The Pearl That Broke Its Shell

Shekiba is Rahima’s great-great grandmother and the co-protagonist of the novel. She grew up in a tiny village, far from Kabul, Afghanistan. At the age of two, a pot of hot oil fell on her face, permanently deforming her. Because of this, she is often referred to as a monster and treated as less than human. When her mother, father, and siblings die, Shekiba takes on the masculine roles required of farming. Shekiba is constantly pulled between the poles of masculinity and femininity. Though she is naïve due to her upbringing, her self-preservation instincts are sharp.

Shekiba, whose name means “gift,” is gifted three times: first, from her grandmother, Bobo Shahgul to Azizullah; second, from Azizullah to King Habibullah; and third, from Habibullah to Aasif. Through the course of these events, her name takes on a bitter connotation. She feels no stability in her life and comes to realize that only a woman who has sons can expect security. During her time in the king’s harem, she foolishly believes she can attract the attention of Prince Amanullah.

Shekiba takes on the role of a male harem guard for King Habibullah and is given the name Shekib during this period. She befriends the other harem guards, including Ghafoor, and learns about maternity and womanhood from the women of the harem. When Benafsha, the king’s favored concubine, is caught committing adultery, Ghafoor betrays Shekiba. She is sentenced to stoning alongside Benafsha, but her sentence is reduced to receiving 100 lashes. Part of her punishment is to be married off.

Shekiba marries Agha Aasif Baraan, the man who was Benafsha’s secret lover. Shekiba is Aasif’s second wife but is the first wife to bear him a son. This causes a rift between Shekiba and Gulnaz, Aasif’s first wife. Though the two were initially cordial, their relationship sours. Shekiba becomes paranoid about the well-being of her son, Shah, who now represents stability.

After witnessing an historical speech by King Amanullah, Shekiba prays for stability and security for the future generations of her family. Her story is passed on by Khala Shaima to Rahima and her sisters. Rahima inherits Shekiba’s life story and uses it as an inspiration: It helps Rahima through the difficulties of her life and reminds her that she is the descendant of someone of consequence. 

Khala Shaima is Raisa’s elder sister. She was born with a crooked spine, so her parents were never able to marry her off. Khala Shaima has a hunchback and a raised shoulder. She is very close with Raisa, so the girls are used to her alarming appearance. Because of her deformity, Khala Shaima gave up on her appearance and focused on taking care of her family. She dotes on her nieces. Khala Shaima is fond of using old Afghan proverbs in conversation.

Throughout their lives, Khala Shaima tells her nieces about the story of their great-great-grandmother, Shekiba. Khala Shaima uses Shekiba to convince Raisa to allow Rahima to live as a bacha posh for several years. Khala Shaima is an outspoken advocate for her nieces and is the only supportive figure in Rohila and Sitara’s lives after Raisa becomes an opium addict.

Khala Shaima continues to visit with Parwin and Rahima after they are married off. This represents the only regular contact Rahima has with anyone in her family. Through these visits, Khala Shaima continues telling Shekiba’s story in order to inspire Rahima to be strong. Khala Shaima reminds Rahima that she should feel proud to be one of Shekiba’s descendants. This story connects Rahima and Khala Shaima for many years. When Rahima at last escapes from Abdul Khaliq, she is able to send a letter to Khala Shaima, written in coded language that only her aunt would understand. Rahima signs it “Bibi Shekiba.” Khala Shaima dies shortly after receiving this letter. She is holding it close when her sister finds her body.

Abdul Khaliq is an Afghan warlord whose efforts helped drive back the Taliban. He has contacts with Americans and, after the Taliban is driven out, he uses his forces to defend an oil pipeline for an American company. Arif fights for him, and he arranges a marriage between Abdul Khaliq and his daughter, Rahima. Abdul Khaliq is a rough man, middle aged, with graying hair and beard. He has three wives prior to wedding Rahima. He takes an interest in Rahima when she is a bacha posh, but when they are wed, this becomes a source of shame. Any reminder of her time as a bacha posh arouses his anger. When Jahangir is born, Abdul Khaliq immediately favors him over his other children. This elevates Rahima’s esteem somewhat, but it does not completely bring them together. Abdul Khaliq reluctantly allows Rahima to go to Kabul with Badriya as an assistant but beats her when she asks if she can take her son.

