A Thousand Splendid Suns (Winter Break Reading Assignment)

Mariam, a harami (bastard), seeks love and an identity in life. As a child, she sought for the love of her father, Jalil. Nana warns her to stay away from men because “a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman” (323). Disregarding Nana’s advice because Mariam because Mariam has felt lonely for so long, Mariam searches for Jalil’s love. However, Jalil does not accept Mariam. He is ashamed and forces her to marry Rasheed. Mariam, broken-hearted follows Jalil’s wishes.

Immediately after marrying Rasheed, Mariam feels “prized by [Rasheed’s] protectiveness. Treasured and significant” (74) because she is valued for once. However, after many miscarriages, Rasheed’s attitude changes and he rejects Mariam by governing her entire life.

Mariam’s attitude changes when she meets Laila. Although jealous of Laila taking her previous role as a young wife, Mariam becomes a caring mother figure after Laila stands “up to [Rasheed]” (223) when Rasheed planned to beat Mariam. The friendship between Mariam and Laila initiates the build up of courage within Mariam. She realizes that there is something to live for in her life: to care for Laila and Aziza.

Marian displays the greatest change at the climax of the novel. Rasheed; finding out that Laila has been seeing Toriq, is overcome by rage and releases a murderous intent upon Laila. Laila struggles to fight back, but falls to his masculine strength. Mariam refuses to let Laila, a dear fried, die. Thus she “[raises] the shovel high” (311) and strikes it upon Rasheed’s head, killing him. Mariam becomes a person who is willing to fight to protect her loved ones at the end at the cost of her own life.