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A Thousand Splendid Suns (Final Thoughts (3 questions (How can this book…
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Chapters 1-10
3 Quotes
"Nor was she old enough to appreciate the injustice, to see that it is the creators of the Harami who are culpable, not the Harami, whose only sin is being born."(Page 4, chapter 1)
Reflection
This quote from chapter 1, had a big affect on Mariam. Mariam at the time did not know what it meant, but she knew that it was not a good thing to be called a Harami. This meant that she was not acknowledged or wanted by her own parents.
"Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman.” ( Page 7, chapter 1)
Reflection
This quote was said by Nana, and it meant to be a lesson to Mariam.From what Nana has been through, she wanted Mariam to learn from her mistakes. This lesson went with Mariam throughout her life.
"All Mariam can hear are Nana’s last words, “I’ll die if you go. I’ll just die.” (page 38, chapter 6)
Reflection
This quote in chapter 6 meant a lot to Mariam. When she left to see her father, her Nana said this to her, and Mariam didn't think she actually meant it.After she came back, she found Nana dead which created a big shock in her life.
3 Questions
Characters
Why does Mariam have difficulty understanding Rasheed? Answers:Mariam was not used to the dialect and his accent.
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Theme
What did Mariam realize about Jalil after her mother's death?Answer: Mariam realized that everything her mother said about Jalil was right, and now she dislikes him. Mariam realized that her trust for Jalil was no longer there.
Chapters 11-20
3 Quotes
"It was going to be a surprise. He'll need a crib. You weren't supposed to see until it was done." (Page 56, chapter 13)
Reflection
Rasheed said this when he was in the process of building a crib for what he had hoped for, a boy. Mariam felt very pressured when she knows that Rasheed had high hopes for it to be a boy.He had also went out to buy boy clothes in order to get ready.
"I'm going to be a mother, she thought.Then she was laughing to herself, and saying it over and over, relishing the words."(Page 57, chapter 13)
Reflection
When Mariam went for a checkup, her belly had grown, and she said this when she realized that she was going to be a mother soon.It made her very happy for what she was given, and wished for it to never go away.
"There is no shame in this, Mariam," he said, slurring a little. "It's what married people do.(Page 51, chapter 11)
Reflection
Rasheed said this to Mariam right after what he did. Rasheed saw that Mariam was frightened by what he just did, so he said this to reassure that this was normal and he wanted to familiarize Mariam with that, and expect for it to happen often.
3 Questions
Characters
What kind of feeling does Mariam have for Rasheed after she saw his magazine?
Answer:She feels like he is a hypocrite, because she referred to what Rasheed said before that "a woman's face is her husband's business only" but he was looking at women's face.
Theme
How does Mariam feel thinking about the baby? Answer: Mariam felt overjoyed to finally be able to connect back to her unfortunate youth, and the love she did not receive from her parents.
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Chapters 21-30
3 Quotes
Chapter 21: " And that, my young friends, is the story of our country ,one invader after another" ( Hosseini 146)
Reflection
This quote explains what afghanistan deals with every single day. This country is never a safe place, and it has been a huge strain in the country.
Chapter 26: "One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs,Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls." ( Hosseini 192)
Reflection
This quote acts as a metaphor made to compare between men and women.It has a very deep meaning behind it.From what I can infer, this quote is saying is women had to endure the pain that men gave them.
Chapter 24 : "Do you have it in you? Laila said. "To what?" " To use this thing. To kill with it" ( Hosseini 176)
Reflection
This quote was said to show the power of love.It was an expression to show the other person how passionate or what it means to be in love.
3 Questions
Theme
What made Laila's life change, and how did she feel about it? Answer: Laila's life changed when her parents died. She felt very regretful, and thought it as a punishment, because she did not try to understand what mammy went through.
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Characters
How does Rasheed and Mariam show that they care about Laila?
Answer:When Laila was injured, they cured her wounds.
Chapters 31-40
3 Quotes
Chapter 35: "Why have you pinned your little heart to an old,ugly hag like me? Mariam would murmur into Aziza's hair "( Hosseini, 252)
Reflection
This quote shows the deep relationship between Mariam and Aziza.During that time, both of them lost their loved ones in war, and they thought that nothing would get better, but this relationship showed how they will always stay by each other through hard times.
Chapter 39: "Instead, Nana had endured the shame of bearing a harami,had shaped her life around the thankless task of raising mariam and , in her own way,of loving her. And in the end, Mariam had chosen Jalil over her." ( Hosseini, 287)
Reflection
This quote was a sign of regret made by Mariam. Mariam's regret about not loving her mother, Nana the way that her mother loved her while she was still alive. She also felt very guilty about going in an opposite direction that her mother wanted her to go.
Chapter 31: "Mariam was a thirty-three year old woman now, but that word,Harami still had sting ." (Hosseini, 222)
Reflection
This quote shows Mariam's past. All of her suffering, and pain, it still made a dent in her.
3 Questions
Theme
When was love, and suffering mentioned in chapters 31- 40, and why?
Answer:When Laila ran into the house, not expecting to see Mariam, and then feeling guilt and shame.She felt this, because Laila had accepted Rasheed's proposal.
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Characters
What kind of actions between Mariam and Laila showed that they are getting closer?
Answer: They cleaned, and did chores together. They had also plans to run away,and they both wanted freedom.
Chapters 41-51
3 Quotes
Chapter 45: "'But in Rasheed's eyes she saw murder for them both.'(hosseini, 349)
Reflection
At the time, Rasheed was abusing Mariam and Laila.There was no way he would spare them, and Mariam just knew that Rasheed was overpowering them with his intentions to kill.
Chapter 47:"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."(Hosseini, 370)
Reflection
This quote was made by Mariam which was also her last words before her execution. She said these words to reflect on what her life have been, and how much she regrets not being able to finish it with her new family.
Chapter 45: "Mariam lost count of how many times the belt cracked, how many pleading words she cried out to Rasheed, how many times she circled around the incoherent tangle of teeth and fists and belt." (Hosseini, 346)
Reflection
This quote showed that Mariam was being abused by Rasheed, and showed her struggles begging for forgiveness. This express the way women gets treated by experiencing violence, and injustice.
3 Questions
Character
What does the violence and abuse of Rasheed help develope Mariam's relationship with Laila?
Answer: Rasheed had abused both of Mariam and Laila, so they felt like there was no way to survive but to work together and defend themselves.
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Theme
What did Mariam realize about her life when it was time for execution?
Answer: Mariam realized that she felt love and being loved.
Final Thoughts
1 whole reflection
I felt that the book was very touching, and sad. It mentioned a lot about women empowerment, and the struggles women had to go through back then and even now.I feel like this book really made an impact on many people that actually experienced the same thing Mariam did. I also thought that it was depressing how someone pass away in every chapter from loving someone.
3 questions
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How does Mariam and Laila's relationship with their mother connect to the way they treat each other?
3 quotes
Chapter 47:"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."(Hosseini, 370)
Chapter 39: "Instead, Nana had endured the shame of bearing a harami,had shaped her life around the thankless task of raising mariam and , in her own way,of loving her. And in the end, Mariam had chosen Jalil over her." ( Hosseini, 287)
Chapter 26: "One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs,Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls." ( Hosseini 192)