Essay On A Thousand Splendid Suns

Suffering In A Thousand Splendid Suns
In the New York Times bestselling novel "A Thousand Splendid Suns" The actions that Rasheed,
Mariam, and Laila make have been impacted on decisions of the past. Those three characters are
known for their troubled previous experiences and what they have to go through due to their history.
All of them have had some form of heartbreaking and terrible loss in their life that influenced their
future.
First and foremost, Rasheed is recognized as the bad guy, the abuser and the stereotypical Muslim
man. Rasheed is by far the most "troubled" individual in this story. The loss of his wife and son
may account for the anger Rasheed has been filled with. "He too has a great loss in his life. His
wife, we hear died during childbirth ten years ago. And...show more content...
Laila could never connect with her mom because she was busy with her brothers at all hours of
the day, "She would never leave her mark on Mammy's heart the way her brothers had" (144). But
when her brothers died she lost her mom completely, "Laila had watched Mammy come undone
that day and it had scared her, but she hadn't felt any true sorrow" (210). When Laila lost Tariq she
finally understood how her mother felt, "She hadn't understood the awfulness of her mother's
loss... Laila remembered how Mammy had dropped to the ground, how she'd screamed, torn at
her hair. But Laila couldn't even manage that. She could hardly move. She could hardly move a
muscle" (210). Laila had lost family before, and found a way to get through it. But losing Tariq,
she wasn't sure she would ever get past that! As a result to losing her brothers, parents and the
love of her life she eventually became numb, she decided to devote her time to Aziza as well as
Mariam. She fell completely in love with her daughter, "Laila marveled at aria's grace, Aziza vast
capacity for forgiveness, and her eyes filled. Her heart squeezed, and she was faint with sorrow at
the thought that this afternoon Aziza would not nap beside her" (314). Laila's decision to Aziza
was the best decision she could have made because the connection between Mariam, Laila and Aziza
helped heal all of her pain from
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A Thousand Splendid Suns Essay example
"Joseph shall return to Canaan, grieve not, Hovels shall turn to rose gardens, grieve not. If a flood
should arrive, to drown all that's alive, Noah is your guide in the typhoon's eye, grieve not
(Hosseini 365)." A Thousand Splendid Suns, written by Khaled Hosseini, is a story that is set place
in modern–day Afghanistan. It is one depicting the lives of two particular women who live under the
control of a persecuting husband and the infamous rule of the Taliban. And through these two women
(Laila and Mariam), Hosseini creates a mind–blowing, awe–inspiring adventure of regret, despair,
tragedy, and more importantly, redemption. The book begins with separate perspectives of each
woman, and how they consequently come together in the same...show more content...
Ultimately, Mariam and Laila attempt to escape, but fail, which in turn infuriates Rasheed even
more. These two women then work together and protect each other, and in due course, kill Rasheed
during one of his "ritual" beatings. In the end, Mariam is killed for murdering her husband, and
Laila, with her children, Aziza and Zalmai, finds Tariq and marries him; then, together they start
their own family. Throughout the course of the story, not only was a passionate, well–written story
presented, but also a clear picture of what Afghan culture and its aspects are really like. One
cultural facet of Afghanistan that really stood out was what controlling husbands do to their
"unimportant" wives which Hosseini was quite candid about. Firstly, in one example, Rasheed is
so upset with Mariam's cooking, that he goes out, brings some pebbles in, and forces her to chew
on them until her molars crack (Hosseini 94). This scene shows that husbands were in complete
control in nearly every household, and the wives could not do anything. Secondly, when Laila and
Rasheed are having an argument about what to do with their daughter Aziza (because they have
become poor and it is hard to support all of them as it is), Rasheed becomes extremely infuriated
and puts the barrel of his gun down Laila's throat (Hosseini 267). After reading this, one can easily
infer that in a controlling relationship, especially in Afghanistan, the husband can literally do
whatever

A Thousand Splendid Suns
In part 1 of a Thousand Splendid Suns my impression of the plot and conflict of the book is that it
is very depressing so far the fact her father just has given his daughter as if she means nothing to
him is upsetting in my opinion. Not only she loved her father but she worried every thursday that
he will not come to see her. Mariam practically worships the ground he walks on and it hurts to
see that he can not even defend her against his own wives because of his "image". Mariam has to
be one of the strongest people in this book. The way she handles everything is unbelieveable. She
has a tough life her mother took her own life and her father just given her away to a 45 year old
man that is abusing her because of her inability to have children.