Abdul Khaliq uses Badriya to increase his political control. Though she was legitimately elected, Abdul Khaliq controls her votes through a proxy in parliament. Khala Shaima reminds Rahima that Abdul Khaliq grew rich and powerful on the blood of their own people. He will stop at nothing to increase his power. Though he is outwardly religious, he is a violent man. As his dissatisfaction with Rahima increases, he starts thinking of taking another wife. Because Islamic precedent allows a man to have four wives, this jeopardizes Rahima’s position. Jahangir’s death brings Abdul Khaliq and Rahima closer and postpones his plans of getting rid of her. Abdul Khaliq mourns for his son for the customary 40 days before returning to his cruel ways, venting his grief on Rahima. When his guards tell him that Rahima has been sneaking away in Kabul, his rage and the potential violence that it promises spurs Rahima to run away. 

One of Rahima’s older sisters, Shahla is the voice of reason among her siblings. She acts mature, and her “strengths were her intuition and her intelligence” (12). Shahla is respectable, and this makes her mother proud. When Arif arranges his daughters’ marriage, Shahla blames Rahima for angering him and exciting him into action. She is married off to Abdul Sharif, a relative of Abdul Khaliq. Unlike her sisters, Shahla seems to have a kind husband and mother-in-law. When Rahima reconnects with her after five years, she has two children, Shoib, a little boy, and Parwin, an infant girl. She named her daughter before her sister Parwin’s suicide. Shahla is able to thrive as a mother and a woman, despite being separated from her family.

Gulalai is Abdul Khaliq’s mother and Rahima’s mother-in-law. Embittered by memories of her own spiteful and cruel mother-in-law, Gulalai is the tyrannical matriarch of Abdul Khaliq’s household. She is egotistical and excessively hard on Rahima, whom she believes is unequal to the task of being a wife due to her years as a bacha posh. She is critical of everything Rahima does and believes it was a mistake for her son to marry her.

When Jahangir falls ill and Rahima is in Kabul with Badriya, Gulalai takes it upon herself to attempt to cure the young boy. Due to her excessive pride, she prevents Abdul Khaliq from taking Jahangir to the hospital: She believes that her home remedies can cure anything. When Jahangir dies, she blames Rahima for not being there for him as a mother should. Gulalai is intrusive in Rahima’s emotional life. When Shahla visits, she attempts to humiliate Rahima. When the traditional 40 days of mourning are over for Jahangir, she reminds Rahima that she has chores to do. Ironically, Gulalai and Rahima have something in common: hatred for an intolerable mother-in-law. Gulalai’s mother-in-law treated her how Gulalai treats Rahima. Though the mother-in-law is long dead, Gulalai still holds a grudge toward her and will not even pray for her soul.

Initially called Agha Baraan, Aasif is a friend of Prince Amanullah and is later Shekiba’s husband. Aasif knew Benafsha before she was taken to the king’s harem. The two were in love, but becoming a concubine makes her off limits. Despite this, they carry on a secret affair. Shekiba sees him sneaking out of the harem from a distance. Eventually they slip up: Aasif leaves his hat in her room. Benafsha is stoned to death, but she does not reveal Aasif as her fellow adulterer. She protects Aasif with her life and convinces him to marry Shekiba to spare hers.

Aasif is initially a kind man, but his attitude becomes bitter and angry because of his want of a son. Shekiba is his second wife. His first wife, Gulnaz, gives him a daughter, Shabnam. While Aasif loves his daughter in secret, he is publicly disdainful. Shekiba eventually gives birth to Shah; Aasif’s attitude changes completely. Aasif is dangerously critical of King Habibullah. This once led to him and Gulnaz being exiled to the countryside. Despite this, his closeness with Amanullah pays off. When his friend becomes king, Aasif is made a counselor. He and his family profit greatly from this relationship.

