A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini - 1504 Words

A Thousand Splendid Suns is an historical fiction novel, written by Khaled Hosseini, set in Afghanistan during the late 1960’s to early 2000’s. It follows the life of Mariam, a ‘harami’ child, who experiences the twisted reality of polygamy first hand. Hosseini explores thought provoking ideas in a society where gender inequality and poorly valued education is the normality. Hosseini’s main purpose is to show the importance of differing perspectives, as well as how to discern between the right and wrong ones. A key theme that almost instantly emerged from the text as I began to read was gender equality – or the lack thereof. I am passionate about equality between the genders and the further I read the more unequal the characters were†¦show more content†¦The Women’s March was a worldwide protest aimed to advocate not only women’s rights, but all human rights, health care and other topical issues. I personally believe that this protest was one of the most empowering of all time, showcasing the incredible power found in a united front of people. Not only independent, strong female ‘feminists’, but also men who believe equal opportunities are deserved by all. As Emma Watson, famous actress and feminism advocate, once said, â€Å"It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals†. This quote from such an inspiring woman came to the surface as I read this book, because it holds such truth applicable to A Tho usand Splendid Suns. It successfully reinforces this novel’s main theme of gender inequality. An interesting idea that A Thousand Splendid Suns addressed was the importance of education. Khaled Hosseini seemed to be suggesting that in Mariam’s world there is no use in a girl getting an education. We see this in the text when Mariam expresses her interest to Nana about going to school. Nana says, â€Å"You’ll learn nothing of value in those schools. There is only one, only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life. And it’s this: Endure†. This shows us how education is valued in another culture, in this case, in Afghanistan. I like how Hosseini has linked the themes of gender and education closely together, as it supports the characters’ actions and perspectives common to the Afghani peopleShow MoreRelatedA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini1838 Words   |  8 PagesThat was the case for Afghanistan in the late 1900s and Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns gives the reader insight into what it was like to be a woma n trying to survive in those trying times. Hosseini’s use of character development and setting, with it’s respected culture such as the city of Kabul, the people, and burqas, reveals the themes of the integrity of woman and the power of love. In the beginning of A Thousand Splendid Suns, the reader is introduced to a little girl named MariamRead MoreA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini2359 Words   |  10 Pages A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a beautiful tale of two women in Afghanistan during the Taliban uprising. They grow up on complete opposite sides of Afghan culture. The main character, Mariam, grows up in a more traditional way caused by her forced marriage to Rasheed. Laila on the other hand, grows up with a supportive father who encourages gender equality and education. There are many cultural differences such as, women’s rights, public executions, and the Taliban. The two mainRead MoreA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini1577 Words   |  7 PagesIn Khaled Hosseini’s novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, women live in an oppressive, discriminatory Afghan society in which they are deemed useless and obtain little to no rights, yet still manage to endure the burden that falls upon them. After the immensely false interpretations of her father and the bitter fatality of her mother, Mariam’s father demands she marries a stranger considerably older than her at the age of fifteen. Rasheed prays daily in hopes for Laila to produce a male offspring andRead MoreA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini Essay1239 Words   |  5 Pagesto rapidly advance, which ultimately produces instability and division. When elements of society—such as politics or economics—are erratic, a solid foundation cannot be formed. The book A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is an example of how a society can crumble without stability. A Thousand Splendid Suns tells of how Afghanistan is impacted as it passes through five eras of different political powers. The traditional culture and beliefs were altered with each governing group which generatedRead MoreA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini2007 Words   |  9 Pagesrights. That was the case in Afghanistan in the late 1900s and Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns gives the reader insight into what it was like to be a woman trying to survive in those trying tim es. Hosseini’s use of character development and setting, with it’s respected culture, such as the city of Kabul and burqas, reveals the themes of the integrity of woman and the power of love. In the beginning of A Thousand Splendid Suns, the reader is introduced to a little girl named Mariam. SheRead MoreA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini1141 Words   |  5 PagesAnalyse how the ending created a satisfying outcome in the written text(s). A thousand splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini is a book that was reviewed as unforgettable by Isabelle Allende, and I wholeheartedly agree with the statement. The ending or epilogue of A Thousand Splendid Suns was most indeed unforgettable. The ending was personally my favourite part of the novel. The four points I will elaborate on is the character I admired during the denouement, the plot of the epilogue, the setting ofRead MoreA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini1461 Words   |  6 Pagesnovel A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Laila and Mariam are two women who fall victim to physical, sexual and emotional abuse during the course of the novel. This abuse is suffered at the hand of Rasheed their husband. Physical Physical abuse is present throughout the course of the novel and Laila and Mariam suffer constantly with the abuse. It starts off as one violent action that leads to another and before you know it has turned into a vicious cycle. In A Thousand Splendid SunsRead MoreA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini1421 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction: Khaled Hosseini’s sophomore novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, shares a setting with his previous novel, the turmoil of the recent decades of Afghanistan s existence. However, despite similar themes, Hosseini once again manages to craft a story that is as engaging as it is poignant, as compassionate as it is critical, and as thoughtful as it is visceral. Summary: However, when Laila’s child is born, Aziza, and turns out to be a girl, Laila’s relationship with Rasheed deterioratesRead MoreA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini1459 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout A Thousand Splendid Suns, Barthes’ statement is displayed as author Khaled Hosseini raises the following question: How did Rasheem’s treatment of Mariam and Laila show how women were treated during this time in Afghanistan? Actions that most people would see as illegal were typical in Rasheed’s house and caused Mariam and Laila to be afraid of him. He would rape them whenever he wanted, force them to wear coverings that shielded them from men, and brutally beat them. As Hosseini describesRead MoreA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini2047 Words   |  9 Pages4 Main Characters In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini brings his story to life through Mariam, Laila, Rasheed, and Tariq. These four characters help Hosseini illustrate life in Afghanistan during the 1960s to the early 2000s. Mariam was born to a wealthy man and a housekeeper. She lives with her mother in a little shack a distance from her father’s mansion because he is ashamed of her and didn’t want her birth to ruin his reputation. He preferred to act like nothing happened rather than