Topic C

In the culturally expressed novel, “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” by Khaled Hosseini, Mariam's experiences early in the novel would prove to haunt her for the rest of her days. As a child, Mariam grew up being a harami, bastard, in her mother’s eyes and an illegitimate shameful child in her father’s eyes. Her mother would tell her, "I'm all you have in this world, Mariam, and when I'm gone you'll have nothing. You'll have nothing. You are nothing!" which indeed affected her life from there on after (Pg 27). She felt worthless and it carried on to her marriage. She often had moments where she reflected on what her mother used to tell her and felt as though her mother was right, that she was worthless, no one wanted her. Even her very own husband depreciated her value and she felt as though she had no other choice but to accept it. Towards the end of the novel, “Mariam remembered the dim glimmer of cold stars and the stringy pink clouds streaking over the Safidkoh mountains that long-ago morning when Nana had said to her, Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam.” (Pg 363). Her mother’s words never left her, even in her last days.

Topic A

The novel, “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini depicts the many accounts of psychological and physical abuse through out the lives of two Afghani women. Hosseini uses diction and imagery to express the damage done where domestic abuse is tolerated. In the story, “He was still on top of Laila, his eyes wide and crazy, but his hands wrapped around her neck. Laila’s face was turning blue now, and her eyes had rolled back.” (Pg 348). Rasheed was both Laila and Mariam’s husband and whenever they did something wrong he had a tendency to beat them merciless. It did not concern him that perhaps that was not the way to treat a woman because to his knowledge he would do as he pleased, he beat his wives, to gain power over them, make them feel subservient, or maybe just because he had issues. The causes of domestic range, here Rasheed feels he must punish his wives for betraying him, trying to leave him. In addition to the domestic abuse, after being married for several years to his first wife, Rasheed has no regard for Mariam or her feelings. "'Look,' he said,...'These days, times being what they are, a woman needs a husband... In fact . . . Well, I'd say this is downright charitable of me.' He smiled. 'The way I see it, I deserve a medal.'" (Pg 216). Rasheed feels no shame for wanting to marry an additional woman and expects Mariam to be okay with it. He tells her it is a good thing and even says, “Don’t be so dramatic. It’s a common thing and you know it. I have friends who have two, three, four wives. Your own father had three.” (Pg 215). Rasheed asssures Mariam that she is of no importance and she then feels foolish for feeling the way she does and proceeds to ask Laila to be Rasheed's second wife.