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A Thousand Splendid Suns :sunny: by Zanele - Coggle Diagram
A Thousand Splendid Suns
:sunny: by Zanele
Laila
Childhood
Laila grew up with her father, who loved her and was very involved in her life, and with her mother who was depressed and withdrawn most of the time. She lived across the street from Rasheed and Mariam. Her neighbour, Tariq, was her best friend from childhood.
Laila had three friends, Giti, Tariq and Hasina. They were the laughter and joy of her childhood. The loss of her childhood is shown when Hasina leaves, Giti is killed, and Tariq moves away.
Laila's brothers joined the war when she was still young and this affected her mother so much that she became severely depressed. Her mothers' consistent absence forced Laila to grow up faster than normal. She had to look after herself and her father.
Adolesence
Tariq and Laila's relationship become more romantic than platonic as they grow up.
As Laila grows up, the world around her changes. Her surroundings have become unsafe for her.
As Laila grows older, her innocence goes away as violence takes away her friends and education, and as her feelings for Tariq grow.
Soon after, everyone begins to leave due to the war going on in Kabul, including Tariq.
After a few days, Laila and her family began to plan to move as well. Unfortunately, on the day of their departure, their house gets hit by a missile which kills both her parents and causes injury to her.
Mariam takes care of her after Rasheed found her on the street. For a while Laila is unconscious but she does begin to heal. After a month, a man comes to the house and wishes to speak to Laila. He tells Laila that Tariq was in the hospital after sustaining injuries trying to get into Pakistan and that he died a few days after. This is a huge turning point for Laila and she has officially lost hope.
She now knows she is pregnant with Tariq's child, but with no other hope of having a better life outside of Kabul, she agrees to marry Rasheed.
After her marriage to Rasheed
Laila marries Rasheed because she knows being a lonely woman in her society is dangerous, but it is even more dangerous if she had a child that was born out of wedlock. She decides to deceive Rasheed.
Mariam begins to hate Laila because of how good Rasheed treats Laila compared to her. She treats Laila with distaste and ignores her most of the time.
Laila gives birth and Rasheed is upset it is a girl, but she is now more happy than she has been in the past months.
Aziza has become Laila's joy, but her relationship with Rasheed is still a painful one.
Relationship with Mariam
Mariam was very harsh to Laila in the beginning, even though Laila tried to build a relationship with her. She understood why Mariam acted this way, but she also felt that she had no other choice.
Her friendship with Mariam started when Mariam gave her baby clothes for Aziza. From here the women started to be kinder to each other and work together.
As they got closer Laila told Mariam about Aziza's paternity. She also convinced Mariam to run away with her. Unfortunately the plan did not succeed. After they were caught, Rasheed threatened to kill Aziza and Mariam in front of her if they ever do something like that again.
Mariam has become a mother to Laila. Laila, Mariam and Aziza are a family on their own. Rasheed continues to abuse them verbally and physically.
Her relationship with Mariam is a mother daughter relationship that she never experienced. She never had anyone who looked out for her and sacrificed so much for her.
When Laila goes back to where Mariam grew up, she goes there to receive closure and peace again by feeling close to her once more.
Laila as a mother
Laila's two children are her joy. She was very happy when Aziza was born. When she was pregnant with Rasheed's child, she considered the possibility that she might not be able to love his baby. When she had to give birth to Zalmai, she went through terrible pain having a surgery without an anaesthetic.
Laila would sacrifice anything for her children. She stays in an abusive marriage to keep them safe. She has to send Aziza away to keep her alive during the drought. She even goes through multiple beatings to be able to see her daughter.
Laila tries to protect her children and give them the best.
When Mariam killed Rasheed and told her the plan to save Laila and her children, the only reason that Laila agreed was because she knew her children would be safer this way.
When she is living with Tariq, Laila is happy when Tariq makes an effort to build a relationship with Zalmai, even if he refuses to accept Tariq. She appreciates Tariq trying to love her children the same way she does.
Tariq
Childhood
Tariq grew up with Laila and they have been best friends for as long as they can remember.
Tariq only has one leg due to a land mine accident. This in no way affects the way he looks at himself and how he acts.
Teenage life
Tariq and Laila begin to fall in love with one another as they grow older. This is one of the only relationships in the book that is a source of hope and joy.
Unfortunately, due to the war, Tariq is forced to move to Pakistan, leaving Laila in Afghanistan. He tried to convince her to come with him and that he wants to marry her, but out of love for her father she refuses.
After
Tariq returns to Kabul after being framed for selling hashish. He begins to work at a hotel. He is still in love with Laila and wrote her many letters throughout the years.
