Imagery of a War Zone

Hosseini is describing the lives of civilians in a war zone through his imagery by describing not the war itself, but the war's lasting effects on Kabul. The dust that coats the city and the battered windows shows how much the city has already endured. He shows the war through the eyes of Laila and Mariam. They do not see the battle, but they hear the gunshots and experience the bombing. He paints an image of civilian life during wartime.