literary essay a thousand splendid suns

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A Woman’s Lot in Kabul, Lower Than a House Cat’s

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By Michiko Kakutani

• May 29, 2007

It’s not that hard to understand why Khaled Hosseini’s first novel, “The Kite Runner” (2003), became such a huge best seller, based largely on word of mouth and its popularity among book clubs and reading groups. The novel read like a kind of modern-day variation on Conrad’s “Lord Jim,” in which the hero spends his life atoning for an act of cowardice and betrayal committed in his youth. It not only gave readers an intimate look at Afghanistan and the difficulties of life there, but it also showed off its author’s accessible and very old-fashioned storytelling talents: his taste for melodramatic plotlines; sharply drawn, black-and-white characters; and elemental boldfaced emotions.

Whereas “The Kite Runner” focused on fathers and sons, and friendships between men, his latest novel, “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” focuses on mothers and daughters, and friendships between women. Whereas “Kite Runner” got off to a gripping start and stumbled into contrivance and sentimentality in its second half, “Splendid Suns” starts off programmatically and gains speed and emotional power as it slowly unfurls.

Like its predecessor, the new novel features a very villainous villain and an almost saintly best friend who commits an act of enormous self-sacrifice to aid the hero/heroine. Like its predecessor, it attempts to show the fallout that Afghanistan’s violent history has had on a handful of individuals, ending in death at the hands of the Taliban for one character, and the promise of a new life for another. And like its predecessor, it features some embarrassingly hokey scenes that feel as if they were lifted from a B movie, and some genuinely heart-wrenching scenes that help redeem the overall story.

Mr. Hosseini, who was born in Kabul and moved to the United States in 1980, writes in straight-ahead, utilitarian prose and creates characters who have the simplicity and primary-colored emotions of people in a fairy tale or fable. The sympathy he conjures for them stems less from their personalities (the hero of “Kite Runner” was an unlikable coward who failed to come to the aid of his best friend) than from the circumstances in which they find themselves: contending with unhappy families, abusive marriages, oppressive governments and repressive cultural mores.

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In the case of “Splendid Suns,” Mr. Hosseini quickly makes it clear that he intends to deal with the plight of women in Afghanistan, and in the opening pages the mother of one of the novel’s two heroines talks portentously about “our lot in life,” the lot of poor, uneducated “women like us” who have to endure the hardships of life, the slights of men, the disdain of society.

This heavy-handed opening quickly gives way to even more soap-opera-ish events: after her mother commits suicide, the teenage Mariam — the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy man, who is ashamed of her existence — is quickly married off to a much older shoemaker named Rasheed, a piggy brute of a man who says it embarrasses him “to see a man who’s lost control of his wife.”

Rasheed forces Mariam to wear a burqa and treats her with ill-disguised contempt, subjecting her to scorn, ridicule, insults, even “walking past her like she was nothing but a house cat.” Mariam lives in fear of “his shifting moods, his volatile temperament, his insistence on steering even mundane exchanges down a confrontational path that, on occasion, he would resolve with punches, slaps, kicks, and sometimes try to make amends for with polluted apologies and sometimes not.”

The life of the novel’s other heroine, Laila, who becomes Rasheed’s second wife, takes an even sharper trajectory toward ruin. Though she is the cherished daughter of an intellectual, who encourages her to pursue an education, Laila finds her life literally shattered when a rocket — lobbed by one of the warlord factions fighting for control of Kabul, after the Soviet Union’s departure — lands on her house and kills her parents.

Her beloved boyfriend, Tariq, has already left Kabul with his family — they have become refugees in Pakistan — and she suddenly finds that she is an orphan with no resources or friends. When she discovers that she is pregnant with Tariq’s child and learns that Tariq has supposedly died from injuries sustained in a rocket attack near the Pakistan border, she agrees to marry Rasheed, convinced that she and her baby will never survive alone on the streets of Kabul.

At first Mariam sees Laila as a rival and accuses her of stealing her husband, but when Laila’s baby, Aziza, arrives, Mariam begins to soften. Gradually, she and Laila become allies, trying to shield each other from Rasheed’s rages and demands. Mariam becomes a second mother to Aziza, and she and Laila become best friends.

In the opening chapters of the book the characters are so one-dimensional that they feel like cartoons. Laila is the great beauty, with a doting father and a protective boyfriend — a lucky girl whose luck abruptly runs out. Mariam is the illegitimate daughter of a bitter woman and a disloyal father — an unlucky girl whose luck turns from bad to worse. And Rasheed is the evil bully, a misogynist intent on debasing his two wives.

Gradually, however, Mr. Hosseini’s instinctive storytelling skills take over, mowing down the reader’s objections through sheer momentum and will. He succeeds in making the emotional reality of Mariam and Laila’s lives tangible to us, and by conjuring their day-to-day routines, he is able to give us a sense of what daily life was like in Kabul — both before and during the harsh reign of the Taliban.

He shows us the Taliban’s “beard patrols,” roaming the streets in Toyota trucks “on the lookout for clean-shaven faces to bloody.” He shows us hospitals turning away women in labor because men and women are supposed to be seen at different hospitals. And he shows us the “ ‘Titanic’ fever” that gripped Kabul in the summer of 2000, when pirated copies of that film turned up in the city: entertainment-starved people surreptitiously dug out their TVs (which had been hidden away, even buried in backyards) and illicitly watched the movie late at night, and riverside vendors began selling Titanic carpets, Titanic deodorant, Titanic toothpaste, even Titanic burqas.

In the end it is these glimpses of daily life in Afghanistan — a country known to most Americans only through news accounts of war and terrorism — that make this novel, like “The Kite Runner,” so stirring, and that distract attention from its myriad flaws.

