• Jalil Khan

Age:

• Not known

Physical description:

• Jalil is a rich man with a different business, like a cinema from a poor society in Herat, Afghanistan.

• He is respected by society and considered a charismatic and friendly guy.

• Comes from a rich society compared with the society he lives in.

  
  

• He doesn't have a good relationship with her daughter Mariam and her mother Nana, who he does not consider too much as part of the family.

Cultural and Social Context:

• In Afghanistan, according to the Taliban law, all women who are 15 should finish their school studies and become children to become women.

• So Mariam it's already 15 and Jalil told her to get married and she did but this process of switching as a child to a married adult has impacted a lot in Miriams daily life.

• Respected by everyone: As a successful businessman in Herat, he owns a cinema and other enterprises, enjoying a high social status for himself and his family.

  
  

• Polite and Charismatic: He speaks gently and behaves courteously, which makes him appear kind and respectable to everyone.

Weaknesses:

• Doesn't treat his family well: While he shows Mariam affection during his visits, he ultimately treats her as an outsider, keeping her separate from his "real" family, although she is his real daughter.

  
  

• Controlled by his family: He allows social pressure and his wives' influence to dictate his actions, prioritizing his image over his daughter’s well-being.

• Jalil presents himself as a loving and caring father to Mariam, visiting her and bringing her small gifts. He t makes her feel special, creating an idealized image of him in Mariam´s mind. However, his affection for Miriam is conditional, since he keeps her at a distance and does not integrate her into his real family. When Mariam visits his house in Herat, he refuses to see her, showing his fear of being exposed to another family in public. This deeply hurts Mariam and breaks her perception of him.

Relationship with Nana:

• Nana, who was once his housemaid, was separated from the family after becoming pregnant with Mariam. She resents Jalil for abandoning her and forcing her to live in isolation in a small kolba. She warns Mariam that Jalil is not the kind man she believes him to be. Jalil, on the other hand, tries to appear different to Nana, but his actions such as leaving her and Mariam in a remote kolba reflect his selfishness for his struggles.

Relationship with Rasheem:

• Jalil does not have a direct relationship with Rasheed, but he plays a crucial role in arranging Mariam’s marriage to him. Jalil agrees to marry her off to Rasheed, a much older man from Kabul. This decision changes drastically Mariam's childhood to one of marriage and adulthood.

• Jalil refuses to acknowledge Mariam and her mother, Nana, forcing them to live in a kolba outside the city. Though he visits Mariam weekly, pretending to be a loving father, he never integrates her into his real family. When Mariam comes to his house in Herat, he avoids her, revealing his dark side. Ultimately, under pressure from his wives, he arranges her marriage to Rasheed, without his daughter's consent.

Character Growth:

• At first, Jalil seems affectionate and respected, making Mariam think good about him. However, later in the store, he is exposed as a coward who prioritizes reputation over his daughter. Pressured by his wives and fearing judgment, he abandons Mariam and Nana arranges his marriage, revealing his weakness and selfishness.

• Jalil’s character highlights themes of false love, as his affection for Mariam is overshadowed by his refusal to fully accept her as family. His fear of judgment leads him to prioritize reputation over family, and his treatment of Mariam reflects oppression, as she is kept isolated and forced into marriage, making a completely uncomfortable situation not only for his undercover family but also the ones who he lives with.

Symbolism:

• Jalil is symbolized by his cinema, representing his public success and private failings undercover. The kolba symbolizes Mariam’s isolation and rejection, while Jalil´s House reflects his emotional distance from his daughter.

The message Jalil sends is one of the consequences of not thinking before acting and his fear of being judged. His inability to stand up for Mariam and his obsession with reputation demonstrate how societal pressures can destroy relationships and lead to profound emotional pain. Jalil’s character warns of the dangers of denying personal responsibility in favor of public image.