Afghan Culture Unveiled: A Cultural Analysis of Nadia Hashimi’s The Pearl that Broke its Shell

Abstract

Culture is the social behaviour, ideas, customs of a particular people or society.  Every country has a unique culture according to their norms. Afghanistan is multicultural and multiethnic. Nadia Hashimi puts forth the culture of Afghanistan in her writings.  The paper discusses many important issues in Afghanistan such as political corruption, child brides, violence against women and gender inequality etc., which are in a way, part of their culture. The major cultural practice of Afghanistan, Bacha Posh is discussed widely.  The characters in the novel experience trauma due to their society and cultural practices. Despite the atrocities, the unspeakable brutalities, and the hardships endured by Afghans, they do not lose their humility, their grace, their hospitality, or their sense of hope.  Though women like to come up their social stigma, the society pull them back and dig them in the mud.  The paper endeavours to expose the unveiled the Afghan culture and also the status of Afghan women. The Afghan women should be courageous enough to act wise and change their naseeb or destiny.  The paper is carried out based on the Cultural Studies theory.