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A Thousand Splendid Suns (final thoughts (Overall, I really enjoyed this…
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Chapters 1-10
- Chapter 5: "'I'll die if you go. The jinn will come, and I'll have one of my fits. You'll see, I'll swallow my tongue and die. Don't leave me, Mariam jo. Please stay. I'll die if you go.'" (Hosseini 27).
This is a very important quote from the novel because it's the last thing Nana says to Mariam before she kills herself. At the time of reading this, I thought she was just overreacting to get Mariam to stay, but we end up finding out that she was completely serious. If it were my mom telling me this before I come home to see her dead, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.
- Chapter 8: "And yet Mariam saw that, oddly enough, the whole of these unmemorable parts made for a face that was not pretty but, somehow, not unpleasant to look at either." (Hosseini 53).
I can relate to this so much. I've been told before that I'm "not pretty", but I'm "not ugly either". So when I read this I completely understood what Mariam was feeling. And with everyone looking at her and everything that was going on. I felt that.
- Chapter 8: "The next time Mariam signed her name to a document, twenty-seven years later, a mullah would again be present." (Hosseini 54).
This seems like some foreshadowing. The "mullah" that was present when Mariam was signing these documents was for her marriage with Rasheed. So this is hinting at something that's going to happen later on in the book that would involve a mullah.
- Why is Jalil embarrassed of Mariam and not any of the other children he had with any of the other women?
- Do you think that it's right that some men see their wives as objects or servants? And how some men get so upset when another man treats their wife the way they do?
- How do chapters 1-10 express the theme of overcoming hardships?
Chapters 11-20
- Chapter 20: "Mammy was soon asleep, leaving Laila with dueling emotions: reassured that Mammy meant to live on, stung that she was not the reason. She would never leave her mark on Mammy's heart the way her brother had..." (Hosseini 144)
Laila is relieved that her mother wishes to continue living, however Laila knows she is not the reason her mother wants to keep living. In some ways I can relate to this quote because, even though I am the oldest in my family, I still sometimes feel that my dad values my sister over me.
- Chapter 12: "There was something vaguely unsettling about the way Rasheed seemed to loom over the woman. His hands on her shoulders. His savoring, tight-lipped smile and her unsmiling, sullen face. The was her body tilted forward, as though she were trying to wriggle free of his hands." (Hosseini 84)
This is foreshadowing at something that will come up as a problem later in the novel. I shouldn't know but I accidentally found out about something that happens so that's how I know this will come up later.
2.Chapter 13: "As a reminder of how women like us suffer, She'd said. How quietly we endure all that falls upon us." (Hosseini 91)
This was after Mariam had her first miscarriage and she was feeling extremely depressed. She laid in bed alone, remembering this quote that Nana once told her. This is important because Nana's not here to take care of her anymore, especially in times like these.
- Why do you think the author included the part where Mariam talked about the picture from when she snuck into Rasheed's room?
- Why do you think Laila's mother values her brothers over her?
- What do you think the universal topic of this section was and how does it contribute to the theme?
Chapters 21-30
- Chapter 21: "'But I'm glad I have you. Every day, I thank God for you. Every single day. Sometimes, when your mother's having one of her really dark days, I feel like you're all I have, Laila.'" (Hosseini 150)
This is Babi telling Laila how much she means to him. With the conditon her mother is in, it often takes a lot of patience. This is important because Mammy constantly makes Laila feel unwanted and at this moment, Babi wanted Laila to know she is wanted.
- Chapter 30: "Laila took grim inventory of he people in her life. Ahmad and Noor, dead. Hasina, gone. Giti, dead. Mammy, dead. Babi, dead. Now Tariq... 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 pert of Tariq still alive inside her, sprouting tiny arms, growing translucent hands." (Hosseini 219)
Everything seemed to be going wrong in Laila's life. Everyone she knew is either dead or moved away. Laila became homeless and was severely injured. The only thing she realized she had was her and Tariq's baby from their secret affair. So she decided she would do whatever she needed to to protect the only thing she had.