A Thousand Splendid Suns Research Paper
1.Why did you decide to peruse a career in writing full time despite your current successful career
as a physician? 2.Did you base your characters off people you knew when you lived Afghanistan or
in America, if not what inspired their personalities? 3.A Thousand Splendid Suns takes its title from
a poem by a Persian poet Saib–e–Tabrizi, what significance does poem or author have to you or the
book?

A Thousand Splendid Suns Essay
What would you do if all of your rights as an independent, free willed person, were taken away? If
you were left with nothing at all, except being told to follow everything someone tell you to do.
This is how women in other countries are treated. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hoesseini
captures how it feels to live in those circumstances. However, while expressing those circumstances,
he raises the question: Do your circumstances decide who and what you will become? This
question can be answered in many ways, but it is clear in the book, that your past situations of
experience may have an impact on your life, but they, ultimately do not decide who you are. In the
beginning, Mariam is growing up with her mother, never going to school,...show more content...
Laila grew up learning and always being told by her father to never stop exploring. When her
parents die and she marries Rasheed, she is submissive at first, but eventually starts to stand up to
Rasheed. Mariam learns from her, therefor showing that, while she grew up being taught to be
submissive to whatever Rasheed wants, Laila teaches her to stand up for herself and that she is
somebody. Laila's circumstance at first what with marrying Rasheed and having his will imposed
on her, had an affect on her confidence and will. But as it got to be too extreme where nothing she
did ever seemed to please him, she came to a realization. Rasheed was a dictator and neither she nor
Mariam should have to stand for the abuse, both verbal and physical, that Rasheed imposed on them.
"Downstairs, the beating began. To Laila, the sounds she heard were those of a methodical, familiar
proceeding. There was no cursing, no screaming, no pleading, no surprised yelps, only the systematic
beating and being beaten, the thump, thump of something solid repeatedly striking flesh, something,
someone, hitting a wall with a thud, cloth ripping." (Pg. 268,

"To be a good father and mother requires that the parents defer many of their own needs and
desires in favor of the needs of their children. As a consequence of this sacrifice, conscientious
parents develop a nobility of character and learn to put into practice the selfless truths taught by the
Savior Himself" (James E. Faust). Some parents live up to this model of parenting, but many fail to
do so. Khaled Hosseini illustrates this in A Thousand Splendid Suns by showing several examples
of choices and sacrifices made by parents that reveal their heroic and compassionate nature while
other characters fall short of this achievement. The characters Jalil, Laila, and Mariam all made the
decision to sacrifice a valuable part of their life,...show more content...
Part of his regretful letter include him saying that "You were a good daughter, Mariam Jo, and I
cannot ever think of you without feeling shame and regret. Regret . . . When it comes to you,
Mariam Jo, I have oceans of it"(405).
Born as the youngest in her family, Laila grows to become a loving and compassionate parent who is
willing to sacrifice for her children; despite having a negligent and unloving mother. Laila, even
before her first baby was born, made the decision to marry Rasheed and purposefully had sex with
him in order for it to appear like it was his baby. This protects the baby, Aziza, from Afghani
society who would shun her for being birthed out of wedlock, and it also keeps the true father's
identity, Tariq, a secret. This sacrifice is one of many, Laila knows, to come as she thinks "[she]
already saw the sacrifices a mother had to make. Virtue was only the first. She put a hand on her
belly. Closed her eyes"(219). Another sacrifice Laila had to make was putting Aziza in a local
orphanage in Kabul, due to the fact that Rasheed was earning so little money that they no longer
had the ability to keep her healthily fed. She lived and ate there as well as being taught in a
classroom, but in order for Laila to visit Aziza, she sometimes "was caught, questioned,
scolded––two, three, even four times in a single day"(321) by the Taliban in an especially inhumane
fashion. Over the course of their marriage, Laila withstood Rasheed's

