Literary Work Capsule: Hossenis A Thousand Splendid Suns Synopsis: Part I The novel A Thousand Splendid Suns tells

the story of two Afghan women of very different backgrounds, Mariam and Laila. Their lives become intertwined by the tumultuous political backdrop of Afghanistan and their vile shared husband, Rasheed. Mariam is the illegitimate child of Nana and Jalila wealthy man who Nana had worked for as a maid. Rejected by Jalils sister wives, he sets up a home for Nana and Mariam in a remote field near the city of Herat. Despite Nanas cynicism and warnings about men, Mariam has only fond feelings for her father, Jalil. Her childlike optimism builds to the point that she has the courage to venture to Jalils doorstep. She is crushed when her father refuses to answer. Even worse, she is met with the scene of a self inflicted hanging by her mother on returning home. Mariam is forced to live with Jalil. However, Jalils apathetic wives quickly give up Mariam, barely a teenager, to an arranged husband a few decades her senior. Jalil does nothing to stop it. Mariam moves far from Heart to Kabul where she must live with her oppressive husband. She has several miscarriages. Part II Laila is daughter to Mammy and Babi. Babi is considered by locals, including Rasheed, to be weak for not being domineering over his wife. Mammy berates Babi for not being a manly expert on fixing things around the house and in the car. Much of her scorn stems from the fact that Babi did not have the backbone to stop their sons from being participants in the Jihad revolution. The revolution was against the Russian communists who were occupying Afghanistan. On discovering the tragic news of their deaths, Mammy spends most of her time in her room mourning for her sons. Laila grows close and ultimately falls in love with Tariqa boy close in age to her. Eventually, the communists leave, but the government the proceeds it, controlled by Muslim warlords, only make life in Afghanistan even more violent and oppressive. Many families, including Tariqs, move away to safer countries. With Laila unable to leave her father and Tariq unsure that they would meet again, they make love for the first time. Babi convinces Mammy to leave Afghanistan, but, in the process of packing, a bomb strikes their home and only spares Laila. Part III Laila is rescued in the rubble by Mariam and Rasheed. They nurse to her health in their home. Rasheed treats Laila with affection because of her beauty and sophistication. His treatment of Laila cuts at Mariams heart with jealousy. Her feelings are only heightened when discovering that Rasheed wishes to propose to her. Laila gets news by a man that Tariq had died by a group of radical militants while traveling with his family as refugees. Secretly aware of her missed period, Laila reluctantly accepts his proposalfeeling she has nowhere else to go since Tariq is

dead and the country is war torn. Mariam is incredibly bitter towards Rasheeds new object of affection. Eventually, though, Lailas respect and courtesy towards Mariam leads them to become close friends. This bond is intensified by the birth of Lailas babya little girl called Aziza who takes a fast liking for Mariam. Rasheed is far from pleased by the birth of a girl rather than a boy. Rasheed had lost his son in a previous marriage, because the boy had drowned in a lake. Lailas obvious lack of romantic love for Rasheed and her baby girl cause him to scorn her as much as Mariam. Under constant oppression for ever minor offense around the household, Laila and Mariam try to leave the country. They are spotted by officials and are returned home. An enraged Rasheed returns home and locks the both of them and infant Aziza into separate rooms with no food for days. At the cusp of Azizas death, Rasheed lets them out. Laila goes on to bare a boy for Rasheed, Zalmai. With the country now switched over to Taliban rulethere is even further restrictions by the government. They have become so poor the family must sell nearly everything. To stay financially afloatthey put Aziza in an orphanage. Of course, Laila and Mariam are heartbroken. One day, a man comes to their doorstep. To the shock of Laila, the mystery man is in fact Tariq. She comes to realize that the story of his death was falsified by Rasheed to convince her to marry him. Zalmai was unable to keep their meeting a secret and admits their encounter to Rasheed. A scorned and bitter Laila does not hold back in her anger at Rasheed. Incensed at her boldness, Laila strangles her. Mariam tries in vain to free Laila from his grasp. As her last and only resort, she grabs a metal pot and slams it down on Rasheeds head. He is killed immediately. Laila promises to take Mariam with her and Tariq, but she insists on staying to take the blame for his death. She faces no sympathy by the Islamic courts and is put to death. Laila and Tariq get married and raise Zalmai and Aziza. Laila helps restore the orphanage to help further underprivileged children in Afghanistan. A letter from Jalil is discovered and in it he confesses his bitter sorrow for giving Mariam up the way he did. Laila figures in her heart that, wherever Mariam is, she can at last have closure and peace with this new information. Major Characters: Nana: Mariams eccentric and bitter mother. She feels scorned by Jalil for so quickly dismissing her and his daughter from his life. She sees how her situation is shared by many other women who are the victims of men. She sees how they have incredible power over their female counterparts and can do whatever they want with them. In Jalils case, he gets rid of the both of them for convenience and to save face. She prophetically warns Mariam to not get involved with menthey only bring sorrow and deceit. She ultimately kills herself because of her mental instability and Mariams venture to Jalils house. Mariam: The daughter of Nana and Jalil. She does not recognize her mothers warning till she learns it the hard way. Her mothers words haunt her whole life, because they were tragically true. Her oppressive and apathetic husband, Rasheed, treats her disrespectfully. Everyone around her has mistreated her. That is why Lailas gestures of love as well as her daughters affection bring Mariam great joy and contentment. Surrounded by hatred, Laila often questions

