A Thousand Splendid Suns
Olivia D’Souza
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseini
2007
Fiction
Afghanistan
The book begins in Afghanistan in the 1960s. Mariam is the illegitimate daughter of Nana and Jalil; she lives with Nana in a small compound outside of the city of Herat where her father lives. One day, Mariam runs away to her father, however he does not take her in. When Mariam returns to her home, she finds her mother has committed suicide. She is taken to her father’s home, but his wives soon get her married to a widowed shoemaker, Rasheed in Kabul. For sometime, Mariam is treated decently by Rasheed but once she suffers multiple miscarriages, he begins to become abusive and rash. A few houses away, Laila is the daughter of a teacher and his wife. Her brothers were killed in the war against the Soviets so she finds friendship in her neighbor, Tariq. One fateful day, Tariq leaves the city with his family and soon after, a bomb devastates Kabul, killing Laila’s parents and injuring her. After she is nursed back to health by Mariam and Rasheed, she agrees to marry Rasheed for protection as she is carrying Tariq’s child. Over the years, Laila and Mariam form a close friendship. One day Tariq arrives in Kabul. When Rasheed finds out, he begins beating Laila, resulting in Mariam beating him over the head with a shovel and killing him. Laila and Tariq escape to Pakistan but Mariam turns herself over to the Taliban for the death of Rasheed and to protect Laila and Tariq. Finally, Laila, Tariq, and their children return to Kabul after a year and help rebuild their life and city.
A Thousand Splendid Suns indicates the many changes ravaging Afghanistan after the Afghan-Soviet War and the rise of both the Mujahideen and Taliban. The reader is placed within the turmoil faced by two different girls, from different generations, during these times. The family structure in Afghanistan is quite different from what may be considered normal within the western world. Families are usually made up of a father, who may have multiple wives, and usually 3-5 children, however this can vary based on number of wives/mothers and wealth. Families who have greater wealth, more often have more children and live to longer ages due to the protection and higher standard of living which meets their needs. Poorer families may live in smaller housing and on the outskirts of cities. Politics play a large role in Afghan society and is very dependent upon religious values and beliefs of the leaders in rule. As we learn from the novel, education is dependent on the beliefs of the ruling power. While the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan was occuring, many women and girls were allowed to study, however the rise of the Mujahideen resulted in loss of education as many schools and universities were devastated by the war or resources were limited. When the Taliban rose to power and instituted a slew of religious laws, women and girls were prohibited from receiving any sort of education. There are very few parallels between my culture and that portrayed in A Thousand Splendid Suns. One is the emphasis on family. Although our family structures are different, coming from an Indian family, I can see parallels between the roles that Laila’s parents played in her life and the role my parents play in mine. Although I can not connect with Mariam or Laila on a contextual basis, their perseverance and struggle throughout the novel are traits that inspire me.
The central conflict presented in this novel was the war and changes in leadership that devastated Afghanistan between the 1970s and 2000s. Claiming to be fighting invaders and for religious liberation, the leaders of Afghanistan were participating in a war that was only further pushed by the Cold War superpowers, the US and the Soviets. Even after the Afghan-Soviet War, other extremist groups such as the Mujahideen and the Taliban overtook and placed new laws in place in Afghanistan. Mariam and Laila were both victims of the tragedies of the times. Mariam lost her life and Laila lost her parents. The issue of the Afghan government was presented by closing with the rebuilding of Kabul, Afghanistan, however the US invades Afghanistan at the end of the novel which shows that not even in reality is the central issue solved. However, Laila was able to return to her home and live a happy life with Tariq and her children. Khaled Hosseini did a beautiful job of portraying the wartime conflicts and presenting a heartfelt narrative. Reading A Thousand Splendid Suns changed my worldview by demonstrating the struggles that girls (who are my age) face around the world. While I was aware of the conditions and historical context that surrounded this novel, I still learned even more about the personal effects war and conflict had on girls.
The central theme of this book is perseverance. Despite being forced to marry at a young age, Mariam continues to fight every day. Even Laila, who lost her parents and for sometime her love, manages to plan for her future. Together they fought against the abuses of Rasheed and worked to leave behind the situation. Laila and Mariam’s friendship is also what helped them to persevere. After Mariam’s sacrifice, Laila made sure that she returns to Kabul and works to educate her children and help them live the life that Mariam would have wanted. This message is relevant to all other cultures because in every culture, many encounter times of frustration and struggle. However, when one fights against the structures that keep them in one situation and persevere to move forward they may find the strength to do so.