The Books of The Times review yesterday, about “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” by Khaled Hosseini, misspelled a character’s name. She is Laila, not Lila.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

By Khaled Hosseini

Vibrant descriptive language, potent analogies, a non-linear narrative structure, and a strong sense of empathy and sympathy for his characters are all hallmarks of 'A Thousand Splendid Suns.' These components come together to tell a story that is memorable and heartfelt.

Article written by Charles Asoluka

Degree in Computer Engineering. Passed TOEFL Exam. Seasoned literary critic.

The literary style of ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ by Khaled Hosseini is lyrical, tragic, evocative, and emotionally intense. Hosseini’s writing style captures the complexity and emotional depth of this period in the historical fiction novel set in Afghanistan amid a turbulent moment of political and social turmoil.

The way ‘ A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ illuminated the lives of Afghan women was one of its most noticeable cultural effects. The book’s clear and honest account of the country’s rampant brutality and mistreatment of women raised attention to a problem that had previously gone unnoticed. The book spurred discussions about the significance of gender equality and the need for women’s rights in Afghanistan and other nations.

Style of Prose

Hosseini’s use of descriptive language is one of his writing techniques that stands out the most. He has a gift for using words to paint detailed pictures, which makes it possible for readers to imagine the settings and characters in his book . For instance, Hosseini calls the sky “an infinite expanse of blue” and the sun “a relentless heat” in the book’s opening scene. The atmosphere that is established by these descriptions strongly influences how the rest of the novel will be.

Hosseini’s frequent use of metaphorical language is another important aspect of his writing style. He uses metaphors to assist readers understand difficult emotions and concepts throughout the entire book. For instance, despite the fact that Mariam and Laila are not blood relatives, he compares their bond to that of a mother and daughter. This symbolic parallel highlights the strong kinship that forms between the two women as they cope with the difficulties of living in a war-torn country like Afghanistan.

The way Hosseini tells stories is also noteworthy. The story swings back and forth in time as a result of the author’s non-linear narrative structure, showing various facets of the individuals’ lives and backgrounds. By using this strategy, the author builds a sense of suspense and mystery that keeps readers interested as they try to connect the story’s numerous threads.

A Thousand Splendid Suns as Historical Fiction

The genre of historical fiction involves fictional characters and story devices while being based on actual historical events or times. Hosseini uses his personal experiences growing up in Afghanistan and his considerable research into the nation’s history to paint a vivid and accurate picture of life there in ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns.’ He goes into great detail about Afghanistan’s political climate, social mores, and cultural customs at the time the book is set.

Nonetheless, the story of ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ also borrows from other genres, such as drama, romance, and bildungsroman (coming of age). The book is a highly intimate account of the two women’s lives, which are chock-full of love, grief, triumphs, and tragedies. The story also examines themes found in numerous literary genres , such as family, friendship, loyalty, sacrifice, and resiliency.

Symbolism in A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mariam and Nana reside in a kolba, a mud and clay house that is little better than a shelter for animals. It serves as a reminder of Nana’s degrading status as a woman, a maid, and the unwed mother of a kid. It also represents Mariam’s spirit to Laila. On their route to Kabul, she and Tariq stop at the kolba. Mariam is pictured by Laila in the kolba as a lively, happy girl who enjoys life and makes the most of her circumstances. The visits from Mullah Faizullah and Jalil did add some joy to Mariam’s kolba childhood. Mariam uses those instances of affection and consideration to keep herself content and concentrated on the positive aspects of her life. The kolba represents Mariam’s ability to experience both shameful deprivation and love in spite of her surroundings.

The burqa is a representation of the power that a man has over a woman, particularly over a wife. Mariam is required to cover her face in public, according to Rasheed, since “a woman’s face is her husband’s business” and his business only. No one is permitted to see Mariam’s appearance, but Laila can during funeral rites. In those situations, Mariam is permitted to don a headscarf; nevertheless, in all other situations, she is required to don the burqa. Observant Muslim women cover themselves to varying degrees, with the burqa being the most stringent option. The woman can only see through a screen that is placed in front of her eyes. Because of their restricted field of view, Mariam and Laila struggle to adapt to the burqa and end up tripping over its hem. Mariam is told by Rasheed that she might even come to like the burqa, but he assumes that she prefers to go unnoticed by others. At first, Mariam finds comfort in the idea that her husband will look out for her. She appreciates the shielding from the outside world it appears to provide. But, Rasheed’s harsh treatment of women and low perception of them negate any benefits from the burqa, which also comes to represent her isolation as a victim of violence and a woman.

Bamiyan Buddhas

The enormous love the individuals have for their nation is symbolized by the magnificent Buddha statues Babi takes Laila and Tariq to see. This scenario perfectly captures how history and major occasions in the characters’ lives intertwine. Babi discusses his aspirations for the future while he recounts the history of the Buddhas. Sadly, this will be the last enjoyable interaction Laila has had with both her father and Tariq for a time. Laila will appreciate that moment in the future because she saw a different, more contemplative side of her late father there, and it gave her hope for a better future. The presence of Tariq, for whom Laila has deep romantic affection, heightens the gravity of the moment. Later, Laila discovers that the Buddhas were destroyed by the Taliban despite a global campaign to keep them on the mountain. This deed represents the eradication of Laila’s treasured memory as well as Afghanistan’s history. Laila is brought back to that time when she receives the news since it was so kind.

Rasheed’s Gun

The physical representation of Rasheed’s power is his rifle. Mariam is appalled to realize that her new husband values violence and sex when she discovers it in the drawer with his filthy mags. She discovers photos of his deceased wife and son, though, and this deepens the meaning of the rifle. Rasheed has turned his tragedy into a weak and toxic masculinity that depends on maintaining power no matter what. Rasheed uses his gun to terrorize both his wives and other people throughout the entire book. Rasheed becomes more violent and relies on his pistol to demonstrate his dominance as the narrative unfolds, just as gunshots and rocket launches reverberate loudly outside his home. As Kabul’s unrest causes him to skip work, the one location where he can prove his worth, he brazenly fires into the street. He places the gun in Laila’s mouth after she refuses to carry out his directive to have Aziza ply her trade on the streets, endangering his authority over the family. The level of aggression he is currently displaying toward Laila is the highest. Rasheed’s power is finally taken from him at the novel’s conclusion when Mariam kills him before he can use the gun to protect himself.