if anyone could love her, and when she finds it in these two, she has completeness in her life. She is willing to die for these two individuals and deliver them from the disgusting Rasheed. Jalil: The wealthy father of Mariam. He has three other wives. Though he pushes Mariam and Nana out of his life by placing them in the countryside, his visits to see Mariam bring her much joy. However, any of his kind actions toward Mariam ring hollow when he refuses to acknowledge her at his house. It brings about a crushing reality check for Mariam. He does not have the strength to stop a marriage arrangement between Mariam and Rasheed. Yet, he regrets this decision his whole life. He ends up with nothing because of the Taliban. He writes a letter to Mariam which is never received. In it he confesses his stupidity for shutting her out of his life to save face for his adultery. He recognizes how great of a daughter she was and how he lost out for losing that. He begs Mariam to forgive him for giving her up to Rasheed. Mullah Faizullah: A friend of Mariams. He teaches her the Koran and encourages her to excel in her education. Mariam appreciates his love for her despite the fact she was an illegitimate child. He never judges her based on this. Mullah was one of the few people in Mariams life who actually appreciates her and sees her talent. Rasheed: His first wife ends up dying. Furthermore, the son of his first wife drowns in a lake. He bares the guilt of knowing he was drunk that day and was not properly supervising his son. Rasheed has much bitterness towards his second wife, because she only miscarriages their children. It is as if he is being continually reminded of his sons death. Consequently, he blames his wifes inability to have a child on hereven though this is something she cannot control. His violent oppression over Mariam and Laila ultimately comes full circle when Mariam at last retaliates and kills him. Laila: A light haired, beautiful girl born in Kabul. She is caring for her father and even her motherwho is often absent because of her mourning. She does not scorn her mother for ignoring her. She falls in love with a neighboring boy called Tariq. Her compassion also extends to her sister wife, Mariam. They build a close bond. She shows a strong maternal care for Aziza and Zalmai. She is confident and willing to stand up at times against Rasheed. Babi: Babi is Lailas father. He is often considered weak for not being imposing on his wife. He tries to appreciate his countrys history. This appreciation of Afghanistans culture and past is all too ignored by the so-called Muslim nationalists who often destroy national artifacts. He dreams of moving to California with his family so they can have a better life. He is far from the weakling declared by others. He genuinely cares for his daughter and even his wifethough she often berates him and is absent in his life. Mammy: Mammy is Lailas mother. Though at one time outgoing and bubbly, the death of her sons while fighting as Jihad revolutionaries puts her in a perpetual state of mourning. She ignores her husband and daughter. She glorifies the Jihad revolutionaries. It is ironic how these

