Laws of the Pashtunwali

The laws of the Pashtunwali and the importance the people put in following them is an important theme in this novel. One of the laws of the people that is of great importance is the requirement that a person should get badal, or revenge, for an evil done to him. In many instances, the American and Afghanistan military leaders use this law to manipulate Afghan boys and get them into military service. Another law of the Pashtunwali that is of importance in the novel is the idea of hospitality, or melmastia. The Afghans believed guests should be treated with hospitality and that guests should respect their hosts.

Even when he was just a small boy Aziz’s father taught him the importance of badal. A boy had busted Aziz’s lip so his father took him to the boy’s house asking for...