Freedom as a State of Mind When elephants are babies, they are small and easy to restrain. So,
trainers will tie them to a post or tree, and at first, they will struggle, some fight against their
restraints for days–yearning for freedom–until, gradually, the elephants give up and become
complacent. Full grown elephants weigh tons and could easily break away from most constraints,
but, despite their massive stature, trained elephants do not fight their trainers or yank against chains,
because they have learned that attempts at escape are futile and they are powerless. Physical
freedom is well within their grasp, but mental freedom is not; a Thousand Splendid Suns, the
Catcher in the Rye, and Song Yet Sung all demonstrate the common theme that...show more content...
From her very first breath she is neglected by Jalil and abused by Nana, and as a child every time
she tries to assert herself she is met with ridicule and failure, which leads to her become,
understandably, cold and pessimistic. For most of her life she was taught that she was worthless
and weak, so she eventually believed it and accepted her life as the doting wife of an abusive man
who made sure to always keep her in her place: far, far below him. But, when Laila arrives her life
is changed forever; Laila reminds her that she is worth something and that there is good in the
world. She, and her children, give Mariam a purpose which in turn gives her strength and with her
newfound strength she is able to take control of her life for the first time by sacrificing herself for
Laila and her children; when she tells Laila to leave without her she says, "For me, it ends here.
There's nothing more I want," (Hosseini 358) and shortly before she is killed she thinks of all the
things she still wishes she could do. But, despite her regrets, she is finally at peace, because her
sacrifice is, "a legitimate end to a life of illegitimate beginnings," (Hosseini 360). Physically, she is
more trapped than ever before, but mentally Mariam is finally

A Thousand Splendid Suns Theme Analysis Lesson
Subject: English Language Arts Grades: 9вЂђ12 Timeframe: Four 45 minute sessions
Student Outreach for Shelters (SOS) Program
Overview
This lesson is designed to deepen students' analysis of the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns. In
addition, this lesson is designed to provide educators with a core novel connection to the shelter
outreach themes of the Khaled Hosseini Foundation SOS program.
Preparation
п‚Ў п‚Ў Review Lesson Plan & novel. Adapt lesson plan as necessary. Prepare students as
necessary: a) this lesson assumes that all students have read A Thousand Splendid Suns, and that
students have clear expectations (e.g. rubrics or...show more content...
What are some literal and figurative meanings of shelter? What are some reasons one might not
have shelter? Can one have a physical shelter and still be exposed? Can one be without a physical
shelter and yet be sheltered? Record student responses on chart or butcher paper, or online in a class
wiki page. Post responses where students can refer to them throughout the lesson sessions. Tell
students that they will work in pairs or in groups to: п‚Ў п‚Ў п‚Ў п‚Ў п‚Ў Find evidence in the text
of the shelter theme Explore its significance Determine its impact on plot & characterization Present
findings to class Provide a written response to an essay prompt about this theme
п‚Ў
Web Resources: п‚Ў п‚Ў UNHCR fact page on Afghanistan: http://www.unhcr.org/pages
/49e486eb6.html CIA Fact book on Afghanistan: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications
/theвЂђworldвЂђ factbook/geos/af.html
п‚Ў
Ethnic Map of Afghanistan: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/asia/af ghanistan
/map_flash.html
п‚Ў п‚Ў п‚Ў
Google maps: http://maps.google.com/ SaibвЂђeвЂђTarizi poem from which novel is titled: http:/
/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Thousand_Splendid_Suns Academy of Achievement speech in 2008–
Hosseini speaks about why he became a writer: (12 min video) http://www.achievement.org/autodoc
/podcasts/artpodвЂђ 4вЂђhosseiniвЂђvid

Introduce Theme Analysis Graphic Organizer. Post one organizer on board or overhead and give
one copy to each student. Complete one or two