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseini
2007
Fiction
Afghanistan
The book begins in Afghanistan in the 1960s. Mariam is the illegitimate daughter of Nana and Jalil; she lives with Nana in a small compound outside of the city of Herat where her father lives. One day, Mariam runs away to her father, however he does not take her in. When Mariam returns to her home, she finds her mother has committed suicide. She is taken to her father’s home, but his wives soon get her married to a widowed shoemaker, Rasheed in Kabul. For sometime, Mariam is treated decently by Rasheed but once she suffers multiple miscarriages, he begins to become abusive and rash. A few houses away, Laila is the daughter of a teacher and his wife. Her brothers were killed in the war against the Soviets so she finds friendship in her neighbor, Tariq. One fateful day, Tariq leaves the city with his family and soon after, a bomb devastates Kabul, killing Laila’s parents and injuring her. After she is nursed back to health by Mariam and Rasheed, she agrees to marry Rasheed for protection as she is carrying Tariq’s child. Over the years, Laila and Mariam form a close friendship. One day Tariq arrives in Kabul. When Rasheed finds out, he begins beating Laila, resulting in Mariam beating him over the head with a shovel and killing him. Laila and Tariq escape to Pakistan but Mariam turns herself over to the Taliban for the death of Rasheed and to protect Laila and Tariq. Finally, Laila, Tariq, and their children return to Kabul after a year and help rebuild their life and city.
A Thousand Splendid Suns indicates the many changes ravaging Afghanistan after the Afghan-Soviet War and the rise of both the Mujahideen and Taliban. The reader is placed within the turmoil faced by two different girls, from different generations, during these times. The family structure in Afghanistan is quite different from what may be considered normal within the western world. Families are usually made up of a father, who may have multiple wives, and usually 3-5 children, however this can vary based on number of wives/mothers and wealth. Families who have greater wealth, more often have more children and live to longer ages due to the protection and higher standard of living which meets their needs. Poorer families may live in smaller housing and on the outskirts of cities. Politics play a large role in Afghan society and is very dependent upon religious values and beliefs of the leaders in rule. As we learn from the novel, education is dependent on the beliefs of the ruling power. While the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan was occuring, many women and girls were allowed to study, however the rise of the Mujahideen resulted in loss of education as many schools and universities were devastated by the war or resources were limited. When the Taliban rose to power and instituted a slew of religious laws, women and girls were prohibited from receiving any sort of education. There are very few parallels between my culture and that portrayed in A Thousand Splendid Suns. One is the emphasis on family. Although our family structures are different, coming from an Indian family, I can see parallels between the roles that Laila’s parents played in her life and the role my parents play in mine. Although I can not connect with Mariam or Laila on a contextual basis, their perseverance and struggle throughout the novel are traits that inspire me.
The central conflict presented in this novel was the war and changes in leadership that devastated Afghanistan between the 1970s and 2000s. Claiming to be fighting invaders and for religious liberation, the leaders of Afghanistan were participating in a war that was only further pushed by the Cold War superpowers, the US and the Soviets. Even after the Afghan-Soviet War, other extremist groups such as the Mujahideen and the Taliban overtook and placed new laws in place in Afghanistan. Mariam and Laila were both victims of the tragedies of the times. Mariam lost her life and Laila lost her parents. The issue of the Afghan government was presented by closing with the rebuilding of Kabul, Afghanistan, however the US invades Afghanistan at the end of the novel which shows that not even in reality is the central issue solved. However, Laila was able to return to her home and live a happy life with Tariq and her children. Khaled Hosseini did a beautiful job of portraying the wartime conflicts and presenting a heartfelt narrative. Reading A Thousand Splendid Suns changed my worldview by demonstrating the struggles that girls (who are my age) face around the world. While I was aware of the conditions and historical context that surrounded this novel, I still learned even more about the personal effects war and conflict had on girls.
The central theme of this book is perseverance. Despite being forced to marry at a young age, Mariam continues to fight every day. Even Laila, who lost her parents and for sometime her love, manages to plan for her future. Together they fought against the abuses of Rasheed and worked to leave behind the situation. Laila and Mariam’s friendship is also what helped them to persevere. After Mariam’s sacrifice, Laila made sure that she returns to Kabul and works to educate her children and help them live the life that Mariam would have wanted. This message is relevant to all other cultures because in every culture, many encounter times of frustration and struggle. However, when one fights against the structures that keep them in one situation and persevere to move forward they may find the strength to do so.