Motherhood in ATSS

FAREEBA

NANA

MARIAM

FAREEBA

Laila

Fariba imposes the social expectation about reputation

Nana's abuse of Mariam as a harami (chapter's 1,2)

Fariba's neglect of Laila, idolisation of the sons

Laila's walk to the orphanage--> sacrifice

p87 and 95- Mariam's miscarriage, burial of the jacket

Mariam assumes the place of Laila's mother when Zalmai is born/hospital

Mariam kills Rasheed to protect Laila and the children

Laila as the surrogate mother at the orphanage

Unconditional love of her children

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MOTHERS IN SOCIETY

Rat poison

mothers in the hospital

emotional manipulation/abuse

'an ugly, loathsome thing to be a harami, like an insect'

'spitting it at her that made Mariam feel the full sting of it'

Self sacrifice/execution to save Laila

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Maternal advice

'Rich man telling rich lies'

'Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam."

'Besides, they'll laugh at you in school. They will. They'll call you harami'

'Women like us. We endure. It's all we have.'

animal imagery

enforces societal conventions

Nana's suicide

'a woman's womb...stretch[ing] to make room for you'

page 88 in book

Laila giving birth

Mariam would always admire Laila for how much time passed before she screamed.

'you're the mother?' 'yes'

'she wished she had been a better daughter to Nana. She wished she had understood then what she understood now about motherhood'

She would never leave her mark on Mammy's heart the way her brothers had, because Mammy's heart was like a pallid beach where Laila's footprints would forever wash away beneath the waves of sorrow that swelled and crashed.