Perseverance In A Thousand Splendid Suns
The most integral part of life in Afghanistan is the ability to carry on through difficult times. War in
this country leads to devastation and loss, but they still hold onto hope and keep going. Throughout
the book A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam and Laila have numerous relationships they persevere
through by having the strength to do so. Afghanistan has difficulty and overcomes tough times
stemmed from long years of war. The most common theme in A Thousand Splendid Suns is strength
and perseverance, as shown through the characters' relationships and growth.
Mariam endured many long years living with Nana in their small house in Herat. Nana had a
short–tempered personality and a very negative outlook on life, so she repeatedly verbally abused
...show more content...
All throughout this book, Afghanistan had many switches of power and constant war involving
many countries, including the US and Russia. At the end of the book, as things are calming down,
Laila says to Tariq, "Maybe there will be hope at the other end of this war, maybe for the first time
in a long time." (Hosseni 386). This quote shows the hope that the people of Afghanistan still had to
possess to persevere through the years of war. The war affected thousands of lives in the country, as
the war swept through the different cities. This war of especially affected Laila because it resulted in
the death of her parents. Afghanistan as a whole had to show tremendous strength throughout the
book as they endured through the war. Perseverance is most prominently shown through all citizens
during the country's war.
Much like the country of Afghanistan, characters in A Thousand Splendid Suns carry on through
tough times and loss. Mariam and Laila persevere through unhealthy relationships with their mothers,
as well as their abusive relationship with Rasheed. Through their character growth throughout the
book, they grow into strong individuals. The war that has greatly damaged their country leads them
to be able to overcome anything in their lives. Through this character growth, strength and
perseverance through tough times proves to be the most prominent and important theme in the

Essay On A Thousand Splendid Suns
In Afghanistan their political system is one sided and irrational in their culture men hold the
power and the women are put in a position where they are denied many rights and freedom. In a
population of 33,739,492 men making up 51,7% at 17,454,304 and women making up 48.3% of
the population at 16,285,191 one might think the power would be broken up a little more evenly.
At a young age girls are taught where the stand in the cast system and what their responsibilities are
of taking care of their husbands and making sure his needs are met. Other responsibilities include;
taking care of the house and reproducing preferably male babies so the family name can be carried
on. In A Thousand Splendid Suns the author Khaled Hosseini writes about the journey of two girls
Mariam and Laila growing up with two contrasting childhoods and in the end coming together and
sharing much of the same pain, heartache and suffering.
Hosseini really magnifies the inequality of men and women in society but also shows the importance
of friendship and women sticking together to overcome the hardship. When Miriam was young her
mother (Nana) would try and warn her about the difference between men and women one quote she
said was...show more content...
This is the case for Mariam and Rasheed. As a wife Mariam now has new responsibilities to
Rasheed one being obedience. Rasheed makes Mariam where a burqa to reinstate that she is for
his eyes only. An example being "Where I come from, one wrong look, one improper word, and
blood is spilled. Where I come from, a woman's face is for her husband's business only" (70).
Another example of how women are subordinate to me is "When a knock came, Mariam knew to
go up stairs to her room and close the door. Rasheed has told Miriam that she was not to come down
until the visitors had left"

Joey F
2/17/13
P.6
A Thousand Splendid Suns Essay "An heirloom–breaking, clumsy little harami" (Hosseini 4), sets
the tone for the beginning of Mariam's life throughout the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns. Many
women are mistreated throughout the novel, but Mariam's childhood is much tougher because she
is a harami, or "bastard child". Mariam tries to find emotional and physical shelter in her lifetime,
but struggles to find it. In the beginning of her life she can't find emotional shelter from her mother,
Nana, so she tries to find shelter from her father, Jalil, but can't find a connection. She then was
forced to marry Rasheed, but can only find physical shelter in him. Later in the novel, she becomes
friends with Laila,...show more content...
...Rasheed raised the belt again and this time came at Mariam. Then an astonishing thing
happened: The girl lunged at him. She grabbed his arm with both hands and tried to drag him
down, but she could do no more than dangle from it. She did succeed in slowing Rasheed's
progress toward Mariam...In the end, Mariam knew that there would be no beating, not that
night." (Hosseini 241) The next day Mariam and Laila have tea together outside in the garden and
become friends, ", a look passed between Laila and Mariam. An unguarded, knowing look. And in
this fleeting, wordless exchange with Mariam, Laila knew that they were not enemies any longer."
(Hosseini 250) They started doing chores together and became good companions. Mariam finally
had someone who she could talk to and Laila gave her some emotional shelter. Laila had a
daughter named Aziza. Aziza always wanted Mariam to hold her, "When Aziza first spotted
Mariam in the morning, her eyes always sprung open, and she began mewling and squirming in her
mother's grip. She thrust her hands toward Mariam, demanding to be held, her tiny hands opening
and closing urgently, on her face a look of both adoration and quivering anxiety. ...As soon as she
was in Mariam's arms, Aziza's thumb shot into her mouth and she buried her face into Mariam's
neck." (Hosseini 252)