A Thousand Splendid Suns: A Captivating Tale of Resilience

Book Title: A Thousand Splendid Suns

Book Description: 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Khaled Hosseini tells the powerful story of Mariam and Laila, two Afghan women bound by adversity, as they navigate love, sacrifice, and resilience amidst war.

Book Author: Khaled Hosseini

Book Edition: First Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Riverhead Books

Date published: May 23, 2007

ISBN: 978-1594483851

Number Of Pages: 432

• Writing Style
• Lasting Effect on the Reader

‘A Thousand Splendid Suns,’  by Khaled Hosseini narrates the tale of Mariam and Laila, two Afghan women whose lives entangle under persecution and conflict. While Mariam and Laila fight to survive and find purpose in a world that wants to restrict their opportunities and freedom, the book examines topics like love, sacrifice, and the resiliency of the human spirit.

• It tells the history of Afghanistan well.
• It is rousing, compassionate, and moving.
• It is easy to comprehend.
• It is, sometimes, overly simplistic.
• The character development is somewhat spotty.

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About Charles Asoluka

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Khaled hosseini, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

None of the characters in the novel is a stranger to pain and suffering, either physical or emotional. However, this suffering takes different forms. The loss of loved ones brings its own kind of acute pain—often in a way that seems to lack any kind of redemption. On the other hand, there are other types of suffering that the characters willingly endure in the service of others.

A Thousand Splendid Suns seems to grapple with how to create a hierarchy of grief and suffering: is the loss of Laila’s brothers, after Babi (or so Mammy accuses him) allowed them to fight the Mujahideen, somehow worse than the random rocket that killed Laila’s friend Giti ? The characters grapple with such suffering in different ways. Mammy takes refuge in her dark bedroom following her sons’ deaths and never quite seems to be able to overcome her grief. Laila is more pragmatic: she marries Rasheed not despite but because of her parents’ death, which she sees as her only option. The novel seems to promote this kind of perseverance over the immobilization that can stem from suffering. Though the suffering that the characters have experienced might be impossible to undo, there is value and strength to be drawn from their ability to endure.

This is especially the case when the characters choose willingly to suffer. Laila, for instance, willingly submits to beatings by the Taliban for traveling as a woman alone, just so that she has the chance of seeing and spending time with her daughter Aziza at the orphanage. Mariam, of course, chooses to kill Rasheed so as to give Laila a chance of a better life, knowing all the same that she will be convicted and executed by the Taliban as a result. This ability to suffer willingly for the benefit of others is portrayed as something women in particular excel at. From Laila’s horrifically painful childbirth to Mariam’s sacrifice, women endure their own suffering and even add to it themselves.

Suffering and Perseverance ThemeTracker

Suffering and Perseverance Quotes in A Thousand Splendid Suns

She understood then what Nana meant, that a harami was an unwanted thing: that she, Mariam, was an illegitimate person who would never have legitimate claim to the things other people had, things such as love, family, home, acceptance.

“It’s our lot in life, Mariam. Women like us. We endure. It’s all we have. Do you understand?”

For the first time, Mariam could hear [Jalil] with Nana’s ears. She could hear so clearly now the insincerity that had always lurked beneath, the hollow, false assurances.

“ One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs,

Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.”

“But I’m a different breed of man, Mariam. Where I come from, one wrong look, one improper word, and blood is spilled. Where I come from, a woman’s face is her husband’s business only. I want you to remember that. Do you understand?”

It wasn’t easy tolerating him talking this way to her, to bear his scorn, his ridicule, his insults, his walking past her like she was nothing but a house cat. But after four years of marriage, Mariam saw clearly how much a woman could tolerate when she was afraid.

“To me, it’s nonsense—and very dangerous nonsense at that—all this talk of I’m Tajik and you’re Pashtun and he’s Hazara and she’s Uzbek. We’re all Afghans, and that’s all that should matter. But when one group rules over the others for so long…There’s contempt. Rivalry. There is. There always has been.”

It was hard to feel, really feel, Mammy’s loss. Hard to summon sorrow, to grieve the deaths of people Laila had never really thought of as alive in the first place. Ahmad and Noor had always been like lore to her. Like characters in a fable. Kings in a history book.

It was Tariq who was real, flesh and blood.

“And that, my young friends, is the story of our country, one invader after another. [...] Macedonians. Sassanians. Arabs. Mongols. Now the Soviets. But we’re like those walls up there. Battered, and nothing pretty to look at, but still standing.”

There would come a day, in fact, years later, when Laila would no longer bewail his loss. Or not as relentlessly; not nearly. There would come a day when the details of his face would begin to slip from memory’s grip, when overhearing a mother on the street call after her child by Tariq’s name would no longer cut her adrift. She would not miss him as she did now, when the ache of his absence was her unremitting companion—like the phantom pain of an amputee.

All day, this poem about Kabul has been bouncing around in my head. Saib-e-Tabrizi wrote it back in the seventeenth century, I think. I used to known the whole poem, but all I can remember now is two lines:

Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls .’”

The girl was looking back as if waiting for Mariam to pass on some morsel of wisdom, to say something encouraging. But what wisdom did Mariam have to offer? What encouragement? Mariam remembered the day they’d buried Nana and how little comfort she had found when Mullah Faizullah had quoted the Koran for her.