men she exonerates ultimately put the country in a worse state than the communists and even kill both Mammy and Babi. Tariq: Tariq is an outgoing and kind hearted friend to Laila. Tariq is missing a leg because of a landmine he stepped on when he was young. His friendship with Laila kindles into a romance. He is handsome and leanly muscular. He wants to take care of Laila but is parted from her by the violence in Afghanistan and Lailas desire to stay with her father. He eventually succeeds in reuniting with Laila and becomes a father for Lailas children. Aziza and Zalmai: Aziza and Zalmai are the children of Laila. Aziza is the daughter of Tariq, and Zalmai is the son of Rasheed. Aziza is intelligent and kind like her mother. When money was tight for her family, she had to go to an orphanage. She helps her mother take care of her younger half-brother, Zalmai. Zalmai is spoiled, loud mouthed, and brash like his father. He is spoiled mainly by Rasheed for being his son. Since he is spoiled, he often throws temper tantrums. When Rasheed is killed, he often asks where he has gone. Laila lies and tells him that Rasheed has simply left and she does not know when he will return. He initially resents Tariq for playing the father figure. However, with time these feelings in him pass. Historical Context Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, on March 4, 1965, Khaled Hosseni was the oldest of five siblings. Like Laila, Hosseni was born into the city of Kabul. During his childhood, Kabul was an economically booming and western influenced society as well as a staunch preserver of its Afghan traditions. Hosseni belonged to an affluent family and grew up in an upper class neighborhood. In 1970, Hosseni traveled with his family to live in Iran. In Iran, his reading of works such as Persian poetry and American literature sparked Hossenis desire to write short stories. Back in Afghanistan, tumultuous political events were occurring. Zahir Shah, the Afghan monarch, was overthrown by his cousin. During this troublesome period in Afghanistan, the Afghan Foreign Ministry moved the Hossenis to Paris. However, the family would be unable to return to their home as Afghanistan had been taken over by the Soviet Union. The Soviet run country would be the political backdrop of Lailas upbringing in the novel. Like Babis dream of taking his family to California, the Hossenis relocated to San Jose and were granted political asylum in the country. In America, Hosseni graduated high school. After high school, Hosseni achieved a degree in Biology as well as a Medical degree. Despite successfully assimilating into a life in America, Hosseni often reminisced about his days in Kabul. This nostalgia reignited his passion for writing and he began writing his first novel The Kite Runner. The novel became an international bestseller and was adapted into a feature film. However, Hossenis nostalgia was not entirely satisfied and in 2007 he published his second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns. (Sparknotes: The Kite Runner: Context)

Personal Reaction I thoroughly enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns, because I felt close to the characters of Mariam and Laila. Hosseni masterfully writes these characters. I feel for Mariam and the unjustness of her being handed over to Rasheed against her will. I feel for Laila and her being ripped from her Babi and Mammy. I feel for Lailas choice to stay with her father when Tariq left Afghanistan. I rooted for these characters and it made the emotional climax of Rasheeds death by the hands of Mariam all the more emotional and satisfactory. Mariams sacrifice for Laila and Aziza is so honorable and tragic. The whole book was enlightening on the culture of the Middle East and the oppression of women. Important Quotations One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls (Hosseni 172). The poem recited by Babi shows his appreciation for the city of Kabul and the country of Afghanistan. The poem is ironic, because despite all the beautiful things about Afghanistan such as its history and its beauty the country is also filled with violence between Jihadists and against women. I feel like Hosseni wishes that society in the Middle East could be as beautiful as its rich culture and past. 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 a woman who had loved and been loved back. She was leaving it as a friend, a companion, a guardian. A mother. A person of consequence at last. No. It was not so bad, Mariam thought, that she should die this way. Not so bad (Hosseni 329). Despite facing death, Mariam is content knowing she has found individuals that love her for who she is. With this sense of completeness, she is willing to stare death down without fear. I think Hosseni here is appealing to the broader themes of desiring to belong and the necessity of loved ones in life. By the time were twenty, Giti and I, well have pushed out four, five kids each. But you, Laila, youll make us two dummies proud. Youre going to be somebody. I know one day Ill pick up a newspaper and find your picture on the front page (Hosseni 364). Hosseni here is making a statement about a change for women in the Middle East through the character Laila. Laila has not settled to be a subservient house maker. She desires to be an active member of society and restore the country of Afghanistan to a place that is secure and a home. She represents a growing trend of women in the Middle East who wish to be more than just baby makers but be recognized for the talents as intelligent individuals.

