What is the theme of a Thousand Splendid Suns?
A Thousand Splendid Suns introduces the theme of shame in tandem with the introduction of Mariam, one of the novel’s protagonists. Dropping a tea plate is an unforgiveable offence for which Mariam is viciously berated by her mother, Nana. This cruel display reveals Mariam and Nana’s difficult relationship.
Who are the characters in a Thousand Splendid Suns?
A Thousand Splendid Suns Character List. Mariam Mariam grows up in a small shack outside of the city of Herat. She was brought up to know her place in society as a 'harami,' or bastard child. She is a strong girl who questions authority and dreams of bigger things for herself - far beyond what she finds within the walls of her small shack.
Who is Hamza in a Thousand Splendid Suns?
Hamza is Mullah Faizullah's son, with whom Laila connects near the end of the novel. Hamza welcomes Laila, as she visits Herat, and he gives her a box that Jalil left for Mariam through Mullah Faizullah.
Who is Hekmatyar in a Thousand Splendid Suns?
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar (b. 1947) is a Pashtun warlord who was prime minister of Afghanistan in 1992 and is the leader of the extremist Hezb-e Islami party. In the novel after the Soviets leave Afghanistan, he attacks Kabul with rockets, killing many civilians, including Laila's parents.
Who killed Rasheed in A Thousand Splendid Suns?
MariamMariam, after years of abuse, refuses to stand silent any longer, and to save Laila's life, hits him with a shovel, killing him. Mariam convinces Laila and Tariq to flee with Laila's two children so that Mariam alone will bear the responsibility of Rasheed's death, knowing that she will be sentenced to death.
What happens at the end of Thousand Splendid Suns?
With a shovel, Mariam kills Rasheed. The next day, Mariam turns herself over to the Taliban in an effort to clear the way for Laila to find sanctuary for herself and her children in Pakistan with Tariq. In Pakistan, Tariq and Laila marry and finally begin the life they dreamed of so many years ago.
Who died in Chapter 19 of A Thousand Splendid Suns?
Fariba joins Hakim and Laila spies on their conversation with the stranger; it quickly becomes clear that he brings news that Laila's brothers, Noor and Ahmed, have died. Funeral preparations begin the next day.
Who kills Rasheed How do they do it?
Laila smashes a vase over Rasheed's head and he turns back to her, pressing her to the floor with his hands wrapped around her throat. Realizing Rasheed has murder in mind, Mariam runs out to the tool-shed, grabs a shovel, and returns to whack Rasheed over the head with it.
Do Laila and Tariq get married?
Laila and Tariq take the children to Pakistan, and the two are married. Aziza bonds quickly with her real father, knowing that Tariq will never hurt or leave her. Zalmai asks for Rasheed at first, but he soon learns to love Tariq too.
What did Jalil leave for her?
Jalil's three last gifts to Mariam — the letter, Pinocchio, and her inheritance — show Jalil's sincere regret and love for Mariam, each object conveying a different aspect of his feelings.
What did Khadim shoot at Laila?
Laila turns to face the water gun and finds Khadim, an 11-year-old neighborhood bully, holding it. Khadim taunts Laila, asking the whereabouts of her protector, Tariq, before squirting her head with the gun. Slowly, it dawns on Laila that she's being squirted with urine.
What happened in chapter 18 of A Thousand Splendid Suns?
While Tariq's mother makes lunch, Laila and Tariq retreat to his room to play cards. Laila tells Tariq she missed him and he grimaces, making her realize that boys do not like to articulate their friendships the way she and her female friends do.
How old was Laila when her parents died?
Laila was just two years old when she died in in November of 2015. Her foster parents, Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum, said the toddler choked on chicken and died.
What did Rasheed do to Laila?
Rasheed is furious when he brings them home. He punches Laila and locks her in her room before going downstairs and beating Mariam.
What do Mariam and Laila bury in the backyard?
Laila refuses and punches Rasheed in the face. When he returns to the room, Rasheed puts a gun in Laila's mouth. Laila and Mariam dig a hole in the yard. They need to bury the TV in case their home is raided by the Taliban.
How many miscarriages does Mariam have?
Because of his anger over Mariam's seven miscarriages, Rasheed begins with kicks, slaps and punches. However, he eventually escalates to making her chew pebbles to demonstrate the bad food she cooks.
Is Laila pregnant at the end of A Thousand Splendid Suns?
Laila is so grateful that she leaves her comfortable life in Pakistan and dedicates herself to the children of Kabul. Mariam has a hand in this, too, because Laila uses her inheritance to fund the orphanage. This leads us to the revelation that Laila, now a teacher, is pregnant with a child.
