Chapter Four

I hope that the position of being a jailer in Kabul is not hardening the once soft Atiq. He seems to be angry and tense to everyone around him. I also want Atiq to be more loving toward his wife because he gets annoyed with everything that she does. He even stalls to go home because he does not want to see his wife, especially in the shape she is in and the messy house. Even when he goes home and the house is clean, he still has a huge temper. I feel bad for Musarrat because when she tries to talk to Atiq he doesnt listen. It seems as though the men in Kabul are more lost then the women. I now feel bad for Mohsen because Zunaira is mad and avoiding him because of his actions. Sure, stoning the woman was wrong, but i think that Zunaira should try and be there for her husband in this confusing time.

In the begining when the veteran was telling his story, it seemed kind of strange to me that mujahideen do not stink whenever they die. Why is that? Were the men in Tamreez's group not true mujahideen, Is that why they stunk?

Chapter 3

Wow, Mohsen Ramat is crazy. He loves his wife and respects her. That is a lot different from what the usual islamic people do. I wonder if he is islamic or if he is christian? I cant believe that he helped stone the woman in the square. That is so wierd because his wife said it was not his ways. If i were the wife i would be scared of Mohsen, even if i loved the guy. He even told her that he felt good when he threw the rocks at her and he cheered for blood. Is the want for blood in Kabul contagious?

Chapter 2

Atiq Shaukat is obviously sick of his life. He doesnt like his job at the prison and he doesnt like going home to his dying wife who doctors have given up on. He must have a lot of pressure on him and is out of it because he almost got hit by a truck. After that, Atiq sees and talks with one of his old friends. His name is Mirza Shah. They have tea and talk about Atiq's wife and how she is sick. Mirza tells Atiq to divorce his wife, telling him that women are worthless when they are not serving men. The way Mirza talked about women was kind of apauling, but i guess that is the culture. Their talk is ended with awkwardness as they realize that they shouldnt be talking about this in front of a store by a street.

Vocabulary

Fatihah - the first or opening sura of the Quran which is the central prayer of Islam and is used on all special occasions as well as during the five daily prayers





Burqas - n. A loose, usually black or light blue robe that is worn by Muslim women, especially in Afghanistan, and that covers the body from head to toe.





Taliban - a Muslim fundamentalist group in Afghanistan.





Mullah - a title of respect for a person who is learned in, teaches, or expounds the sacred law.





Muezzin - the crier who, from a minaret or other high part of a mosque, at stated hours five times daily, intones aloud the call summoning Muslims to prayer.





Qur'an - The sacred text of Islam, considered by Muslims to contain the revelations of God to Muhammad





Mujahideen - Muslim guerrilla fighters





qazi - a judge ruling i accordance with Islamic religious law

The Swallows of Kabul: Chapter 1

In this chapter, it is shown how the people of kabul react with death. A woman is stoned to death because she is a prostitute. If that were the case in america, there would be a lot less people. I was surprised to see that the people of kabul are excited to kill this woman who has really not done much wrong, but i guess that customs and traditions are different all over the world. Also, I am wondering who these militia men are and if they have anything to do with these public executions. Since it is the begining of the book, i am a bit confused about everything that is happening. Atiq Shaukat seems as though he is the prison keeper, Mohsen Ramat is a person living in Kabul, who disagrees with these killings, and Quassim Abdul Jabbar is the transporter of the prisoner. It made me laugh when I read Abdul Jabbar because he is a basketball player, but i realized that is not who they are talking about here. I cant help but feel bad for the woman because i do not think she deserved to die that way.