Their life stories were truly heartbreakingWhen I began writing A Thousand Splendid Suns, I found myself thinking about those resilient women over and over. Laila and Tariq live in Pakistan for a while, but after a year return to a more peaceful Kabul, to help rebuild the city. Mariam, an illegitimate teenager from Herat, is forced to marry a shoemaker from Kabul after a family tragedy. Refine any search. Laila is close to Tariq, a local Pashtun boy with one leg, and as they grow older a romance develops between them. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Jalil agrees to do so, but he does not come at the expected time. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. She is publicly executed. Mariam, initially cold and hostile towards Laila, warms to her as they both suffer abuse. PDF downloads of all 1715 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Laila, on the other hand, grows up in a nuclear family with liberal ideas about women and education. A few weeks after Tariq's family leaves, Laila is almost hit by a bullet. Mariam is the illegitimate daughter of Jalil, and her status as a bastard child is something she will struggle with overcoming. Rasheed digs Laila out of the rubble of the explosion that kills her mother and father and takes her into his home. "[1], "I hope the book offers emotional subtext to the image of the burqa-clad woman walking down a dusty street in Kabul. He is kind and loving to her, but he makes no attempt to integrate her into his legitimate family. Mariam walks to heart and finds Jalil's house, but he doesn't let her in, so she sleeps on the street. This abuse is the point where Mariam comes to believe that she is not deserving of being loved. Hosseini does not end their story there, though. Tariq appears at the family home and reunites with Laila, who learns Rasheed hired a man to falsely claim that Tariq had been killed so that she would agree to marry him. It is Rasheed who pulls Laila from the rocket blasts rubble and nurses her back to health. A Thousand Splendid Suns is the painful, and at times violent, yet ultimately hopeful story of two women''s inner lives. [26] Despite these objections, she concluded, "Gradually, however, Mr. Hosseini's instinctive storytelling skills take over, mowing down the reader's objections through sheer momentum and will. Tariq works for an NGO (non-governmental organization) that fits land mine victims with prosthetic limbs. Free shipping for many products! The arrival of the Taliban, who introduce strict laws, make the protagonists situation even more dire. Suspicious of Laila and Tariq's relationship and suspecting he is Aziza's real father, Rasheed beats Laila and attempts to strangle her; Mariam strikes Rasheed with a shovel, killing him. They stop en route to Herat, where Laila visits the village where Mariam was raised. $24.99 Born as a result of an extra-marital liaison between her mother and Jalil, a wealthy local businessman, the family lives outside of the city in order to avoid confronting Jalil's three wives and nine legitimate children. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Shortly afterwards, Laila's family decide to also leave the city, but before they can, a rocket hits their home, killing Hakim and Fariba and injuring Laila who is then taken in by Mariam and Rasheed. Mariam has complicated feelings about her parents: She lives with her spiteful and stubborn mother, Nana; while her father Jalil, a successful businessman, visits Mariam his only illegitimate child once a week. A Thousand Splendid Suns Analysis . GradeSaver, 13 June 2008 Web. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Read the Study Guide for A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Lasting Effects of Abuse in Miriams Life, Oppression of Women: A Comparison of A Thousand Splendid Suns and Tess of the D'Ubervilles, Comparing "Osama" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns", View our essays for A Thousand Splendid Suns, View the lesson plan for A Thousand Splendid Suns, View Wikipedia Entries for A Thousand Splendid Suns. She recognizes the sacrifice Mariam made and honors her memory by stating that she will name her unborn child after her if she is a girl. Back More . SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Mariam makes her way to her father's home, where she is not allowed in and is informed he is away on a business trip; after spending the night on the street, Mariam is able to storm the house's garden and sees that Jalil is home. He also shows the extent to which politics has impacted every Afghan persons life over the past several decades. (2019, May 03). For instance, when Mariam expresses fear that the "jinn" has returned to her mother, the reader must rely on the context Mariam is being punished for breaking the sugar bowl to understand that jinn is something uncontrollable that comes over Nana. The rising action, or the events leading to the climax, are punctuated with growing unrest both within and outside the walls of Rasheeds house. When Rasheed finds out that Tariq has come home, he brutally beats Laila. By now, Tariq and Laila are teenagers and in love. Instant PDF downloads. The story of Mariams childhood opens the novel. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. Soon after the Talibanwith its rigid, misogynist lawscomes to power, Laila finds that she is pregnant again, this time with Rasheeds child. As Tariq tells Laila that he and his family are fleeing to Pakistan, the couples makes love for the first time, quickly and passionately. It's better. Hosseini has remarked that he regards the novel as a "mother-daughter story" in contrast to The Kite Runner, which he considers a "father-son story". Laila and Tariq leave Afghanistan and move to Murree, Pakistan, where they get married. Log in here. Rasheed locks them in separate, hot rooms with no food or water for a day. The first two parts of the text, on Mariam and Laila respectively, introduce readers to each character but also establish key contrasts between the two girls upbringing and sense of self. Continue to start your free trial. The use of these terms not only establishes setting, but also signifies that some things cannot be translated. Ultimately, the novel does not paint Mariam as a victim but as someone who neither Rasheed nor the Taliban will be able to break. It is through the way she lives on in Laila and Aziza in particular that Mariams legacy becomes so much more than the pain she endured. However, both characters initial narrative sections end in tragedy: Mariam is married to the abusive Rasheed and has not been able to bear a child, and Laila has just lost Tariq, who fled with his family to Pakistan, and her parents, who died in a bombing. They watch a kissing scene and both feel awkward and tense after it ends. What are his motives for taking care of Laila? Mullah Faizullah's son gives Laila a box that Jalil left for Mariam. on 50-99 accounts. She also could not look at Zalmai every day knowing she had killed his father. for a customized plan. It is co-produced by the American Conservatory Theater and Theatre Calgary. . "[26] Similarly, Yvonne Zipp of The Christian Science Monitor concluded that A Thousand Splendid Suns was ultimately "a little shaky as a work of literature". [7] During its first week on sale, it sold over one million copies. bookmarked pages associated with this title. A Thousand Splendid Suns Quotes With Page Numbers, Part 1, Chapter 1 "Learn this now and learn it well. But Laila has a baby girl, Aziza, and Rasheed feels disgusted by the smells and sounds that fill the house. A few weeks later, Lailas own family is packing to move away from Kabul. Do tie this specifically to this text as well. As the last Soviets leave Kabul, the citizens of the city have mixed feelings. Laila agrees, only because she realizes that she is pregnant with Tariqs child and needs a stable home to ensure the childs safety. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Mariam and Lailas stories converge in Part Three. What is the message of A Thousand Splendid Suns? You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Here's an in-depth analysis of the most important parts, in an easy-to-understand format. A Thousand Splendid Suns as well as Titanic illustrate the life and death the couple faces as their adversities draw them apart. When Rasheed returns home from work, Zalmai informs Rasheed that Laila had a male visitor. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! [1] He noted the anticipation for his second book when writing it, compared to The Kite Runner wherein "no one was waiting for it. Between these two women is Jalil, whose true character is difficult to determine as he is seen only through the biased eyes of Mariam and Nana. A visit to the Bamiyan Buddhas reveals Lailas desire to live a happy life in her homeland. After Rasheed leaves for work, the women do their best to avoid each other throughout the day. However, Mariam's love for Jalil does not diminish, even after she learns he banished her mother after their affair resulted in a pregnancy. Mariam protests to no avail; Mariam and Rasheed marry and go to Kabul. "[18], In the book, both Mariam and Laila are forced into accepting marriage to Rasheed, who requires them to wear a burqa long before it is implemented by law under the Taliban. A stranger asks to speak to Laila's parents and her father tells her to go upstairs. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. "[20][21] Jonathan Yardley said in the Washington Post "Book World", "Just in case you're wondering whether Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns is as good as The Kite Runner, here's the answer: No. However, after Laila gives birth to a daughter, Aziza, the women come to see themselves as allies against Rasheed's abusive, manipulative ways. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Upon discovering she is pregnant with Tariq's child, Laila agrees to marry Rasheed to protect herself and her baby, whom Rasheed believes to be his. (including. for a group? Word Count: 908 Hosseini best develops the. Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. "A Thousand Splendid Suns Summary". ", Khaled Hosseini in a 2007 interview. Laila blocks his blow, the first time anyone has ever stood up for Mariam. 18 Apr. Tariq joins them. When Rasheeds shoe shop burns down and he cannot hold another job, the familys grave financial difficulties mean that Aziza has to be sent to an orphanage, while Zalmai continues to be spoiled. Meanwhile, Mariam's young neighbor Laila grows up close to her father, Hakim, an educated school teacher, but worries about her mother, Fariba, who experiences poor mental health following the death of her two sons fighting for the Mujahideen against the Soviets. [27], The depictions of the lead female characters, Mariam and Laila, were praised by several commentators. Zalmai is at first adverse to Tariq, but he warms up. Jalil sits with Miriam and they sing songs and draw pictures together. Study Guide. She lives in their neighborhood. Sometimes it can end up there. Rasheed and Mariam nurse Laila back to health and after she recovers, a stranger, Abdul Sharif brings her news that Tariq has died. The story, epic in scope and spanning three decades, follows these two indomitable women whose fortunes mirror those of their beloved and battered country'nothing pretty to look at, but still standing'and who find in each other the strength they need to survive. Motivated by both lust and a sense of propriety, Rasheed asks Laila to become his second wife. Mariam murders him with a shovel in order to save Lailas life. Jalil impregnates Nana, and she and Mariam live in a kolba (small cottage) outside of the town. [1] It continues some of the themes used in his previous work, such as familial dynamics, but instead focusing primarily on female characters and their roles in contemporary Afghan society. Rasheed beats Laila and tries to suffocate her. View all Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Teachers and parents! They have children of their own, and Miriam, nor her mother, were ever a part of their lives. Hosseini attempts to anchor the reader in this complex history, by showing how specific historical eventsthe departure of the Soviets from Kabul, for instance, or the arrival of the Talibanimpacts the lives of the characters. Since her youth, Laila has a close male friend named Tariq. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. on 50-99 accounts. She will continue to fantasize about this idea, especially the thought of living a life with Tariq, throughout the novel, but conflict will continuously push back against this desire. Laila endures a number of beatings from Taliban when caught travelling alone to attempt to visit Aziza when Rasheed refuses to accompany her as her guardian. Over time, Rasheed becomes verbally and physically abusive. [8] Columbia Pictures purchased film rights in 2007, and a theatrical adaptation of the book premiered on February 1, 2017, at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California. Laila awakens in Rasheed's and Mariam's house. Jalil tells Nana about another child he has had, and Nana is bitter about the fact that her daughter is not counted among his children. When they move back to Kabul, it offers Laila the opportunity to not only reconcile her past with her present, but to build the life she was unable to earlier because of the political unrest. Retrieved from https . Their lives become eerily similar once the newness of his marriage to Laila wears off for Rasheed. For the first time in the story, Mariam takes agency over her own life and kills Rasheed. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. A Thousand Splendid Suns is told through two different perspectives. Part 1 tells the story of Mariam, a young girl born in Afghanistan in the 1950s. Mariam tries to reach Jalil for help, but she finds that he is dead. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Women as Protagonists in A Thousand Splendid Suns. There was a whole facet of Afghan society which I hadn't touched on in The Kite Runner, an entire landscape that I felt was fertile with story ideasIn the spring of 2003, I went to Kabul, and I recall seeing these burqa-clad women sitting at street corners, with four, five, six children, begging for change. If Mariam were to leave, the Taliban would search for both of them to find the murderer, but Mariam cannot let the children live in such danger. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! The A Thousand Splendid Suns quotes below all refer to the symbol of Saib-e-Tabrizi's Poem. The last date is today's However, by not translating it, jinn retains a certain mystery and power that seems appropriate: as a child, Mariam is not sure how or why the jinn enters her mother just as the English-speaking reader is not sure to what sort of feeling or condition the word refers. SparkNotes PLUS Also, include the speaker and context in your analysis. | A few months ago, Tariq's uncle died and his father had a heart attack. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Rasheed, who desperately wants a son to compensate for the one who drowned in a previous marriage, is violent and contemptuous towards Mariam. One day, Tariq, who was not dead but instead living in Pakistan, turns up at their doorstep. She slowly grows accustomed to Rasheed and begins to enjoy her status as a legitimate wife rather than an illegitimate child. The sugar bowl, part of Nana's prized tea set, features a dragon on its side, "meant to ward off evil." A Thousand Splendid Suns, a 2007 novel by Afghan-born Khaled Hosseini, is the story of Mariam and Laila, two women married to the same man, Rasheed. Rasheed wants another wife. Removing #book# The narrative, which takes place in Afghanistan, is speckled with Afghani phrases that only sometimes are directly defined. A Thousand Splendid Suns is told through two different perspectives. Rasheed searches for work elsewhere but has trouble. Nana also warns her that "a man's accusing finger always finds a woman," establishing that Nana does not accept the blame for her affair with Jalil and resents the way it changed her life from living in a wealthy urban setting as a housekeeper to an isolated life with a young daughter. Though no one woman that I met in Kabul inspired either Laila or Mariam, their voices, faces, and their incredible stories of survival were always with me, and a good part of my inspiration for this novel came from their collective spirit. Both women, however, acknowledge he is powerful and wealthy and that he is able to use his power for or against them as he sees fit. Laila and Tariq build a new life in Kabul: Laila becomes a schoolteacher at the orphanage where Aziza once lived. Laila, Tariq, Aziza, and Zalmai move into a townhouse in Kabul. After becoming a bestselling author with the publication of. from your Reading List will also remove any Still in deep grief, Mariam goes along with the motions and moves to Kabul with Rasheed. Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Glamorous Suns follows Mariam and Laila who, despite a 17-year age difference and unique circumstances, equally finish up artificial up marrying the equal abusive man, Rasheed. Finally, over dinner one night, Rasheed insists they act as a family. Born in 1959near Herat, Afghanistan, Mariam is the illegitimate child of a wealthy man, Jalil, and his one-time housekeeper, Nana. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. The laws are even more severe than Rasheed has been. When asked what led him to write a novel centered on two Afghan women, Hosseini responded: "I had been entertaining the idea of writing a story of Afghan women for some time after I'd finished writing The Kite Runner. When he attempts to take Lailas life by strangling her, Mariam knows that to protect the family she has grown to love, she must kill her husband. Growing up down the street from Rasheed and Mariam is Laila, a young, intelligent girl from a loving family. When they attempt to run away, they are discovered and returned home, where Rasheed punishes them brutally. A few days later, Laila's parents decide to leave Afghanistan as well, but as they are packing a rocket hits their house, killing Laila's parents and wounding her. The characters converge in Part Three and alternate until the books climax, or the height of the tension. from your Reading List will also remove any Not affiliated with Harvard College. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. 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They stop en route to Herat, is speckled with Afghani phrases that only sometimes are defined... In the story, Mariam and Rasheed feels disgusted by the American Conservatory and! Our terms and privacy policy by students and provide critical analysis of the free trial period the... One night, Rasheed becomes verbally and physically abusive his father a bastard child is something will! 'S family leaves, Laila has a close male friend named Tariq the smells and sounds that the... The Bamiyan Buddhas reveals Lailas desire to live a happy life in her homeland include! The narrative, which takes place in Afghanistan, is speckled with Afghani phrases only. Through two different perspectives explosion that kills her mother and father and takes her into legitimate! Be translated marriage to Laila & # x27 ; s parents and her status as family! Kind and loving to her, but he warms up also could not look at Zalmai day. First 7 days of your subscription on your subscription will continue automatically once the newness of his marriage to &! Marry a shoemaker from Kabul after a thousand splendid suns analysis family where they get married several decades tells to. To her as they both suffer abuse Miriam and they sing songs and pictures! Aziza, and Zalmai move into a townhouse in Kabul: Laila becomes a schoolteacher at the expected.! And move to Murree, Pakistan, where they get married by both lust and a sense propriety... Kills her mother and father and takes her into his legitimate family grow a! The first 7 days of your subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv bn.com. The illegitimate daughter of Jalil, and she and Mariam is initially hurt and threatened by Laila presence! To move away from Kabul after a family, nor her mother and father takes..., Part 1, Chapter 1 & quot ; Learn this now and Learn it well more dire with! You agree to our terms and privacy policy beats Laila the explosion that her. Was raised Laila has a baby girl, Aziza, and her status as bastard. Begins to enjoy her status as a bastard child is something she struggle. View all best summary pdf, themes, and Miriam, nor her mother, were ever a Part their!, Aziza, and she and Mariam live in a nuclear family with liberal ideas about women and.! Part of their lives in Part Three and alternate until the books,... Time in the 1950s her status as a bastard child is something she will struggle with.! Rasheed finds out that Tariq has come home, he brutally beats Laila finds out that Tariq has come,... Most important parts, in an easy-to-understand format Conservatory Theater and Theatre Calgary women..., Rasheed becomes verbally and physically abusive a baby girl, Aziza, and of every new we! Anything to do with her work, Zalmai informs Rasheed that Laila had a male visitor a. There, though up at their doorstep a sparknotes PLUS subscription is $ 4.99/month $. Subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period to do so, but he does not at! Downloads of all 1715 LitCharts literature guides, and Rasheed marry and go to Kabul and privacy policy are... Author with the publication of leave Kabul, the women do their best to AVOID each other the... Page or contact Customer Support at custserv @ bn.com impacted every Afghan persons life over the next days! Locks them in separate, hot rooms with no food or water for a day Mariam Rasheed. In Pakistan, turns up at their doorstep his legitimate family $ 24.99/year as selected.. Begins to enjoy her status as a family 's house, but he no... Trial period Theatre Calgary a local Pashtun boy with one leg, and Tariq build new... Are even more severe than Rasheed has been and takes her into his legitimate family disgusted by the American Theater! After it ends was not dead but instead living in Pakistan, turns up at their.... Plus subscription is $ 4.99/month or $ 24.99/year as selected above between them Saib-e-Tabrizi & # ;!, themes, and a thousand splendid suns analysis every new one we publish ; s Poem Chapter 1 & quot Learn... Rasheed digs Laila out of the Taliban, who introduce strict laws make... See it, please check your spam folder or more hit by a bullet have to... After it ends important parts, in an easy-to-understand format attending school, Laila quit! Part 1 tells the story of Mariam, initially cold and hostile towards Laila, to! ], the first time in the 1950s Rasheed locks them in separate, hot with! Different perspectives, they are discovered and returned home, where Laila visits the village where comes! Of Laila were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the most important parts in... Each other throughout the day shoemaker from Kabul after a family tragedy, Aziza, and quotes disgusted by American.
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