Reflection Of A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini takes a solid focus on the lives of two young
women, Mariam and Laila, who grow up in a struggling and turbulent Afghanistan. This book
emulates the lives of those who have actually been affected by the extreme changes of power within
their culture. From the Soviets to the Taliban, these people are caught in a war they cannot win but
must deal with the consequences of. The lives of Mariam and Laila are consumed and silenced by
those with power over them, namely males with traditional values. The book conveys the idea that
even with an immense amount of destruction and terror wrought throughout Afghanistan, underneath
lies a beauty that has been muted but it still provides hope for the future. Firstly, the life of Mariam
portrays the sense of hopelessness and betrayal that runs through the oppressed in Afghanistan.
...show more content...
Yet as she closed her eyes, it was not regret any longer but a sensation of abundant peace that
washed over her. She thought of her entry into this world, the harami child of a lowly villager, an
unintended thing, a pitiable, regrettable accident. A weed. And yet she was leaving the world as a
woman who had loved and been loved back. She was leaving it as a friend, a companion, a
guardian. A mother. (370)
In Mariam's last act of love, she sacrifices everything and takes the blame for murdering Rasheed.
The quote is The fourth and final part of A Thousand Splendid Suns brings a catharsis to the
events the women previously confronted. This end represents the regrowth of Afghanistan after
catastrophe. Laila moves back to Kabul with her children and husband after it becomes safer (). A
Thousand Splendid Suns illustrates that even at the darkest times, beauty will still lie below the
surface as hard as hate tries to suppress it. As dire and as catastrophic as the events of Laila and
Mariam's lives were, they could still find peace and happiness in little

Friedrich Nietzsche once stated, "The world is beautiful but has a disease called man". It can be
inferred that "man" is a clichГ© that defines humans in general; therefore, the quote can be
interpreted as, the world is pure, but humans are otherwise. I agree with Nietzsche, and I believe that
his quote can be reinforced by the morals of A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and the
various stories found in Greek myths. A Thousand Splendid Suns makes common usage of the theme
of struggling and enduring to demonstrate immoral decisions that people have used to hurt others.
Greek myths, however, use metaphors that range from characters and what they embody to gods
who represent different parts of human life. A Thousand Splendid Suns tells...show more content...
These morals represent humanity, though fictional characters are used to teach them. Gods such
as Zeus and Hera represent the impure actions common people do in life, and the demigod
Phaethon embodies irresponsibility and the consequences of illogical decisions. Zeus is the ruler
of the gods, but he is always attempting to court a woman into a relationship against the will of
his wife, Hera. Hera, on the other side, is heartless, which could explain Zeus's infidel behavior,
and she will punish anyone who she has a reason to dislike. In the story of Narcissus and Echo,
Hera punished Echo after she tried to keep her from seeing Zeus as he was courting another
woman. Hera finds out that Echo had lied to her, and as a punishment, she makes Echo always
speak in echoes from then on. Zeus represents men and how temptation will ruin the lives of others.
Hera represents women and how hate will only lead to suffering. Together, they are a metaphor for
every man and woman on Earth. Their mistakes were meant to teach us not to repeat them. In the
story of Phaethon, Phaethon is a son of the sun–god, Apollo. He is taunted into proving that Apollo
is his father. Phaethon then convinces Apollo to reluctantly let him to ride on Apollo's chariot,
which guides the sun during the day. Phaethon, who could not control the giant horses that guide the
chariot,

Review Of ' A Thousand Splendid Suns ' Essay
Synopsis
Of
NTCC Project
On
THE AFTER EFFECTS OF WAR IN KABUL AS BASED ON A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for Award of Degree of
Bachelors of Arts (Hons.) in English
Submitted By: Supervised By: Sahib AlamShaily Dabra Ma'am
SYNOPSIS
The title of the current research is 'the after–effects of war in Kabul' based on the novel–A
THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS. The novel portrays the theme of war and it's after–effects in full
limelight and thus the research topic is very much related to it.
INTRODUCTION
Khaled hosseini is an American novelist who was born and brought up in Afghan . He practiced
medical and was a physician until the success of his first novel 'The Kite Runner'.He talks about
Kabul and it's conditions at the time of war in all his three novels from different perspectives.
The novel A Thousand Splendid suns was published in may 2007 and is also set in
Afhanistan.The novel talks about the story of Mariam and laila, two women who have a gap of a
decade between them but still lives their lives entwined. In part one the author introduces us to
Mariam as a fifteen year old girl and is a 'harami' by birth. Life turns upside down for her when her
mother commits suicide and her father marries her off to forty–five