She was remembering the day the man from Panjshir had come to deliver the news of Ahmad’s and Noor’s deaths. She remembered Babi, white-faced, slumping on the couch, and Mammy, her hand flying to her mouth when she heard. Laila had watched Mammy come undone that day and it had scared her, but she hadn’t felt any true sorrow. She hadn’t understood the awfulness of her mother’s loss. Now another stranger bringing news of another death. Now she was the one sitting on the chair. Was this her penalty, then, her punishment for being aloof to her own mother’s suffering?

But, miraculously, something of her former life remained, her last link to the person that she had been before she had become so utterly alone. A part of Tariq still alive inside her, sprouting tiny arms, growing translucent hands. How could she jeopardize the only thing she had left of him, of her old life?

Laila examined Mariam’s drooping cheeks, the eyelids that sagged in tired folds, the deep lines that framed her mouth—she saw these things as though she too were looking at someone for the first time. And, for the first time, it was not an adversary’s face Laila saw but a face of grievances unspoken, burdens gone unprotested, a destiny submitted to and endured.

“Why have you pinned your heart to an old, ugly hag like me?” Mariam would murmur into Aziza’s hair. “Huh? I am nobody, don’t you see? A dehati. What have I got to give you?”

But Aziza only muttered contentedly and dug her face in deeper. And when she did that, Mariam swooned. Her eyes watered. Her heart took flight. And she marveled at how, after all these years of rattling loose, she had found in this little creature the first true connection in her life of false, failed connections.

[Mariam] had passed these years in a distant corner of her mind. A dry, barren field, out beyond dream and disillusionment. There, the future did not matter. And the past held only this wisdom: that love was a damaging mistake, and its accomplice, hope, a treacherous illusion.

Laila dropped the spoke because she could not accept what the Mujahideen readily had: that sometimes in war innocent life had to be taken. Her war was against Rasheed. The baby was blameless. And there had been enough killing already. Laila had seen enough killing of innocents caught in the cross fire of enemies.

Mariam regretted her foolish, youthful pride now. She wished now that she had let him in. what would have been the harm to let him in, sit with him, let him say what he’d come to say? He was her father. He’d not been a good father, it was true, but how ordinary his faults seemed now how forgivable, when compared to Rasheed’s malice, or to the brutality and violence that she had seen men inflict on one another.

[Laila] thought of Aziza’s stutter, and of what Aziza had said earlier about fractures and powerful collisions deep down and how sometimes all we see on the surface is a slight tremor.

Though there had been moments of beauty in it. Mariam knew that life for the most part had been unkind to her. But as she walked the final twenty paces, she could not help but wish for more of it. […] Yet as she closed her eyes, it was not regret any longer but a sensation of abundant peace that washed over her. She thought of her entry into this world, the harami daughter of a lowly villager, an unintended thing, a pitiable, regrettable accident. A weed. And yet she was leaving the world as a woman who had loved and been loved back.

A Thousand Splendid Suns: Context

Historical and political context.

A Thousand Splendid Suns takes place in Afghanistan from the 1960s to the early 2000s. This period is marked by various significant political changes starting from the monarchic rule of Mohammed Zahir Shah to the ousting of the Taliban.

The Soviet invasion in 1979 significantly influences the course of the novel, leading to a huge exodus of Afghans to neighbouring countries and filling the narrative with war and violence.

The dominance of the Mujahideen and the Taliban marked the country’s continued instability, with each regime imposing its ideologies and restrictions, particularly impacting women’s rights.

Cultural and Social Context

The novel brings to light Afghan cultural norms and traditions , often marked by deep-rooted patriarchy. This is reflected in Rasheed’s abusive treatment of his wives, Laila and Mariam, and their position in society.

The practice of polygamy , as seen in Rasheed’s marriages, was and is still prevalent in certain parts of Afghan society.

The novel highlights the status of women , their subjugation and marginalisation, showcasing the disparity and unfair treatment they receive, such as the inability to move freely without a male companion during the Taliban regime.

Literary Context

Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns is often compared to his debut novel, The Kite Runner . Both novels explore themes of familial love, sacrifice, and the effects of war-torn Afghanistan on individual lives.

The novel is grounded in the style of realism , drawing from the socio-political conditions of the time. Hosseini’s vivid descriptions and character portrayals aim to provide an immersive experience of the lived realities of his protagonists.

A Thousand Splendid Suns embraces elements of tragedy , particularly notable in Mariam’s life story, fostering a deep sense of empathy within readers.

Finally, the novel can be viewed as a bildungsroman for Laila, documenting her life journey from a hopeful, ambitious girl to a woman who has endured unimaginable hardships, yet emerges resilient, ultimately contributing towards her nation’s rebuilding efforts.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns: A Literary Criticism

A literary criticism on A Thousand Splendid Suns of Khaled Hosseini

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Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL)

Afreen Zubair

Afghanistan is a land of multi-cultural diversity, rich tradition with a dominant historical and political background. Hosseini describes the captivating beauty and the traditional values of Afghanistan, also the foreign influences that reform the rich diverse long-established values on the political, religious, or cultural grounds. We are given to understand that Taliban forces people to follow tenants of Islam but they fail to do so and on the contrary, they involve in sexual exploitation of women, brutal murders, human trafficking, and much more. The cultural beliefs of Afghanistan were intermixed with the fundamentalist ideology of the Taliban and modernity of the West which resulted in multi-culturalism and loss of traditional ethos. War and invasions dragged Afghanistan down to sub-normality instead of development. Hosseini’s novel A Thousand Splendid Suns portrays historical, cultural, and social aspects of Afghanistan through the story of Mariam, Laila, Rashid, and Tariq while tracing the cultural change there by civil war and invasions. Also, Hosseini’s narrative style in A Thousand Splendid Suns voices his western influence in which he upholds the West in the novel and portrays the East as downtrodden.