Tariq eventually meets Laila again and finds out about his daughter Aziza. She tells him to come back the next day. Unbeknownst to Tariq, Rasheed almost killed Laila that night. Mariam saved both herself and Laila by killing Rasheed and turning herself in.
Laila and Tariq move to Pakistan and begin their new life there. Tariq lost his parents but he has now found a new family with his first love. He builds a relationship with his daughter and Laila's son.
When Laila wants to move back to Afghanistan, Tariq supports her wish and plan to move back. Even when she wants to go to Mariam childhood home, Tariq is always there for support.
Mariam
Childhood.
Mariam was happier as a child. She felt loved by her father and was protected from a lot of hurt.
Mariam's mother made her feel shameful about being born out of wedlock, and doubted Jalil's love for her. However, no matter what her mother said she still loved her father and saw no fault in him.
Her happiness and innocence of her childhood ended when she turned 15. Her father had promised to spend time with her that day, but when he didn't show up she went to him. She was told to leave when she arrived at his house, and was ignored by Jalil until she finally broke in.
She also finds out about her fathers shame towards her. He sends her home where she finds her mother dead.
She is then married off to Rasheed by her father to appease his wives. Jalil's wives do not want Mariam around because she is a shame to the family.
Mariam's life after Laila
Mariam had become so bitter and angry over the years, after all the hurt and abuse, that she rejects Laila after her and Rasheed are married.
After Aziza is born Mariam feels sad because she couldn't have her own children but eventually she begins to open up to the little girl.
She gives Aziza clothes she knitted long ago, which opens up a relationship for her and Laila.
Aziza becomes like Mariam's daughter. She teaches her how to pray, one of the things Mariam holds dear.
She then opens up to Laila and begins to form a friendship with her. They help each other survive their marriage to Rasheed. This is the first relationship that brings her happiness after her mother died. It has been years since Mariam has been happy.
Laila convinces Mariam to run away with her. Laila and Aziza are Mariam's new family and are like daughters to her. They do get caught in the end and are harshly beaten by Rasheed.
This crushes both of the women because they had hope that this was their escape from the violence and loss they've experienced in Kabul.
Two years after their plan fails, the Taliban come to Afghanistan. This is a huge change for Afghanistan and its women. They enforce strict rules, mostly on women, and harsh punishments.
There is also a drought and Rasheed has lost his shop to a fire. This causes money problems and they can no longer afford to eat everyday.
Mariam is a mother figure to Laila and her kids so she decides to call Jalil and ask him for help. It is only then she finds out Jalil died in 1987. The year he came to see her and she left him waiting outside. She regrets her childish ways and wishes she had read the letter he gave her and welcomed him in.
Early marriage experience
Mariam experiences marriage and it isn't that bad at first. Rasheed is somewhat nice and welcoming in comparison to how he acts later on.
Loneliness starts to creep in as she feels alone in a new city, and has her first miscarriage. Feeling alone and sad was a big part of Mariam's life after her miscarriage.
Throughout her marriage to Rasheed, Mariam is lonely, abused, and bitter woman. The only thing that is her's is her time for prayer.
After Mariam kills Rasheed
When Zalmai told Rasheed about the man Laila met, Rasheed immediately knew it was Tariq and his plan was falling apart. He tries to kill Laila and Mariam kills him first. She only kills him after she sees he will not stop until both of them are dead. She kills Rasheed for Laila, Aziza, Zalmai, and for herself.
Mariam takes all the blame and tells Laila to leave for the sake of her children. Mariam has taken Laila and her children as her own and has sacrificed her life for their freedom.
Mariam and Laila both portray maternal attributes that their own mothers never had when they were younger. Both are brave, kind, and protective over those they love.
Rasheed
Rasheed is a muslim man with very strong beliefs.
Rasheed is abusive and controlling. He believe a man should have control over a woman and he asserts that control by physically abusing Laila and Mariam.
He lives in a society that validates his opinions and even enforces them.
When the Taliban take over Kabul and enforce their rules, Rasheed
It is very hard to empathize with Rasheed as he is manipulating and extremely cruel. He has been abusing his wives for years and He eventually dies an angry man after he tried to kill Laila.
Before Mariam, Rasheed had a wife and a son. They both died and he never speaks about them.
It can be justified that Rasheed is trying to replace his son that drowned. He could feel blame because he was drunk and asleep when his child died.
Rasheed is harsh and brutal with his wives and with Aziza, but with Zalmai he is generous and loving. Zalmai is the only one who actually loves Rasheed because he is the only one who sees that part of Rasheed.