Imagine a place where women are unable to show their faces, where people may not enter the
streets out of fear for their lives, and the bombings and attacks associated with war hold a constant
presence. This is the scene for the majority of A Thousand Splendid Suns, which examines the lives
of two women as they live through a tumultuous time in Afghanistan. Although the novel shares the
story of each character's childhood, both have major life changes in their teenage years, turning their
lives into everything they had once feared. As the struggle for power in Afghanistan continues, the
two protagonists of the novel continue to struggle and endure through the seemingly endless turmoil.
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini examines...show more content...
In the second part of the novel, the corruption of leadership in Afghanistan steadily intensifies and
uproots the lives of its inhabitants. Laila is one of those affected, now constantly fearing for her
life as bombings maintain a constant presence, and although she continues to survive, she realizes
"the flip side of being spared was the agony of wondering who hadn't," (Hosseini 174). As Laila's
experience describes, the fear caused by a conflicting power struggle led many into submission,
essentially stripping them of any sense of safety. Especially affected by these actions were the
women and children of Afghanistan who were deprived of their basic human rights. This theme
continues on into the third portion of the novel, as the terror inflicted by the Afghan government
leads many to leave their homes in hope of a life of freedom. In fact, a restaurant that had once been
popular in Kabul had "been turned into an interrogation center. Sometimes screaming was heard
from behind its black–painted windows," (Hosseini 280). Although the warfare described in the
second part of the novel continues, this line is evidence of an even more significant amount of
power held by the government, who is now able to take people from the streets and torture them for
even the most minor infraction. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, the unceasing warfare and torture
used by corrupt leaders is confirmation of how power leads people to oppress the

Summer Reading Honors AssignmentName: Linh Tran Grade: 12 Major Works Data Sheet: Do
not cut/paste from a website, which is a form of plagiarism. Title: A Thousand Splendid
SunsBiographical information about the author: Author: Khaled HosseiniKhalid Hosseini is a 52
year old Afghan American renowned for three bestselling novels: The Kite Runner (2003), A
Thousand Splendid Suns (2007) and the Mountains Echoed (2013). Hosseini earned his M.D. from
the University of California, San Diego, and practiced medicine for ten years, until he decided to
quit practicing medicine and focus on writing full time. Hosseini cites Persian poetry and Persian
translations of the works of Jack Fang and Lewis Carroll as his influences. Date of Publication:

In A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, Education or the lack thereof shows it's
importance in a modern day society. The novel uncovers many problems in Afghanistan and how
they could have been prevented from an educated public, especially women. Empowered women
might have had a bigger influence in their society regarding the Taliban, abuse and child/unwanted
marriage if they were educated and couldn't become victimized by men. Education empowers women
and is a factor that divides first and third world countries. If education was more widespread in
Afghanistan, women would be more powerful because they would be on the same intellectual
level as men. Educated women would better the country, provide a safer place to live for many
citizens and diversify their nation. An example of how uneducated women not empowered is
Mariam. Being raised without a formal education, Nana, her mother, tells her "What's the sense in
schooling a girl like you? It's like shining a spittoon." Her mother saying this makes her feel
unintelligent and senseless. But Mariam's aspiration for a better education in the novel is shown
by the narrator saying "She pictured herself in a classroom with other girls her age. Mariam longed
to place a ruler on a page and draw important–looking lines." By saying this, the narrator reveals
Mariam's wish for a better future, but her declining confidence and her doubt that she can reach her
full potential. Education encourages hope for the future and the