TJPRC Publication

Instead of employing traditional Post Colonial mode of representation, the present research aims at the textual analysis of an Afghan-American writer Khaled Hosseini’s two novels — And The Mountains Echoed and A Thousand Splendid Suns under the Cultural mode of representation. Delimited to Raymond Williams’ concepts of cultural criticism i.e. ‘documentary’ and ‘social’, the analysis is comparative in nature that highlights the quality of representation of Afghan culture in the works under study. Social institution of Marriage documented by Hosseini is compared with the real Afghan culture derived from the historical background of Afghanistan. This will, hopefully, lead the critics towards a new mode of analysis.

Berlyn Estimada

Abstract - What happens in society is reflected in literary works as literature mirror society. Words in a a literary piece can speak a volume of messages. It can be women’s voices sending a message that they can stand against male oppressions and suppressions. Khaled Hosseini's novel ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ highlights the marginalization of Afghanistan women and the subjugation of men in a patriarchal society. The heart of the novel is how the generation apart poor villager woman and a smart educated one become intimate, form friendship, and develop a sisterhood relationship while resisting patriarchal oppression and political upheavals. This study explores how men act in a patriarchal society, and how they oppress, discriminate, and marginalize women. Thus, this study uses the radical feminism perspective to analyze the experiences of women from three generations with regard to gender inequality and their role in society. Findings reveal that women are victims in a male-dominated household. They are oppressed, suppressed, harassed, and marginalized. Amidst these, special bonds and sisterhood are developed to resist patriarchy, courage is realized, and freedom is redeemed.

BL College journal

DR. S A B R E E N A H M E D

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A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini

A Thousand Splendid Suns is the second novel written by Khaled Hosseini. A Thousand Splendid Suns essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provid...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns Essays

Symbolism in a thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini nkiru okocha 12th grade, a thousand splendid suns.

Symbolism is a powerful tool used to represent key points and messages across in stories. The symbols present in A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini reveal important details in the development of the story. The table, where Mariam sits...

The Lasting Effects of Abuse in Miriam’s Life Joseph Ryan Baker

Miriam, a main character in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, experiences extreme physical, mental, and sexual abuse from virtually every authority figure in her life. Using Hosseini’s book and Erik Erickon’s Psychosocial stages of development,...

Strength Within Struggle Anonymous 12th Grade

There are certain aspects of the human experience that every one of us can identify with on a certain level. This is what allows us to connect with one another and to develop empathetic and compassionate outlooks. That being said, there are...

Oppression of Women: A Comparison of A Thousand Splendid Suns and Tess of the D'Ubervilles Anonymous 12th Grade

Andrea Dworkin, claimed that, ‘Women have been taught that, for us, the earth is flat, and that if we venture out, we will fall off the edge’, this is shown within both novels as the female characters are presented as being controlled within...

The Sun Shines on Olympus Aaliyah Warrington 12th Grade

Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns does more than tell the story of two ordinary women struggling in war-torn Afghanistan but, describes what would happen if the Gods of Mount Olympus were sent to live in the country during its pre and...

Comparing "Osama" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns" Hannah Wittenstein 9th Grade

After years of abuse, Mariam, the protagonist of A Thousand Splendid Suns , looks back and examines herself: “What harmful thing had she willfully done to this man to warrant his malice, his continual assaults, the relish with which he tormented...

Cultural and Historical Influences Found in Six Characters in Search of an Author, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and Candide Anonymous College

Every culture has certain historical events that alter the way that culture functions and appears. For much of the world, the world wars were this historical influence. Many countries had not experienced such a sudden loss in population, and for...

Laila's Character Development Dean Lundie College

When Laila is introduced at the beginning of part two, the reader recognises that she represents the new, modern ideals that stem from the communist revolution in 1979. From being called ‘Revolutionary girl’ by her teacher, due to her being born...

Pride and Afghanistans Nicole Rong 10th Grade

When pride is prioritized, morality is compromised at the expense of others. Despite this being a desparingly unfortunate scenario, this case appears more often than one would think. As shown in the bildungsroman The Kite Runner by Khaled...

Overcoming the Ultimate Tragedy: Understanding 'Life Is Beautiful' and 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' Anonymous College

As a victimized African-American man living in America during a time of discrimination, Martin Luther King, Jr’s influential words are still repeated fifty years later: “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but...

Resistance to Rasheed in Everyday Life Anonymous 10th Grade

In the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, written by Khaled Hosseini, it is evident that Laila and Mariam face an overwhelming amount of abuse from their husband, Rasheed. Although Rasheed was brought up in a patriarchal society, this does not serve...

Different Voices in 'Wuthering Heights' and 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' Alysia Jackson 11th Grade

In both ‘Wuthering Heights’ and ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ the writers use different narrative voices to portray their story. Within ‘Wuthering Heights’ Bronte uses Lockwood as the outer narrative and Nelly as the inner narrative to further...

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Home Essay Samples Literature A Thousand Splendid Suns

"A Thousand Splendid Suns": Analysis of Literary Elements

Table of contents, narrative structure and pacing, character development and themes, symbolism and imagery, impact and relevance.

• Hosseini, K. (2007). A thousand splendid suns. Riverhead Books.
• Dean-Moore, L. (2015). The personal is political: The social and political functions of Mariam's and Laila's stories in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Women's Studies, 44 (1), 54-72.
• Munt, S. R. (2011). Narrating postcolonial motherhood: A Thousand Splendid Suns and the question of feminism. Journal of Gender Studies, 20 (4), 361-374.
• Pandey, M. (2019). Empowering women through literature: A study of Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, 6 (4), 490-497.
• Solomon, S. (2010). "That's not fair, Nana": The cultural implications of power and voice in Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. The ALAN Review, 37 (2), 49-57.

