A Thousand Splendid Sun Character Analysis

Rasheed The Epitome of Evil “What's love got to do, got to do with it? What's love but a sweet old fashioned notion”, (Tina Turner). The character Rasheed from the novel “A thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini is the epitome of an evil figure in common literature. Rasheed is the husband of protagonist Mariam by arranged marriage. Since the arranged marriage Rasheed has sexually and domestically abused Mariam. He does these heinous act without thinking his actions as horrible with no regret. Which in chapters: 3 Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires, 11 …More Than It’s Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence, and13 It’s All Political from the novel “How to read Literature Like a Professor” by Thomas C. Foster will explain the use of how Rasheed is an epitome of evil in literature.

In chapter 3-Nice to Eat: Acts of Vampires it summarizes that vampires were old sinister monsters of men who sexually targeted young women. “The essentials of the vampire story, as we discussed earlier: an older figure representing corrupt, outworn values; a young, preferably virginal female; a

stripping away of her youth, energy, virtue; a continuance of the life force of the old male; the death or destruction of the young woman.”(Foster). Rasheed had forced himself onto a 15 year-old Mariam who was in much suffering when he did this. Rasheed had ended what left of innocence Mariam had by being violated by him. Rasheed action of violating and taking the innocence of a young girl is why his character is similar to those of a vampire. “A few moments later, he pushed back the blanket and left the room, leaving her with the impression of his head on her pillow, leaving her to wait out the pain down below, to look at the frozen stars in the sky and a cloud that draped the face of the moon like a wedding veil.”(Hosseini).With no regret he had told Mariam that "There is no shame in this, Mariam. It's what married people do. It's what the Prophet himself and his wives did There is no shame.”(Rasheed). Which means Rasheed saw no harm in of himself violating and taking the innocence of a young girl is why his character is similar to those of a vampire.
Rasheed has domestically abused Mariam also in their cruel marriage other than sexually abusing her as well. When Mariam had prepared food that Rasheed had disliked, he had forced Mariam to chew on rocks and pebbles. “His powerful hands clasped her jaw. He shoved two fingers into her mouth and pried it open, then forced the cold, hard pebbles into it. Mariam struggled against him, mumbling, but he kept pushing the pebbles in, his upper lip curled in a sneer.” (Hosseini). In chapter 11-…More Than It’s Gonna Hurt You talks on the interaction between two or more people by violence and that it is formed by society. “Violence is one of the most personal and even intimate acts between human beings, but it can also be cultural and societal in its implications.”(Foster). Rasheed is an abusive rotten man for even harming a women. Especially Mariam a women who had faced nothing but sorrow for most of her life. Which is an example of how a ruthless person is harming someone who doesn’t mean that ruthless person. Rasheed is the one who causes harm of the innocent person, which makes him the best example of evil person.
The way Rasheed acts to Mariam and interacts with other people is based on his personal beliefs. Political beliefs are connected to everyone’s personal beliefs also. In chapter 13- It’s All Political talks how politics effects society such as the beliefs of those in that society. “Writing that engages the realities of its world – that thinks about human problems, including those in the social and political realm, that addresses the rights of persons and the wrongs of those in power”, (Foster). Rasheed is morally for a more “traditional” society, which was examined by how he disapproved of so called “modern people” that had increased at that time. Rasheed had told Mariam, "I have customers, Mariam, men, who bring their wives to my shop. The women come uncovered, they talk to me directly, look me in the eye without shame. They wear makeup and skirts that show their knees. Sometimes they even put their feet in front of me, the women do, for measurements, and their husbands stand there and watch. They allow it. They think nothing of a stranger touching their wives' bare feet! They think they're being modern men, intellectuals, on account of their education, I suppose. They don't see that they're spoiling their ownnang andnamoos, their honor and pride."(Hosseini). Which show he was disgusted of the world changing for something better. Those who oppose positive change for society are the ones that are against good. Those who are against the good is the bad and Rasheed is the one of those people. The quote in the beginning paragraph was a line from the song “What’s love got to do with it?” was from singer Tina Turner. “What's love got to do, got to do with it? What's love but a sweet old fashioned notion”, (Tina Turner). Tina Turner had been known for being domestically abused by her former singing partner Ike Turner when she released her novel “I, Tina”. The words in the quote is to question what is the love in an abusive relationship, and that the term love is used by people in the past stuck is a bad relationship. Just how Mariam was married to a traditional middle aged man at the age of 15 years old by her own family raises the question. What’s love got to do with it?
Rasheed has put Mariam, who came from short and innocent world to a long and suffering life. Rasheed is an example of vampirism by sexually abusing a young women. Rasheed has made Mariam’s innocent world short by taking her and putting all fear into her. Mariam has to wonder when and why he might assault her. Rasheed is not the only trying to put the world that Mariam wakes up to on Mariam. He wishes that society would set back society to a time where so many positives changes didn’t occur. Rasheed is the dreaded character in a story that feel nothing, but contempt and hate for Rasheed’s own existence. The character Rasheed from the novel “A thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini is the epitome of an evil figure in common literature.
PARAGRAPH 3- Mariam’s whole life is turned around when she realizes the truth about her father. She is forced to marry Rasheed. At first she doesn’t take the whole married life well, but when she becomes pregnant, she feels enlightened and a new hope has emerged. This feeling of Mariam can be connected to Chapter 8, Hansedee and Greteldum—Using Fairy Tales and Kid lit, in “How to Read Literature like a Professor.” When a hero is finally given their happy ending. In “A Thousand Splendid Suns” it says “Everywhere she looked, she saw bright colors (Hosseini 86).” Mariam was so happy and felt blessed to be carrying a baby. She thought that this could have even been her happy ending and all would work out between her and Rasheed.
PARAGRAPH 4- Then, at the bathhouse, Mariam lost her child. This was a major turning point in Rasheed and Mariam’s relationship. Mariam felt bad that she was unable to provide Rasheed with what he truly wanted. This incident can connect to Chapter 10, It’s More Than Just Rain and Snow, of “How to Read Literature like a Professor.” Rain refers to fertility and life. Mariam was in fact the opposite of that. In the novel it says “In the four years since the day at the bathhouse, there had been six more cycles of hopes raised then dashed, each loss, each collapse, each trip to the doctor more crushing for Mariam then the last (Hosseini 99).” Mariam was unable to have a child, and Rasheed was angry with her, because he rely wanted a new son to make up for the one he lost.
PARAGRAPH 5 – A finial, challenge for Mariam is when Laila comes into her life.

After, a terrible tragedy in Laila’s life, Mariam and Rasheed take her in. Later, Rasheed decided that Laila will be his wife. Mariam does not take this well at all. In the book it says “I wouldn’t have fed you and washed you and nursed you if I’d known you were going to steal my husband (Hosseini 226).” Mariam is very resentful and angry with her life and situation. This can be tied to Chapter 2, Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion, of “How to Read Literature like a Professor.” The author explains how a failed meal carries a negative connotation. Mariam and Laila are in a similar situation, but with a whole life, house, and husband way. Mariam carries around a negative connotation about Laila for something Rasheed

did.
PARAGRAPH 6- Angry, shattered, hopeful, and ignorant are just a few character traits of Mariam throughout “A Thousand Splendid Suns.” She is a very developed character in the novel by Khaled Hosseini. His book wouldn’t be the same without such a character. Characters make the story.