A Thousand Splendid Suns Character Analysis

In the story the reader finds out that men blame women for not doing there so called marriage responsibilities. In the book Rasheed blames mariam for not being able to have a child. They have multiple conversations about her being unable to have a child in the book. Shortly after the baby died Mariam said, “ A change had come over Rasheed ever since the day at the bathhouse. Most nights when he came home, he

In the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini contrasts Mariam’s path of overcoming adversity with Nana’s path of enduring to ultimately show that despite the adversity you face, overcoming it allows you to bring fulfillment to your life. As a young child Mariam is taught that the “only skill a woman” needs in order to survive in their society is to “endure”(Hosseini 17). Teaching this to Mariam was Nana’s way of passing on her idea of facing adversity. Nana’s path of enduring leads to her becoming a person full of hatred and distaste. Soon the guilt inside her reaches a breaking point leading to her suicide.

From the start of the novel, the reader can notice some complexity with the character Mariam. Battles are constantly fought within her head: what do to do or what not to do, what she knows is right and what she thinks is best. This complexity, however, demonstrates the round characteristics Mariam holds. This quote shows the complex relationship that Mariam has with her father, a man who did not raise her and did not legitimize her. She once worshipped him and even chose him over her mother, the person who raised her, but as a result lead to her mother's suicide. Ultimately, her mother's death gave her the opportunity to live with her father, something she longed for, but the outcome disappointed her as he was quick to get rid of her. Through this, she comes to the realize her mother's past warnings about her father only being a “father” for penance, was true. Therefore, her character develops from a small little girl whose love for her father is so strong it blinds her, to a somewhat matured young adult whose eyes have finally opened to the realities and cruelties of the world.

Throughout her narrative, Mariam was very separated from the world since birth. She welcomed her mother's words that all a woman needs is the ability to endure pain and suffering. Mariam had done just that throughout her whole life, shown throughout the novel. Mariam is cut off from everyone else and from the beginning doesn’t welcome the change of justice in a world where injustice reigns king. This changes through her relationship with Laila. It becomes very important when Rasheed is about to abuse and hurt Laila. At that moment, Mariam becomes a character who responds in a very significant way to injustice. This happens for both these female characters. Internally, Mariam realizes that she had given most of her years to Rasheed

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a real life depiction of the oppressed women of Afghanistan’s controlled existence. Since the beginning of Afghanistan’s history, women have been degraded and abused. Afghanistan’s women have endured such injustices as being married off as young as 13, not allowed to go to school, unable to leave home without a male escort, to name a few. Most noticeable was the fact that the women were required to cover their entire body, from head to toe, with a burqa.

Rasheed asks Laila to marry him, since Laila is lonely and has no one she has no other choice than to say yes to him. Laila then ends up marrying him. She also has to deal with Rasheed’s violence and abuse. Another example is when Laila and Mariam try to escape but end up back at Rasheed’s where they are badly beaten and locked up in bedrooms and are not given food or water and because of this they have become very weak and can’t move. This shows the reader that Rasheed doesn’t care about Laila, and Mariam and just sees them as property not human beings.

On one half of the story, Mariam is set with a father, Jalil, that intermittently visits her, since he was troubled with difficulties from his former spouse, her mother, Nana, which is a strong woman, able to raise Mariam throughout her childhood single-handedly. Jalil, time to time, visits Mariam to show his affection, though, early in the novel, Jalil doesn’t show much love for Mariam; it is more of an latent feeling that still needs nourishment to fully be expressed. Jalil at first is seemingly treacherous and speaks with treason;

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

Her ultimate test is being forced to live with a repulsive human being, Rasheed. Mariam does everything in her power to please this man, and is shown “gratitude” with beatings. Mariam is afraid of her mentally and physically abusive husband, but never admits it to a living soul. The inability for Mariam to bear child eats away at her psyche as she is overcome with grief. She blames herself, Rasheed, and God. At times, Mariam dwells on the past, and wishes she could change it to alter the present state in which she lives; with the exception of Laila and the

She feels pity for Laila since she recognizes the way Rasheed slowly starts to lose “appreciation” for Laila and her youthfulness after she does not give birth to a son. Illustrated in part three on page 238, Mariam also starts to feel admiration for the girl regarding how much Laila shows her love for her baby girl. Mariam begins to care for Laila and her baby even more after Laila stops Rasheed from abusing her. She takes this dearly since no one has ever stood up for her before. After the incident and revelation of Mariam’s feelings, Laila and Mariam began to drink tea, talk and do their chores together. On Page 251 in part three, Mariam reveals how she “found herself looking forward to the sound of Laila’s cracked slippers slapping the steps as she came down for breakfast and to the tinkle of Aziza’s shrill laugh, to her eight little teeth, the milky scent of her skin.” She also forms a close relationship with Aziza, as Aziza makes her feel wanted. As Mariam and Laila’s relationship develops their union against Rasheed’s actions grows as

In result of Rasheed’s verbal and physical abuse towards Mariam, she is no longer quick to trust new people. Mariam meets Lalia and automatically feels threatened and replaced by her presence. Mariam is envious that Rasheed treats Lalia well at first, as he once did to her. Therefore

This emotional oppression is destructive but Abraham is too blind to realize how harmful his actions are. Wailes confirms that Mary is lost, “Maria [Mary] harbors no hope of forgiveness for her initial lapse, and this hopelessness drives her to the whorehouse and keeps her there” (17). The only time that Mary is able to be alone and aware of her feelings is at the brothel because she is not under the direct control of Abraham or Effrem. Therefore, with her inconsolable self-perception, Abraham uses this opportunity to convince Mary that he will assume responsibility for her sins, but only if she will return back to the hermitage (Hrotsvit of Gandersheim 133). He leaves her with no options, neither choice nor feelings. In response, Mary promises

The universe, nevertheless, preserves and presents its distinct movements in a punctilious list; and though man disobeys its order by managing the shape and number of its descending events, with time he fills the place which the caring symbols lost. Providence, moreover, displays its expansive and immeasurable wisdom in the minuscule signs that deliver to this friend and his mates the incipient figures of their rising ignorance.

Nora does not want help from her husband, when Torvald ask her if he can help her, she replied by saying “No. I can receive nothing from a stranger” (91). Nora must learn to become a better mother. She knows nothing about being a good mother or how to raise children, besides playing with them. She does not believe she is fit mother, and she wanted to leave her children behind. Nora wants to learn about herself, and maybe become a good mother one day. She need time to develop herself first, before becoming a good mother. In addition, Nora must decide whose value are right-hers or society’s. Nora does not believe she had done anything wrong, she does not believe she broken the law. She wanted to learn more about the laws and society, she needed to see whose value matter, she want to know if she was wrong for taking the loan out to treated her

According to many critics Khaled Hosseini’s international bestseller novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, is a heartbreaking novel that is sure to make the readers connect with the characters in the novel. “You say that you love rain, but you open your umbrella when it rains. You say that you love the sun, but you find a shadow spot when the sun shines. You say that you love the wind, but you close your windows when wind blows. This is why I am afraid, you say that you love me too.” (Original version in Turkish, translated by William Shakespeare). This quote means that actions do not define words, in fact actions are more powerful. In the novel the main protagonists struggle with the loss of their loved ones whether it is by death, or conflict, and it deeply affects their personality, also makes them see the world from a different point of view. Per example, Mariam has lost her mother, along with her father, which made her a loving and loyal woman. Rasheed on the other hand has lost both his wife, also his son, which made him violent, depressive and cold-hearted. Lastly Laila losing both of her parents and Mariam has turned her into a resilient character.