Another of Rahima’s older sisters, Parwin is beautiful but lacks social skills. Her eyes are “a hazel-gray blend that made you forget what it was that you were going to say” (12). She is also incredibly artistic and “could sketch a masterpiece in minutes” (12). Parwin was born with a bad hip and walks with a limp. Despite Raisa and Khala Shaima’s worries that Parwin will never marry, she is wed to Abdul Haidar. After quietly suffering her husband’s abuse for two years, Parwin has enough. She douses herself in cooking oil and sets herself on fire. Despite her quiet nature, her suicide is an act of rebellion. Rahima reflects, “In some ways, I think she was the bravest of all. She, my meek and timid sister, was the one who acted in the end” (187). 

Raisa is the mother of Rahima, Shalala, Parwin, Rohila, and Sitara, and the long-suffering wife of Arif. Raisa married Arif in an arranged marriage at a young age. Throughout Rahima’s childhood, Raisa tries her best to hide Arif’s drug abuse from her daughters, calling the opium he smokes his “medicine.” Raisa spends much of her life trying not to anger her husband. Because Arif is frequently absent, Raisa essentially raises the girls alone, with occasional help from Khala Shaima, her older sister.

Khala Shaima constantly challenges Raisa to be a better mother and a stronger woman. However, there is a limit to what Raisa can do in a society where women are completely controlled by men. If she does not comply with Arif’s wishes, she is subject to violence: He beats her several times. When Arif arranges Rahima, Shalala, and Parwin’s marriages, she is unable to dissuade him. Raisa never properly prepares her girls for marriage.

After her three older daughters’ departure, Raisa sees Rahima only once. Due to grief or guilt, she begins to partake in the excess of opium given to Arif by Abdul Khaliq. Her health declines, as does her ability or want to take care of Rohila. She descends into drug addiction, leaving her youngest daughters to fend for themselves. She does not even attend the funeral of her grandson, Jahangir. Khala Shaima attempts to chide her into becoming a better mother, but she is not successful.

Rahima’s father, Arif, referred to as “Padar-jan” by his daughters, is a failed engineer and a drug addict. He works for the warlord, Abdul Khaliq, and is frequently away on military missions. To cope with his life, he smokes opium. He is a negligent and abusive father and husband. Arif, like many men in his society, is overly concerned with traditionalism and propriety. He is ashamed that he has no sons and vents this frustration on Raisa. He shows affection to Rahima only when she becomes a bacha posh. When Arif becomes fed up with having five daughters, he decides to marry Shahla, Parwin, and Rahima into Abdul Khaliq’s family. In return, he receives a significant amount of money and a steady supply of opium. Abdul Khaliq becomes frustrated with Arif when he does not attend Jahangir’s funeral. 

Formerly a guard of King Habibullah’s harem, like Ghafoor and Shekib, Benafsha’s inherent, feminine beauty caught the eye of King Habibullah. She transitioned from harem guard to the king’s favorite concubine. Benafsha came from a poor family. In her village, she met Agha Aasif Baraan. The two fell in love, but Aasif’s parents would not let him marry someone of a lower social position. Benafsha and Aasif maintained a secret, dangerous affair, even after Aasif married Gulnaz and Benafsha was made a concubine.

When Aasif’s hat and a rose petal (noticed only by Shekiba) are discovered in Benafsha’s room, Benafsha and Shekib are taken to the dungeon. While Shekib gets away with 100 lashes, Benafsha is stoned to death. It is a gruesome ceremony, and Benafsha suffers greatly. Benafsha exhibits extreme loyalty toward Aasif, something Shekiba does not understand. Benafsha responds by reciting a poem expressing the need for freedom and escape. For Benafsha, that escape came in the expression of love, even if it was illicit. It is worth it to her to carry on the affair, even though it costs her life. She does not expose Aasif. 

Matriarch of the Bardari family, Bobo Shahgul is Shekiba’s cruel and tyrannical grandmother. She treats Shekiba like a slave and blames her for hiding Ismail’s death from the rest of the family. This shows her hypocrisy: She never once checked up on her son until the family needed his land. She gives Shekiba to Azizullah to pay off her family’s debt to the businessman. Shekiba curses her when she leaves. Bobo Shahgul dies several years later, when Shekiba is married to Aasif. 