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Khaled Hosseini

A Thousand Splendid Suns, written by Khaled Hosseini, is a heart-wrenching novel that explores the lives of two Afghan women who are brought together by circumstance and the harsh realities of their society. The novel employs a range of literary devices, including vivid imagery , foreshadowing , and parallelism , to create a powerful and emotional narrative that highlights the struggles and sacrifices of Afghan women. With its exploration of love, loss, and the human spirit, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a timeless masterpiece of contemporary literature that resonates with readers around the world.

• Oppression of women : A Thousand Splendid Suns addresses the theme of the oppression of women in Afghan society, particularly the ways in which they are marginalized and mistreated by men.
• Love and sacrifice : The novel also explores the theme of love and sacrifice, as the two main characters, Mariam and Laila, form a deep bond despite their differences and work together to survive.
• Family and community : A Thousand Splendid Suns grapples with the theme of family and community, as the characters rely on each other for support and face the challenges of war and political instability together.
• Power and corruption : The novel addresses the theme of power and corruption, as various characters abuse their positions of authority to maintain control and exert influence over others.
• Guilt and redemption : A Thousand Splendid Suns confronts the theme of guilt and redemption, as the characters struggle to come to terms with their past mistakes and find a path forward.
• The impact of war : The novel also explores the theme of the impact of war, as the characters face the devastating consequences of the conflict and struggle to rebuild their lives in its aftermath.
• Social class and inequality : A Thousand Splendid Suns grapples with the theme of social class and inequality, as the characters are divided by their economic and social status and must navigate the challenges that come with their respective positions in society.
• Religion and tradition : The novel addresses the theme of religion and tradition, as the characters grapple with the cultural and religious norms that shape their lives and relationships.
• Identity and self-discovery : A Thousand Splendid Suns confronts the theme of identity and self-discovery, as the characters come to understand themselves and their place in the world through their experiences and relationships.
• The resilience of the human spirit : Finally, the novel explores the theme of the resilience of the human spirit, as the characters endure immense suffering and loss but continue to find hope and meaning in their lives.

Use of Literary Devices ✍🏽

• Imagery : A Thousand Splendid Suns employs vivid imagery to bring the setting and characters to life, such as the description of the Afghan landscape and the physical and emotional pain suffered by the characters.
• Symbolism : The novel uses symbolism to convey deeper meaning and themes, such as the burqa as a symbol of oppression and the pomegranate tree as a symbol of hope and resilience.
• Flashback : A Thousand Splendid Suns uses flashback to explore the characters’ past experiences and provide context for their present situation.
• Foreshadowing : The novel employs foreshadowing to build tension and hint at future events, such as the hints of violence and conflict that foreshadow the outbreak of war.
• Metaphor : A Thousand Splendid Suns uses metaphor to draw comparisons and highlight themes, such as the metaphor of the river as a symbol of life and the characters’ journeys.
• Parallelism : The novel employs parallelism to draw comparisons between characters and events, such as the parallels between Mariam and Laila’s experiences and the parallels between their relationships with Rasheed.
• Irony : A Thousand Splendid Suns uses irony to highlight the contrast between the characters’ experiences and their expectations, such as the irony of Rasheed’s attempts to control and dominate Mariam and Laila.
• Juxtaposition : The novel employs juxtaposition to highlight differences and draw attention to important themes, such as the juxtaposition of the characters’ experiences before and after the outbreak of war.
• Point of view : A Thousand Splendid Suns uses point of view to provide insight into the characters’ thoughts and feelings, such as the use of first-person narration to convey Mariam and Laila’s perspectives.
• Allusion : The novel uses allusion to reference other works of literature and culture, such as the references to Afghan folklore and poetry that provide context and meaning to the story.

Examples of Literary Devices 📋

• Foreshadowing
• Juxtaposition

What is a literary device?

A literary device is a technique or tool used by an author to enhance their writing and create a deeper meaning or effect. Examples include imagery , symbolism , and metaphor .

How does A Thousand Splendid Suns use symbolism?

The novel uses symbolism to represent deeper meaning and themes, such as the burqa as a symbol of oppression and the pomegranate tree as a symbol of hope and resilience.

What is an example of foreshadowing in A Thousand Splendid Suns?

A Thousand Splendid Suns employs foreshadowing to hint at future events and build tension, such as the hints of violence and conflict that foreshadow the outbreak of war.

How does A Thousand Splendid Suns use point of view?

The novel uses point of view to provide insight into the characters’ thoughts and feelings, such as the use of first-person narration to convey Mariam and Laila’s perspectives.

What is an example of imagery in A Thousand Splendid Suns?

The novel employs vivid imagery to bring the setting and characters to life, such as the description of the Afghan landscape and the physical and emotional pain suffered by the characters.

How does A Thousand Splendid Suns use parallelism?

The novel employs parallelism to draw comparisons between characters and events, such as the parallels between Mariam and Laila’s experiences and the parallels between their relationships with Rasheed.

What is an example of irony in A Thousand Splendid Suns?

The novel uses irony to highlight the contrast between the characters’ experiences and their expectations, such as the irony of Rasheed’s attempts to control and dominate Mariam and Laila.

How does A Thousand Splendid Suns use flashback?

The novel uses flashback to explore the characters’ past experiences and provide context for their present situation.

Literary Analysis: a Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns is an outstanding novel published in 2007, written by Khalid Hosseini, who is known as a three-bestselling author. The subjects of this novel reflect on and have similarities in conflict like his previous book, The Kite Runner written in 2003. Khalid narrates the different aspects of afghan woman before and during the soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban.

The time span of the novel from when published, goes back approximately thirty-seven years. Hosseini tells the story of the obedience in the common fate to become co-wives of the same misogynistic, brutal man. He explains the one-sided story of the real-life characters that were brought up in the upheavals of the last forty years. It is a manifestation of the struggle under harsh sociopolitical and economic circumstances which highlights the labeling and diverse issues the afghan woman was once born into. The importance of endurance is not to remain suppressed, instead to stand up against oppressors under harsh conditions.