Literary Analysis, Thousand Slendid Suns Essay
Ryan Ferkel
Mrs. Reader
Exploring Fiction
1/2/13
Literary Analysis of A Thousand Splendid Suns
Growing up and living in Afghanistan as a woman has its challenges. Parents choose who can
marry you and they choose everything for you. In this book, Laila and Mariam both show the
struggles it is to be a girl, and how much disrespect they get in Afghanistan. Both Mariam and Laila
are married to the same man, and he is abusive to both of them. They also live under Taliban rule,
and the rules that they set are very unfair for women. In Khaled Hosseni's novel, he has many
different themes but the most prevalent one is of woman inequality, and that is shown through
multiple accounts of abuse, disrespect, and unfairness. While living in...show more content...
Another example of the unfairness to women is that fact, that men are also abusive to them.
Being a man, means they have all the power. They make all the decisions and what they want to
happen happens. Early in the book, Jalil, Mariam's father, chooses a random suitor for her to
marry. He forces it on her just to get her as far away from his family as possible. Her suitor ended
up to be an abusive husband. Just in a matter of seconds, Rasheed, their husband would flip and turn
abusive. As depicted early in their marriage, Khaled Hosseini wrote, "He was like this, sneering,
tightening the belt around his fist, the creaking of the leather, the glint in his bloodshot eyes. It
was the fear of the goat, released in the tiger's cage, when the tiger first looks up from its paws,
begins to growl" (216). Another time when Laila and Mariam try to escape Rasheed's grasps, they
both get caught and get sent back to him. Mariam took most of the punishment for leaving. "There
was a sound now like a wooden club repeatedly slapping a side of beef." His abusiveness led them
to leave but only brought them back to it. As women they have no power in the relationship.
Eventually Rasheed's abuse came back to bite him, and it led to his death. Mariam had enough of
his abuse. "Mariam brought down the shovel. This time, she gave it everything she had" (310
Hosseini). Rasheed tried everything in his power

In a nation brimming with discrimination, violence and fear, a multitudinous number of hearts will
become malevolent and unemotional. However, people will rebel. In the eye–opening novel, A
Thousand Splendid Suns written by Khaled Hosseini, the country of Afghanistan is exposed to
possess cruel, treacherous and sexist law and people. The women are classified as something lower
than human, and men have the jurisdiction over the women. At the same time, the most horrible
treatment can bring out some of the best traits in victims, such as consideration, boldness, and
protectiveness. Although, living in an inconsiderate world, women can still carry aspiration and
benevolence. Mariam and Laila (the main characters of A Thousand Splendid Suns)...show more
content...
Some weeks, if the wallet was light, she took only a five–afghani bill, or nothing at all, for the fear
that he would notice. When the wallet was plump, she helped herself to a ten or a twenty, once
even risking two twenties. She hid the money in a pouch she'd sewn in the lining of her
checkered winter coat. (247) Laila's boldness is shown as she makes a courageous decision to
steal from Rasheed, risking his acrimony if he were to discover her theft. However, Laila is
stealing for a very good cause, which would benefit both herself, and Aziza. Similarly, Mariam
exhibits her attribute of being bold as well, when she strikes Rasheed with a shovel in order to
save both Laila and herself: If she let him walk now, how long before he fetched the key from his
pocket and went for that gun of his upstairs in the room where he'd locked Zalmai? Had Miriam
been certain that he would be satisfied with shooting only her, that there would be a chance he
would spare Laila, she might have dropped the shovel. But in Rasheed's eyes she saw murder for
them both. And so Mariam raised the shovel high, raised it as high as she could, arching it so it
touched the small of her back. She turned it so the sharp edge was vertical, and, as she did, it
occurred to her that this was the first time that she was deciding the course of her own life. And, with
that, Mariam brought down the shovel.

Purpose Of A Thousand Splendid Suns
The author's purpose is the author's reason for writing. A Thousand Splendid Suns is filled with
many intentional and possibly unintentional purposes, but the stress on the systematic victimization
of women by patriarchal institutions seems to be most significant. He ties this concept into the
author's purpose with great emphasis with many things such as conflict. A majority of the conflict
deals with the women in Afghanistan being belittled, demeaned, and disregarded by men because of
the society that has been ravaged by war. The author also uses characters and format to express this
idea. The characters and personalities, the author develops for them, add deeply by showing
dominant men disregarding or taking advantage of willingly or unwillingly

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