How to Read Like an AP Student Prompt Responses Every Trip is a Quest Despite Nanas frequent warnings about the dangers of men, Mariam remains naively optimistic that one day her father will accept her into his family. Jalil seemed to show affection for the young girl when stopping by her house, showering her with gifts, and telling her stories. This pseudo-friendship gives Mariam the courage to ask her father if they could see a movie together in the cityPinnochio. Pressured to satisfy his daughter, Jalil finally spurts, Tomorrow. At noon. Ill meet you at this very spot. All right? Tomorrow? (Hosseni 25). However, because Mariam is an illegitimate product of an affair, such a trip to the city is a hopeless dream. Jalil is too concerned with his reputation to let such an affair surfaceespecially one that produced a child out of wedlock. It is imperative for Jalil to protect his prideeven if that involves isolating himself from his daughter. Not surprisingly, Jalil does not return to meet with Mariam the following day. However, Mariam is persistent and continues to justify her fathers absence. Finally, her patience wears thin: She waited until her legs were stiff. This time, she did not go back to the kolba. She rolled up the legs of her trousers to the knees and crossed the stream, and, for the first time in her life, headed to the hill for Herat (Hosseni 28). Refusing to believe her father had ignored her and desperate to be a part of his life, Mariam treks to the city of Kabul to find her father. When she manages to discover his sizable mansion, she excitedly knocks on the front door. Yet, there is no response. Persistent till the end, she steadfastly stays in the front yardwaiting for her father. But her father never answers. Mariams trip to the city not only is a physical revelation of a world outside her kolba, but also a sad realization that Nanas words were unfortunately true. She had been rejected by her father. To make things worse, when Nana dies, Jalil reluctantly obliges in giving Mariam over to a much older husband. Though Mariam begs Jalil to stop this, he remains silent and passive. Boarding a bus with a husband she does not love and knowing she will soon be living in a city far from home, she coldly states to Jalil, On Thursdays, I sat for hours waiting for you. I worried myself sick that you wouldnt show upI thought about you all the time. I used to pray that youd live be a hundred years old. I didnt know. I didnt know that you were ashamed of me (Hosseni 50). With these words, Mariam has vocalized the metamorphosis in her outlook on life. No longer would she blindly see others as well meaning and affectionate. This would only be reaffirmed through her abusive husband, Rasheed. Jalils rejection of Mariam would be the first of many rejections by others in her life. It would take a caring sister wife to change her cynicism towards the world. Nice to Eat With You Lailas spur of the moment meal with Mariam in their yard reflects a turning point in their relationship from contemptuous to affectionate. Up to that point, Mariam loathed Laila for all she represented. She was young, beautiful, and cultured. Laila had taken any attention from Mariam that was still present after decades of growing more estranged from her husband. Enraged at this child for taking anything left she had in her life, one tense conversation occured,