When Shekiba’s family grows tired of her, Bobo Shahgul arranges for her to be taken into Azizullah’s house as a servant in order to pay off the family’s debt. Azizullah is a businessman in Shekiba’s town. He is highly respected; his brother, Hafizullah, has connections to King Habibullah. Azizullah, like many men in the novel, values tradition and propriety over all else. Azizullah treats Shekiba brutally, beating her severely when she embarrasses him. He gives Shekiba to the king to be rid of her. 

Marjan is Azizullah’s wife. Though she treats Shekiba kindly at first, she grows suspicious of her after speaking with Shekiba’s aunt, Zarmina. She warns Shekiba against pursuing the matter of her father’s will. Marjan eventually convinces her husband to get rid of Shekiba.

Azizullah’s brother, Hafizullah is a regional authority and a friend of King Habibullah. Hafizullah strategically positioned himself to enter the good graces of the monarchy in the hopes of becoming a hakim, an appointed judge. 

Ghafoor is the leader of the women-men who guard King Habibullah’s harem. Ghafoor is the “leader of the group, not only because she was tallest and loudest, but because she had been in the palace longer than the others” (150). Ghafoor takes pride in her job. Her former name was Guljaan. She was exchanged to the king for a cow; however, she soon found that life in the palace is easier than life with her family. When a mysterious male intruder begins sneaking into the harem at night, Ghafoor puts the guards on high alert. When Fatima falls ill and needs to use Benafsha’s bed, a man’s hat is found in Benafsha’s room. Ghafoor betrays Shekib, telling the king’s guards that Shekib was a witting accomplice to Benafsha’s adultery. Were it not for Agha Baraan, Ghafoor’s betrayal would have meant Shekib would be stoned to death as well. Instead, Shekib receives 100 lashes. When they part ways for the final time, Shekiba curses Ghafoor. 

Badriya is Abdul Khaliq’s first wife and is the most respected among the four. She is not pretty—she is squat and heavy, with moles on her mouth. She resents that her husband married Rahima. She has five children with Abdul Khaliq, and her children are favored by Gulalai. As the first wife, Badriya has privileges and responsibilities that exceed the others. Abdul Khaliq frequently confers with Badriya; she is the only wife that is privy to his plans, and she lords it over the other wives.

As more women are added to the Afghan Parliament, Abdul Khaliq and his advisors hatch a plan to use one of his wives to shore up Abdul Khaliq’s power in the government. He would be unlikely to win in his district, but a woman would be guaranteed to succeed. He reluctantly selects Badriya, who begins to serve as a parliamentarian. Badriya is illiterate; Rahima uses this as an opportunity to go to Kabul as Badriya’s assistant. Though Badriya acts haughty, she relies on Rahima’s assistance.

Rahima is disappointed to learn that Badriya does not vote for herself; rather, she follows the voting patterns of one of Abdul Khaliq’s accomplices in parliament. She is merely executing her husband’s will, meaning that her position in parliament is that of Abdul Khaliq’s proxy or puppet. This disappoints Hamida and Sufia, who are more independent female members of parliament. Badriya unwittingly becomes the agent of Rahima’s escape: Because she takes her to Kabul, Rahima can formulate an escape plan with Hamida and Sufia. 

Jameela is Abdul Khaliq’s second wife. Unlike the others, she is kind and compassionate toward Rahima. She does her best to make Rahima feel at home in the compound. When Shahla visits, Jameela ensures that she and Rahima have a chance to catch up. When Jahangir is born, Jameela helps introduce Rahima to motherhood. She serves as a second mother to Jahangir, taking care of him while Rahima is away in Kabul. She grieves deeply with Rahima when Jahangir dies and does her best to console her. 

Shanaz is Abdul Khaliq’s third wife. Rahima must share her house in Abdul Khaliq’s compound; this excites Shanaz’s ire. Shanaz is quick to betray Rahima for her own benefit. She is a jealous and petty woman, rarely friendly to Rahima.