Rather than being excited about making the pilgrimage and being "cleansed" of his sins, Mansur's happiness seems to be due to the absence of his family. For the first time in his life he is on his own. This is the first day in his life that he hasn't seen a member of his family. The independence and the knowledge of life outside of Kabul is thrilling for him.
2. Why is Sultan's family's treatment of Leila ironic?
Sultan's sons, Eqbal and Mansur treat Leila very badly, often taunting her by telling her she doesn't belong in the household. They also call her names and blame her if anything goes wrong at home. This is ironic because Leila almost single-handedly keeps the home running. She wakes up early to prepare breakfast for everyone and then proceeds to spend her day cleaning until it is time to make the next meal. The family takes advantage of her and don't appreciate what she does for them.
3. Why doesn't Leila like Sonya, Sultan's second wife?
Leila resents the fact that Sonya doesn't help with housework, that she only spends her day taking care of her child. Leila is also upset that Sonya was given the chance to be educated, but was too "stupid." Despite her animosity towards Sonya, Leila recognizes that it's not entirely Sonya's fault. Sultan doesn't allow Sonya to help with housework and that being a wife at 16 is not an easy task, especially being Sultan's wife.
4. How does Fazil's story guide Leila's actions?
Leila considers what happened to Fazil a possible future for her. Fazil was a hard worker and very useful to the family and only needed food and shelter in return. This is very similar to Leila. She performs her duties very well and makes the lives of the others in the household easier. She is scared that like Fazil, Sultan will one day send her away on a whim, despite her hard work. This causes her to go to the school to try and find a job teaching English at a school to try and secure her future.
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