What happened to Rasheed in A Thousand Splendid Suns?
However, Rasheed's affection for Zalmai does not extend to Laila's daughter, Aziza, or to his two wives. Rasheed's cruel, manipulative ways eventually result in Mariam killing him in self-defense.
What is the main message of A Thousand Splendid Suns?
The primary theme in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns is the rights of women, especially under the Taliban. Mariam and Laila grow up during regimes that are not oppressive. Although Mariam's father's family pushes her into marriage with Rasheed, it is ultimately her choice to agree to marry him.
What did Khadim shoot at Laila?
Laila turns to face the water gun and finds Khadim, an 11-year-old neighborhood bully, holding it. Khadim taunts Laila, asking the whereabouts of her protector, Tariq, before squirting her head with the gun. Slowly, it dawns on Laila that she's being squirted with urine.
. Rasheed digs Laila out of the rubble of the explosion that kills her mother and father and takes her into his home. Does his behavior seem unusual? What are his motives for taking care of Laila?
Rasheed wants another wife. He wants a younger wife that will give him at least one son. Rasheed only cares about himself. He cares little for Mari...
What is the motive of Jalil’s wives in finding a suitor for Mariam Why does Jalil go along with them in this plan?
Jalil's wives simply want Miriam out of their way. They have children of their own, and Miriam, nor her mother, were ever a part of their lives. Ja...
Afsson, Norgas, Khadija - Do you know which one is oldest, youngest, has the most power? Who are they?
I believe the wives are, oldest to youngest, Khadija, Afsoon, and Nargis. The first wife, Khadija, would hold the most power among the wives.
What does Laila tell Zalmai about Rasheed?
Laila tells Zalmai that Rasheed has gone away. Zalmai asks questions, and Laila tries to assure Zalmai that it is not his fault. Mariam tells Laila to leave with Tariq and the children in the morning. Laila insists that Mariam come along, but she refuses.
What does Laila think of Rasheed?
Laila senses Rasheed strangling her, and she thinks she will die . Suddenly, she realizes that she can finally breathe, and Mariam checks to make sure she is alright. Laila realizes what Mariam has done to Rasheed and that he is, in fact, dead.
Why does Mariam make the ultimate sacrifice for Laila and the children?
Mariam makes the ultimate sacrifice for Laila and the children, as she is willing to take the blame, and ultimately suffer the ultimate punishment for Rasheed’s death. Her comment concerning her death as a legitimate end to illegitimate beginnings is an interesting one, because readers may consider this execution to be the epitome of illegitimacy of power, authority and control. However, Mariam knows that her actions against Rasheed were completely justified, and her execution is therefore a legitimate manner of death.
Why does Jalil ask Mariam to come visit him?
Jalil asks Mariam to come visit him, because he says he is dying soon. He has enclosed Mariam's share of the inheritance in the box, converted into U.S. dollars. Laila shows Tariq the money in the box, and she cries. The drought in Kabul has ended, and Tariq, Laila, and children, have rented a townhouse.
Where are Laila and Tariq married?
Laila and Tariq are married in Murree, the Pakistani town where he had lived prior to coming to visit Laila. Their wedding is simple, but Laila realizes that she is blessed to have him. Laila enjoys her life in Murree, and she feels very grateful for all that she has. She helps Tariq clean the hotel, and Aziza and Zalmai come along.
Is Mariam in Laila's heart?
Laila reflects that she originally wished that she had known where Mariam is buried, but now she knows that Mariam is never far from her. Mariam is in Laila's heart. Laila becomes pregnant, and the family has been discussing only boys' names. If the child is a girl, she will be named Mariam. Analysis:
What does the sand sing in Laila's dream?
In the dream, she and Tariq are sitting on a beach and she tells him to listen to the singing sand. The sand sings both low and high notes and by describing these notes as "groaning" and "mewling," Hosseini suggests the sand, in its shifting, sings of the problems that lie ahead for Laila and Tariq.
What does Laila remember about Tariq?
Through this symbol, the reader is reminded of the transitory nature of life — no matter what Laila and Tariq plan for each other, and for their families, they cannot control all aspects of their fates.
What does Laila feel without Tariq?
Without Tariq in her life, Laila feels like she's lost a limb. Her days go by in a haze. Laila's parents spend more time arguing about something, and after a few days they let Laila in on the source: They've decided to flee Kabul.
What does Tariq tell Laila about Massoud?
