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A Thousand Splendid Suns (Chapter 1-10 (Questions (Why did Jalil create…
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Chapter 1-10
Quotes and reflections
"God's words will never betray you, my girl."
“Like a compass needle that always points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman."
This quote shows how Nana feels about jalil and all men in general. She sees them as all the same, liars and cheaters.
"A gust of wind blew and parted the drooping branches of the weeping willow like a tree: the straight-backed chair, overturned. The rope dropping from a high branch. Nana dangling at the end of it"
This sentence is darkly descriptive about the scene that she found nana in. It is grim and grizzly and shows the way mariam felt when she found her mother.
This quote shows where Nana's priorities were. She may seem mean, but she is really devout.
Questions
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Why do you think this story was set where it was and with the specific situation that the characters are in?
Chapter 11-20
Quotes and Reflections
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Now you know what you've given me in this marriage. Bad food, and nothing else. (Hosseini 94)
Rasheeds anger at not only losing a son, but having a wife who cant have children at all pushes him to physical abuse. This shows the juxtaposition from when they were first married and he complimented her cooking. Her cooking hasn't changed, but Rasheed has.
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"There was something vaguely unsettling about the way Rasheed seemed to loom over the woman. " (Hosseini 76)
When Mariam discovered the photo of Rasheed's first wife it alerts the reader that Rasheed may possibly be a violent man with a dark past. Mariam dismisses her initial uneasiness after seeing the photo just calling it a misinterpretation. This was one of her first of many missed warning signs indicating the type of man Rasheed is.
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Questions
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How has rasheed's attitude to mariam changed over the chapters so far and where do you thing the climax will eventually come to?
Chapter 21-30
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Questions
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When Laila and Rasheed consummated the marriage Laila pulled out a knife she had hidden. Do you think this knife will become important later?
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Chapter 31-40
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Quotes and Reflections
"But she is not with out qualities, all things considered. You will see for yourself, Laila Jan. She is sturdy, for one thing, a good worker, and without pretensions." (Hossenini 222)
This quote again shows how rasheed truly feels. It shows how he feels the only worth mariam has is with him. He seems to feel sorry for her and like she owes him something.
"In the daytime, the girl was no more than a creaking bedspring, a patter of foot steps overhead. She was water splashing in the bathroom, or a teaspoon clinking against glass in a bedroom upstairs." (Hossenini 221)
This quote shows how Mariam was dealing with what she was going through. She is just acting like she isnt there because she is mad at Rasheed. She would rather no one know she was there.
"Frankly, you strike me as far wiser than your years. But you are still a young woman, Laila Jan, a dokhtar e jawan, and young women can make unfortunate choices" (Hossenini 224)
The quote shows rasheed's opinion on women. He would rather make all the decisions in the house since he thinks women might do bad things if allowed to think. He insults her by saying how smart she is but she has no reason or right to be.
Final Thoughts
Quotes
“Like a compass needle that always points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman."
This quote shows how Nana feels about jalil and all men in general. She sees them as all the same, liars and cheaters.
"Frankly, you strike me as far wiser than your years. But you are still a young woman, Laila Jan, a dokhtar e jawan, and young women can make unfortunate choices" (Hossenini 224)
"He slapped Aziza. He kicked Mariam. He threw things. He found fault with Laila, the way she smelled, the way she dressed, the way she combed her hair, her yellowing teeth." (Housenin 304)
Questions
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Why do you think this story was set where it was and with the specific situation that the characters are in?
This book is an amazing representation of life in Arab countries. It is a deadly fate to be a woman. I really like how it gives you a sense of what it's like to be a minority in a country dominated by men. As a man, I can never understand the struggle women go through but this amazing book gives me just a good way to imagine the hardships I would have to go through as a woman. I overall really liked the book.
Chapters 41-51
Quotes and reflections
"He slapped Aziza. He kicked Mariam. He threw things. He found fault with Laila, the way she smelled, the way she dressed, the way she combed her hair, her yellowing teeth." (Housenin 304)
This shows how Raheed's anger has even spread to his child and his favorite wife. He is obviously getting out of hand and i sense something bad coming. He even said that Laila is turning into Mariam and that is not who he married.
"First to go were Mariam's things, then Laila's" (Houseinin 304)
This quote shows how Mariam was treated in reguards to Laila, and how Laila was seen as more important than Mariam. Mariam had her things sold before Laila's because Rasheed saw them as less important than Laila's.
"From up here, she could see the hotel's once-famous swimming pool, empty and grubby now, scarred by bullet holes and decaying tiles." (Housenin 185)
This quote shows the state Kabul is in and how bad things have gotten since the Taliban took over. Later in this chapter it is explained that the Taliban even blew up the two most famous religious figures in Kabul, the two Buddhas. The Taliban have no regard for anyone or anything and are prepared to kill at will.
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