle, and other themes common to many literary works. In order to enrich their understanding, students should investigate the historical background for the selected works. The set of questions below applies to both books, although each books highlights unique facets of Afghani life (i.e. A Thousand Splendid Suns specifically explores the role of women; The Kite Runner studies socioeconomic issues). The books, then, can either serve as an in-depth author study and be read in sequence, or serve as stand-alone units. Most of the questions are taken from the Core Curriculum Maps so to ensure relevance in your classroom