Laila sees Massoud’s men everywhere, roaming the streets and stopping people for questioning. Tariq buys a gun, telling Laila that three sisters were raped and killed in Karteh-Seh last week. Laila doesn’t go out much anymore, so it’s Tariq who brings back news to her. He says that militiamen in the mountains are working on their aim by shooting civilians at random below. He explains to her the constantly shifting boundaries of warlords’ territory in Kabul. Now, Mammy’s heroes are called warlords, or else Mujahideen but ironically, scornfully.
Who is Mammy's hero?
Laila originally knew of Massoud as Mammy’s hero—a position now complicated, at least for Laila, by his apparent brutality. When Ahmad and Noor were fighting, the family could still claim that they were battling for a cause: now the violence seems far more gratuitous, simply war for the sake of war. But “Mammy’s heroes” are still complex figures given their start as freedom fighters.
Who kisses Laila?
Laila asks Tariq if he has it in him to kill with the gun. He says that he would for her. Their fingers brush against each other, and Tariq leans in to kiss Laila. At that moment, Laila doesn’t care at all about Mammy’s warnings—she can’t think of anything better than kissing Tariq beneath a tree in the midst of all the killing and war.
Who is Mariam in Thousand Splendid Suns?
A Thousand Splendid Suns | Characters. Mariam is an intelligent but uneducated girl whose father refuses to house her after her mother, his estranged lover, dies. Instead, he marries her off to Rasheed. She has several miscarriages and is severely abused, but she befriends Laila, Rasheed's second wife.
Who is Jalil's second wife?
Afsoon is Jalil's second wife. She asks Mariam to come downstairs to give her the news that they have selected Rasheed as her husband.
Who is Mullah Faizullah?
Mullah Faizullah is the gentle village akhund, Quran tutor, who teaches Mariam and treats her with kindness and love . He keeps a box from Jalil to give to Mariam.
Who is Laila's best friend?
Tariq, Laila's best childhood friend, is a Pashtun boy who has lost a leg because of a land mine. He becomes her first lover, unknowingly fathering a child with her before he leaves Kabul. He returns to find her and marries her after Rasheed is killed. Read More
Who is Abdul Rashid Dostum?
Abdul Rashid Dostum (b. 1954) is the ethnic Uzbek commander who led the Junbish-i-Milli faction of the Mujahideen and later founded the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan. He has a reputation for shifting his allegiances.
Who is Jalil's youngest wife?
Nargis is Jalil's youngest wife. She is expecting a baby at the beginning of the novel.
Who is Mammy in Laila?
Mammy, who is referred to by her first name , Fariba, in Part 1 , is a light-skinned, plump woman who does not wear a burqua. She is Laila's mother and a neighbor of Rasheed. She is killed during the fighting in Kabul.
Who welcomes Laila in A Thousand Splendid Suns?
Hamza welcomes Laila, as she visits Herat, and he gives her a box that Jalil left for Mariam through Mullah Faizullah. Hamza also shows Laila around Herat, and brings her to the kolba. Study Guide Navigation. About A Thousand Splendid Suns. A Thousand Splendid Suns Summary.
Who is Jalil's wife?
Nana . Nana is Mariam's mother and Jalil's wife. Nana lived as Jalil's housemaid until she became pregnant with Jalil's baby, Mariam. Jalil cast Nana out of his household and built her the shack in which she and Mariam live.
What happened to Mariam in the end of the novel?
At the end of the novel, Mariam rises up in revenge and strikes Rasheed dead. She ultimately is tried and executed by the Taliban for her actions.
What is Mullah Faizullah's role in Mariam?
Over time, Mullah Faizullah becomes a source of strength and comfort for Mariam. Often Mariam confides in Mullah Faizullah, as he respects her not only as a student, but he also recognizes her potential for greatness. After Nana's death, Mariam begs to be allowed to live with Mullah Faizullah, but Jalil refuses.
How many wives does Jalil have?
Jalil has two legitimate wives and ten other children in addition to Mariam. When Nana dies, Mariam is sent to Jalil's house, but his other wives refuse to keep her in the house. Jalil then decides to cast Mariam off, giving her up to marry Rasheed.
Who is Nana's friend?
Nana's friend, Bibi Jo , visits their small shack to ritually bring her complaints and gossip. Bibi Jo 's husband was a friend of Nana's father. Bibi Jo often reveals information about Jalil that Nana would not be able to obtain from other sources.
Is Rasheed older than Mariam?
He is a huge man who owns a shoe repair shop, and he is significantly older than Mariam. Rasheed has a troubled past, as his first wife and son have both died. Rasheed is very stern, has a hot temper, and has high hopes for having children, specifically boys.