The book begins with an unhappy little girl named Mariam who is considered a harami, or to American’s, what we would call a bastard child. She was an ethnic Tajik born in Heart in 1959. This little harami lives in an outside hut built by her father Jalil who rejects her in many ways. A few ways would be how he keeps her away from her nine brothers and sisters and only visits her once a week. Her mother Nana was a servant in the household of Jalil. He was a rich and powerful man who took advantage of her and wanted nothing more. Mariam was loved in a very crucial way. Her mother made it known she was the symbol of their shame. Mariam knew she did not have the acceptance of her family and that she never would. Through gritted teeth her mother once told her, “You are a clumsy little harami. This is my reward for everything I endured, an heirloom-breaking, clumsy little harami.” All this because she broke a treasured heirloom once and her mother never forgave her for it.

After her mother’s death Mariam is married off at the age of fifteen to a shoemaker named Rasheed, who was an ethnic Pashtun. Rasheed was a very stern and aggressive man and he emotionally, mentally, and physically abused Mariam. Some days he seemed to have love and endured her, but only if she did as she was told. She could do nothing but take this treatment, though she feared him in every way. Strangely, she felt some connection to him since he was the only person she had, there was no other choice then to love him as her husband. Her mother always told her, “It’s our lot in life, woman like us, we endure and it’s all we have.” The warnings of her mother were the validity of every afghan woman’s life. Soon the story takes a sad turn and the suicide of Nana, Mariam’s mother, is a depiction of the way women are positioned in the afghan society. Women in these times were being blamed for everything with no way out, surviving only on their great strength to endure the inequalities and injustice-ness of their lives.

Mariam and Rasheed lived the life of a semi-normal married couple. They went on walks, he showed her the town, and bought her gifts from time to time. Mariam soon became pregnant and they shared the joy together. Mariam finally felt like she had a purpose and she told herself that her unborn child was the reason she was brought into this world. Not to long into her pregnancy Mariam lost the baby. Once this happened, her and Rasheed disconnected and shut down. They did not speak often, nor did they connect in the little ways they had before. Their home became an unhappy home and Mariam no longer found purpose in her life. For now, she was empty and alone once again.

Over the years Rasheed’s hatred against Mariam grew, no matter what she did to please him it was never enough. Mariam awoke every day to do her wifely duties and made sure she did nothing to upset Rasheed, but he no longer looked at her as his wife. She could not give him what he truly wanted which was children, he viewed her as a failure. She had failed him seven times. After four years of marriage, Mariam was now just a burden and he constantly yelled and ridiculed Mariam. He even made her chew on pebbles until she drew blood and her molars broke because she couldn’t cook rice his way. This was his way of describing how he felt about her cooking. He had no mercy for her and she was nothing but a harami once again.

In these chapters, Hossieni describes the position of a woman in the afghan society as the one’s to reproduce and take care of their husband with very little say. The domestic abuse is not due to lack of abiding by woman to the informal laws and traditions; rather it is the men’s privilege to blame woman for anything irrespective of woman’s fault. At one point in the beginning of the novel, Nana explains to Mariam the future code of conduct, “Learn this now, and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam.” I believe Hossieni wrote this to illustrate the way woman are being blamed and treated despite their pure innocence. The society has laws and customs that prohibits woman from arguing with men, let alone the right to end unequal treatment.

Through out the book Hosseini also told the story of another young girl named Laila, an ethnic Pashtun who was born in 1978. Her upbringings weren’t quite the same as Mariam. Laila’s father was university educated and was a teacher. Her faher was very fond of her and they had a close relationship with her, unlike Mariam and her father. Laila and her mother’s relationship was not the best. Her mother did not mistreat her, however she just did not connect very well with her. Through out the chapter’s of Laila’s life, a close relationship blooms between her and her best friend Tariq, an ethnic Pashtun born in 1976. Laila was in love with Tariq, but even though she wanted him to be her husband one day, her family refused because he had a fake leg and they looked poorly at him for being handicap.

Laila’s life was lived through the war and one day during the war her town was wiped out. When this happened most of her family and friends were assumed dead, this including the life of her beloved Tariq. Soon after this, Mariam and Laila’s lives became worse when Rasheed takes Laila as his second wife. Even though Laila and Mariam were unhappy about the marriage they both knew neither of them had a say. Later on Laila shared secrets with Mariam about her pregnancy with her beloved Tariq who was assumed dead. Even though the girls were unpleased about the sharing of the household they soon softened once the baby was born. Since Rasheed was uncomfortable that the baby was not a boy, Mariam and Laila raised the baby with no help from Rasheed. This behavior from a husband was normal in the life for an afghan mother that could not birth a son.

Over the years Mariam and Laila live their lives as Rasheed’s wives, multiple times they try to escape their miserable life. In the afghan society when a woman is seen traveling alone it is a red flag. It is not allowed and they in most parts can be risking their lives. When the women were caught the first time, it was very scary for them as it would be for any afghan woman. Rasheed was not happy and punished both of them harshly for their misbehavior.

A little later Tariq, who Laila thought was dead showed up and in that moment changes everything for Laila. Rasheed found out the child was not his and makes Laila give her up. Laila already hated her life and wanted to escape, now this just gave her more will to leave. Once again Laila and Mariam risk their lives trying to escape with Tariq’s help and try to get Laila and Tariq’s child back. During this, they are caught once again and Mariam risks her own life for the others to escape and is given a public execution. Mariam believed she finally had a purpose once again and this was to help her new friends, known now as family, to live the life that they deserved and always wanted. She wanted no more suffering for neither her or them.