The girl [Laila] set the cup on the floor and put her hands out for the shirts, palms up, Im sorry about all of this, she croaked. You should be, Mariam said. You should be sorry. (Hosseni 203). Yet, Laila was not at all like Mariam had assumed. Far from the beautiful husband stealer Mariam accused her of being, Laila would be one of the few in her life who actually stand up for her. This realization was manifested after a violent altercation between Rasheed and Mariam. Bitter over Lailas lack of attraction to him, Rasheed yelled, I should have known that youd corrupt her, Rasheed spat on Mariam. He swung the belt, testing it against his own thigh. The buckle jingled loudlyStop it, bas! the girl said. Rasheed, you cant do this.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 (Hosseni 216). For the first time in Mariams life, someone had gone out of their way to protect her. When so many had abandoned her in lifeJalil, Nana, and RasheedLaila demonstrated she was an exception to this. Aware of Mariams scorn for her, Laila strives to show appreciation for her older sister wife instead of drawing away. One such act of kindness includes a warm dish of halwa and a couple worn folding chairs. At this pivotal turning point, the novel details, They sat on folding chairs outside and ate halwa with their fingers from a common bowl. They had a second cup, and when Laila asked her if she wanted a third Mariam said she did.And when Aziza woke up crying and Rasheed yelled for Laila to come up and shut her up, 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. (Hosseni 224). Lailas defense of Mariam when encountering Rasheed as well as this act of a shared meal mark the beginning of the close relationship between these two sister wives.

More Than Its Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence Violence is ever present in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns. However, violence plays different roles in the story. Specifically, there are two ends of the violence spectrum represented in the novel. One explosive example of bloodshed literally rips Laila from her family and security. Noting the final moments up to that tragic event, the novel elaborates, Laila dropped the books at her feet. She looked up to the sky. Shielded her eyes with one hand. Then a giant roar. Behind her, a flash of white. The ground lurched beneath her feet. Something hot and powerful slammed into her from behind. It knocked her out of her sandals. Lifted her up. And now she was flyingThen Laila struck the wall. Crashed to the ground. On her face and arms, a shower of dirt and pebbles and glass. The last thing she was aware of was seeing something thud to the ground nearby. A bloody chunk of something. (Hosseni 174)

The bloody death of Lailas family reflects the broader theme that violence is impartialit destroys all unbiased. It is ironic that Lailas mother, Mammy, largely supported the Jihad revolutionaries against the Soviet Union. However, such Jihadists were the individuals who sealed Mammys fate. The Jihadists Mammy praised as heroes and honored with shrines and prayers had killed her while fighting amongst themselves in a civil war. Surely the Jihadists did not intend such a fate for her, but they will never know this victim regardless. They will not mourn her loss. She will be forgotten like so many other innocent victims in the Afghanistan Civil War. Furthermore, Lailas father, Babi, is someone who trul y loves her and desires to see her lead a better life. In fact, if it were not for the missile that destroyed both parents, Babi planned to move to a more secure and financially profitable home in America. However, moments before embarking on this trip to a better life, violence dashes this opportunity. Only Laila is spared from the destruction, but it seems her survival is no blessing. Now an orphan in a war torn country, it seems violence is having a sadistic last laugh. Nevertheless, though violence does occur in the novel as an unmerciful destroyer, it also lends a hand in salvation for Laila and her children. After years of abuse by their shared husband and potentially witnessing the death of her sister wife, Mariam at last retaliates, Hes going to kill her, she thought. He really means to. And Mariam could not, would not, allow that to happen. Hed taken so much from her in twenty-seven years of marriage. She would not watch him take Laila too. Mariam steadied her feet and tightened her around the shovels handle. She raised it. She said his name. She wanted him to see (Hosseni 310). Mariam swings the shovel with near three decades of anger and victimization to fuel the blow. Despite a first impression from such a scene, such violence was a blessing in deliverance for Laila. Freed from her abusive and manipulative husband, violence would at last return the favor to a broken down Laila. It seems appropriate that violence takes everything from a young Laila and ultimately gives back in the form of freedom. Knowing she must take the fall for Rasheeds death, Mariam insists she must stay and urges Laila to run. Despite a seemingly sad fate with her execution for murder, Mariams violence against Rasheed saved a life and gave her a voice after years of silently taking her husbands blows. Although violence can at times be an unprejudiced taker, violence in instances such as self defense can also be a protector and savior. Like William Shakespeares Julius Caesar, Mariam commits an act of violence for the greater good. Just as Brutus kills Caesar to deliver the Roman public from an all powerful dictator, so also Mariam kills Rasheed to free Laila from a controlling and abusive husband. And although she shares a same fatal fate like Brutus, Mariam can have solace knowing she did the noble thing to do. Yes, Shes a Christ Figure, Too. Mariam takes on a Christ-like role in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns. Given up by her father and abused most of her life by a domineering husband, nearly all the individuals in Mariams life have mistreated her. This is not entirely different from Jesus Christ situation when