- Chapter 23: "It was unfair. Laila felt like she was no better than these pots and pans, something that could go neglected then laid claim to, at will, whenever the mood struck." (Hosseini 164)
This is an example of a time where Mammy made Laila feel unwelcome. She made a comment about Laila and Tariq. Laila mentioned how she didn't have the right to make comments about Laila's life because most of the time she doesn't even pay attention to Laila. She felt like Mammy was using her.
- Do you like the way the author chose to switch back and forth between Mariam and Laila's point of view?
- Wars like the one in the novel are common in that area of the world. How would you or your family respond a war being faught that close to your home?
- What can you infer would happen if someone would find out that Laila and Mariam were "dating" before they would get married?
Chapters 31-40
- Chapter 34: "...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." (Hosseini 250)
Mariam and Laila finally agreed to stop fighting and being petty towards each other because they've realized their in the same boat as each other. They're going to have to support each other in order to live with Rasheed. They realized that they were going to be more powerful together than separate, which we will see later on in the story.
- Chapter 40: "Rasheed didn't say anything. And, really, what could be said, what needed saying, when you'd shoved the barrel of your gun into your wife's mouth?" (Hosseini 300)
I just kind of got the full idea that Rasheed is beating his wife, and not just in a "he's just trying to scare them" kind of way. He actually means to harm him when they "make him mad". I feel like if I were in an abusive relationship, I would be out of there like a light. But I understand that's not really an option for them in their culture because women are seen as a man's property.
- Chapter 33: "She lay there, clutching handfuls of the bed sheet, until, suddenly, her breath caught. She sat up, hands shooting down to her belly. The baby had just kicked for the first time." (Hosseini 234)
This is an important moment in the novel when we realize that Laila and Tariq's affair is going to keep playing out. This could lead to Laila receiving hate because she's having a harami kid. However, I'm really happy that she's able to keep a part of him with her after they were not able to be together.
- What do you think you would do if you were in Laila's situation with the baby?
- In what ways are women seen as lesser than in this culture that Laila and Mariam are in?
- Predict how Laila being pregnant with another man's baby will affect her and Rasheed's relationship in the future?
Chapters 41-51
- Chapter 51: "But the game involves only male names. Because, if it's a girl, Laila has already named her." (Hosseini 415)
I literally cried. This is so cute. I wasn't really expecting it, but I kind of was at the same time. This is the best ending to a book that I have ever read.
- Chapter 47: "'Kneel here, hamshira. And look down.' One last time, Mariam did as she was told." (Hosseini 371)
When I was reading the whole part where Mariam was on the way to her execution, I was extremely confused. Until I read this line, I just thought she was randomly walking around, doing nothing. Then, when I read this line I understood what had happened.
- Chapter 46: "They turned the corner, and Laila never saw Mariam again." (Hosseini 360)
This is important because this signifies the end of Laila and Mariam's friendship. They still love each other very much, they just will never see each other again. They'll only have memories of each other.
- Did you like the way the author chose to end the story with the name of Laila's baby?
- What do you think the overall theme of the book was?
- Would you name your daughter after someone you lost that you loved dearly, the way Laila did?
final thoughts
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is probably one of my favorite books I've ever read. I loved constantly being surprised. I never wanted to put the book down. I would definitely recommend this book to someone.
- Chapter 51: "But the game involves only male names. Because, if it's a girl, Laila has already named her." (Hosseini 415)
- Chapter 40: "Rasheed didn't say anything. And, really, what could be said, what needed saying, when you'd shoved the barrel of your gun into your wife's mouth?" (Hosseini 300)
- Chapter 30: "Laila took grim inventory of he people in her life. Ahmad and Noor, dead. Hasina, gone. Giti, dead. Mammy, dead. Babi, dead. Now Tariq... 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 pert of Tariq still alive inside her, sprouting tiny arms, growing translucent hands." (Hosseini 219)
- Why do you think Laila's mother values her brothers over her?
- Do you like the way the author chose to switch back and forth between Mariam and Laila's point of view?
- What do you think you would do if you were in Laila's situation with the harami baby?