With deep eco-feminism as its theoretical support, this thesis intends to analyze the tragedy and resistance of women and nature and explores the special interconnections between women and nature in order to interpret Hosseini’s eco-feminist consciousness embodied in A Thousand Splendid Suns。 Moreover, this thesis expounds Khaled Hosseini’s eco-feminist ideology on the harmonious relationships among men, women and nature。 In this way, by exploring Hosseini’s eco-feminist consciousness in A Thousand Splendid Suns, this thesis help readers more deeply understand the novel。

2。 Literature Review

Since the publication of the book, there have been various researches on A Thousand Splendid Suns with different theories。 Many experts and scholars have studied it from different perspectives。 Shang Biwu explored the book with appraisal theory。 He attempted to clarify two heroines’ behaviors, personalities and emotions by analyzing the vocabularies in the book。 (Shang 4) Zhang Ling expounded background, theme and characters of the novel from the perspective of new historicism。 She explored Afghanistan’s war-scarred history from a totally new perspective。 (Zhang 42) Leng Tingjuan analyzed the book from the perspective of hermeneutics, reflecting four steps of translation: trust, aggression, import and compensation。 (Leng 46) Yin Caiping analyzed the novel with the theory of eco-criticism, expounding natural ecology, social ecology and mental ecology。 (Yin 76) Fu Jingjing studied particular narrative techniques in A Thousand Splendid Suns from the narratology angle。 She analyzed practical functions of the narrative techniques in the book。 (Fu 74) Bo Yufeng explored the book from the perspective of postmodern feminism, aiming at criticizing the values and ideologies of patriarchy。 (Bo 76)

 In order to show Khaled Hosseini’s eco-feminist consciousness, this paper analyzes women and nature’s tragedy caused by men and wars in the patriarchy society, expounds the revenges from women and nature and explores the relationships between humans and nature in the book A Thousand Splendid Suns。 The author attempts to emphasize the significance of harmonious relationships among men, women and nature。 Moreover, what makes this research different is that the author focuses on exploring the interconnections between women and nature from two aspects: the similarities of women and nature and the harmonious relationship between women and nature。 In this way, thesis provides a unique approach to the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns and subsequently adds a case study to ecological feminist theories and practice。

3。 The Oppression of Patriarchy

3。 1 The tragedy of Mariam and Laila

In the book Woman and Nature: The Roaring Inside Her, the author Susan Griffin talks about how men regard and make use of women first in the book。 It is said that “frailty, thy name is woman。 The minds of women are defective。 The fibers of the brain are weak。 That because women menstruate regularly the supply of blood to the brain is weakened。” (Griffin 9) In men’s eyes, women are puny。 In addition, Susan Griffin mentions: “the word woman is always used to signify the sensual desire。 Men get turned on in the presence of attractive woman, whose face is a burning wind, whose voice is a hissing serpent。 They need to see that in order to feel stimulated。 And women exist solely for the propagation of the race。” (Griffin 3) Men regard women as tools for sex and reproduction。 Thus it can be seen the miserable fate of women under the oppression of patriarchy。文献综述

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, both heroines suffer from the oppression of patriarchy。 When Mariam is 15 years old, she is forced to marry Rasheed, a shoemaker who is over 20 years older than her。 Mariam is trapped in this loveless and miserable marriage through an arrangement with Jalil, her father, a wealthy man who is afraid of being encumbered by his own daughter。 He takes Mariam as a shield。 At that time of Afghanistan, patriarchy is supreme。 Women are usually regarded as accessories of men。 The author’s disgust for patriarchy is apparent in the beginning of the novel。 Mariam is pushed to an unfortunate life path by patriarchy。 After wedding, Mariam is forced to wear the all-enveloping burqa when she is out and stop connections with others。 She completely becomes Rasheed’s slave。 After loss of fertility, Mariam loses her final value in Rasheed’s mind。 A lot of times he returns home until midnight。 He eats, smokes and sleeps as usual, but he hardly talks anymore。 Mariam is tormented with emotional abuse from her husband。