his Jewish community largely mistreated and rejected him. Yet, Mariams sister wife Laila changed all that. Laila showed love to Mariam even though she did not initially reciprocate it. When Lailas daughter, Aziza, was born, she also showed affection for the often abused woman. The demonstration of compassion by both Laila and her daughter at last gives Mariam a sense of completeness in her life. For these individuals, Mariam is willing to even give her life. This sense of selflessness and willingness to die for others echoes the attitude of Jesus Christ. By protecting Laila from death by killing their husband, she frees Laila from his abuse and control as well as certain death. Similar to Mariams sacrifice, Jesus gives his own life for the freedom of mankind from the bondage of sin. Just as Mariam saves Laila from death, so also Jesus sacrifice freed mankind from certain death in sin. Serene when facing death like the Christ, Mariam courageously states to Laila, For me, it ends here. Theres nothing more I want. Everything Id ever wished for as a little girl youve already given me. You and your children have made me so very happy. Its all right, Laila jo. This is all right. Dont be sad (Hosseni 319). Flight or Freedom? In a literal sense, Mariams decision to run off with Tariq seems to be a case of flight. After all, Laila cannot stick around and possibly be connected to her husbands murder. Though Laila had no part in Rasheeds death, Afghani law would most likely show little mercy for her either. Mariam understands this and insists that Laila leave immediately. She will stay behind and take the punishment for the murder she committed. However, after Mariam kills Rasheed to save her sister wife from death, it opens up the chance for Laila to live the life she always dreamed of with Tariq. This dream was an impossible fantasy with Rasheed as her husband. So, Rasheeds death did offer freedom for Laila in the form of a new life with the man she really loved. She is also free in the fact that she can start fresh in a new country, Pakistan. In a foreign country, no one will be able to pass judgment or know of her secret past. As the novel details, Sometimes on these outings, when they pass by a store window, Laila catches their reflections in it. Man, wife, daughter, son. To strangers, she knows, they must appear like the most ordinary of families, free of secrets, lies, and regrets (Hosseni 338). Laila is incredibly grateful for, Mariam, her sister wife who sacrificed her life for the sake of another. When reflecting on how Mariams last actions freed Laila from the vice grip of eternity with an abusive husband, the novel elaborates, Sometimes, as Laila watches Tariq sleep, as her children mutter and stir in their own sleep, a great big lump of gratitude catches in her throat, makes her eyes water (Hosseni 335). More than anything, Lailas freedom from Rasheed gave her the opportunity to make something of herself. In Rasheeds eyes, Laila was nothing more than a womansomeone who should speak when spoken and who should be treated like a subservient child. Lailas new life gives her the opportunity to give back to the community of Kabul and have a place of authority as the remodeler of an orphanage. The last chapter explains in regards to the orphanages construction, The orphanage playground has a row of apple sapling now.Laila is planning to plant some on the south wall as well as soon as it is rebuilt. There is a new swing

set, new monkey bars, and a jungle gym.They have repainted both the exterior and the interior of the orphanage.When Laila saw the article, shed thought of her childhood friends Giti and Hasina, and Hasina saying, By the time were twenty, Giti and I, well have pushed out four, five kids each. But you, Laila, youll make us two dummies proud. Youre going to be somebody. I know one day Ill pick up a newspaper and find your picture on the front page (Hosseni 364). Rasheeds death gave Laila the freedom to be married with someone she loved, have a clean slate in life, and be an active participant in her city.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. New York: Riverhead, 2007. Print. "SparkNotes: The Kite Runner: Context." SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular Study Guides. Web. 13 Aug. 2011. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-kite-runner/context.html>.