A Thousand Splendid Suns Analysis

Since I started reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, it has been like playing a guessing game determining what is going to happen to the characters along way. For example, when Mariam first moved in with Rasheed there were endless possibilities I could think of when it came to her future as a wife — would Mariam obey Rasheed and become a good wife? Would she rebel and fall into depression? Or would she be abused by him and pressured into what he wanted? It did not take for Rasheed long to explain to Mariam what his definition of good wife was and for him to start abusing her once she did not obey him. Trying to get into the minds of characters and trying to forth see the future for Mariam, helps me understand the novel more thoroughly. Making connections throughout the novel helps me create a deeper connection to the characters. When Mariam left her mother to see Jalil (her father), her mother expresses “I’ll die if you go. The Jinn will come, and I’ll have one of my fits. You’ll see, I’ll swallow my tongue and die. Don’t leave me, Mariam jo. Please stay. I’ll die if you go.” (Hosseini 26) When Nana said this to Mariam, Mariam

As I see how their relationship unfolds, I have mental images and connect to how me and my close friend came into each others life at important times. Mariam and Laila became like mother and daughter, as Laila just lost her parents and Mariam had multiple miscarriages and came out of an abusive relationship. Although my struggles cannot compare to Laila’s and Mariams, I had found my friend at a time that I was in need of positive friend and an attitude change. Like Laila and Mariams relationship, they helped each other get on the right path, and that is what I felt my friend did for me. I can connect to how one person can change your life, as my friend changed my like Laila and Mariam changed each