Question 1o asks about the difference between being "protective" and being "possessive" as demonstrated in A Thousand Splendid Suns.
When I think of comparison between those words, I find that "protective" has a gentler connotation. I think of a mother bird, using a protective wing to shelter her young from a rainstorm. All parents look after their children, and do their best to guide them though life. The word "possessive" always has an aspect of control involved. Like an army general, he controls all of his troops and regiments every drill, every meal and every hour of their scheduled day. Possessive suggests ownership.
During the early months of Laila and Rasheed's marriage, Rasheed is actually civil to his wife. The fighting intensifies and Laila's husband assures her "You're safe with me, my flower, my gul. Anyone tries to harm you, I'll rip out their liver and make them eat it" So maybe he is a little more than rough around the edges, but here Rasheed demonstrates a little bit of protective behavior towards Laila. Most of the time, Rasheed expresses and possessive attitude towards his wives. He owns them, and he makes it known. Rasheed and his strict rules forbid Laila from traveling anywhere, she misses being free under the open skies of her childhood. Once while Laila is washing one of Rasheed's undershirts, she sees herself in the reflection of the soapy water. "She felt lost then, casting about, like a shipewreck survivor, no shore in sight, only miles and miles of water."