Mariam’s sacrifice was not just for her sake nor her friends, it was to represent the strength for every afghan woman in this society. Hosseini identifies the inequalities within the society and narrates the story of the two young woman who are positioned unequally and treated very poorly. These women live in a country that is ruined by war and religious-political oppression. Women in Afghan society are deprived of many rights and freedoms, especially in the after math of the Mujahideen movement. At one point Hosseini writes, “In a few years, this little girl will be a woman…turbulence that washed over her” (Hosseini 355). The story of Laila and Mariam has proved the endurance of woman. The subsequent public execution of Mariam is reflective of the way woman in most suppressed societies of the world struggle to achieve individual and collective freedom.

The story “A Thousand Splendid Suns”, is not only a narration based on true life situations, instead provides a deeper understanding of the struggle of an afghan woman. In this novel, both religious and political dimensions of the afghan society is depicted. Hosseini greatly emphasizes the role of women providing women with strength to endure and to make it through life with the lack of their fundamental rights as human beings. Though the efforts are not always significant, the endurance of Mariam and Laila, along with the supportive relationship they received from one another gives us hope. Coupled with progressive thinking and women holding up women in strife, there is light at the end of the tunnel for women in these societies.

Works Cited

• Hosseini, Khalid. A Thousand Splendid Suns. Riverhead Books, May 22, 2007.
• Wikipedia contributors. ‘Khaled Hosseini.’ Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 19 Sep. 2018. Web. 25 Sep. 2018.

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Literary Analysis Of 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'

Murderers. Laila and Mariam were murderers. A statement backed by studies show that “1,000+ homicides or more a year are committed by people with untreated severe mental illnesses..”1

This was the case for and relevant to our main characters confined between the pages of ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’. From what I read, both grew up in traumatic times. Mariam and Laila have both witnessed death and unnecessarily gruesome war. Mariam’s parents, Laila’s parents, brothers and friends were murdered or committed suicide. Within the short, impressionable stages of their lives they were subjected to abuse either mentally or physically. This meant that it was considered their norm, until Rasheed’s abuse exceeded what they thought as the expected or appropriate abuse. This may have triggered them either with flashbacks of the trauma they experienced at a younger age, the more matured mind they now had as opposed to before or a variation of the two in my opinion.

The reality of how different cultures handle problems involving gender that we have eliminated entirely to grant more freedom as a country. That is the main focus of this novel, to show how these problems are affecting other countries in modern day as it has for us in the past. These descriptions will give the reader a basic understanding of the characters presented in this book and how they change throughout their adventures or interactions with each other.

Mariam changes a lot once she connects with Aziza; Laila’s baby girl. On page (243) it states, “She retraced her steps. What is it? What do you want from me?” continuing on, “Why have you pinned your little heart to an old, ugly hag like me?”Another internal exchange between Mariam about Aziza, “Love has never been declared to her so guilelessly, so unreservedly. Aziza made Mariam want to weep.” On page (249), “When I was pregnant the first time. Or maybe the second time. Eighteen, nineteen years ago..” 

These quotes show the emotional rollercoaster that took place within Mariam’s timeline. From the perspective of Mariam as a child and how it differs from the more recent stages of her life. Witnessing her mother’s death has created a huge impact on the overall appearance she has on herself emotionally. As she analyzed the problem, she blamed herself directly for her mother’s self inflicted passing. 

Rasheed is described as a static character, these descriptions of his personality includes abusiveness, possessiveness, controlling and is psychologically disturbed. Along with those internal qualities, he has, or had, positive external expression and gestures to mask the internal disruptions. As the story progresses, through the shift in his actions I believe it’s safe to say, in my opinion, he is not capable of being in society on the streets. He’s like a walking emotional explosive that takes his frustrations and misfortunes out on others.

Since the authorities overseas are leaning more towards favoring the males over incidents involving marital problems or problems in general, he can get away with a great amount of abuse with as many women as he sees fit to marry. He married three women and had sexual intercourse with each of them until a child was conceived. His possessiveness is described through photographs and lines or quotes mentioned from, to or about Rasheed himself. 

Laila is a dynamic character because her motivation changes from a young girl, to a more grieving matured young woman. She wanted to leave with her family, but now she needs necessities like housing. She was used to being pampered and loved, to being forced to daily mental abuse from both Rasheed and Mariam. The author addresses this abuse from page (233), “You’re a wh**e , a thieving wh**e .” There was also a lot more tension in her life stated on page (234), “Laila had laid on the bed, groaning into the pillow, missing her parents suddenly, and with an overpowering, she hasn’t felt since the days of the attack.” 

Laila later becomes a mother to both Tariq’s daughter and Rasheed’s son. As a young mother she has to make decisions that would be hard even for a grown woman to make for her child. She shows perseverance as she gets attacked daily for trying to see her daughter. She had to make the decision to place her daughter in a foster home for orphans in order to give her proper education and meals. 

The descriptions for each character provided gives basic understandings for a deeper and vague reasons for why they did what they did. It also gives an inside look at how the characters develop throughout the novel. This story created a visual simulation to tap into the readers’ emotions and portray what daily life was or is like in another country other than the United States. Tapping into the emotions so well, that it entices the reader to continue reading to fulfill the suspense and gain knowledge about other cultures. 

I believe reading this novel can take the reader into a deep self reflection to make them wonder if some of their actions were necessary. Maybe not as gruesome or horrific as Rasheed’s behavior against Laila and Mariam, but for example yelling at your parents, arguing with friends, etc. For me personally, some truth was underlined by the words I read and made me rethink my actions or words towards friends, family, girlfriend, strangers, etc. 

If you read ATSS and pay attention to small details, self reflect and understand why, who and what you do or what your morals are, you can create a deeper understanding and appreciation for not only others or other cultures but yourself as well. It brings problems we were oblivious to within other nations and countries. 

1- mentalillnesspolicy .org /consequences/1000-homicides.html

The beginning quote about mental illness is not my work, but added in to add emphasis to my point. The quote is from mentalillnesspolicy .org /consequences/1000-homicides.html and belongs to them.

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