Melissa Stalowski: Summarizer 11/24/2010

At the beginning of this section of The Bookseller of Kabul, Shakila and her sisters are shopping in the markets of Kabul out of preparation for her upcoming wedding. The author describes the traditional burkas that are worn by Afghan women and encourages the readers to examine the strict rules placed on women. Shakila and her sisters continue the preparation for her wedding. Shakila's wedding takes place in the section titled "A third-rate wedding", implying right away that the marriage and wedding might be a negative experience as opposed to a positive and romantic life event. The wedding between Shakila and Wakil takes place and is a long process that seems more depressing than joyful. The author describes the bride as a doll and as property of the groom stating that Shakila's destiny is "nailed" to the house of her in-laws. In the section titled "The Matriarch", Bibi Gul reflects upon her life as a mother and wife. Again, the author makes the lack of opportunity for women a focal point of the chapter through the description of Bibi Gul's life. She portrays Bibi Gul as a pathetic woman who has only lived her life raising children and serving her husband. For her life to be considered successful, she will have raised her children and married them all off.