a thousand splendid suns argumentative essay

Themes and Analysis

A thousand splendid suns, by khaled hosseini.

'A Thousand Splendid Suns' digs deeply into issues of motherhood, sacrifice, and the strength of the human spirit in the face of unfathomable sorrow.

About the Book

Article written by Charles Asoluka

Degree in Computer Engineering. Passed TOEFL Exam. Seasoned literary critic.

‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ explores a variety of themes, such as the difficulties Afghan women experience in a patriarchal society and the harsh gender roles that are enforced on them. It shows how women are denied fundamental freedoms and rights and how the expectations of males influence their life. It also talks about the unwavering love and selflessness of its female protagonists, who are ready to endanger their lives for those they care about. It illustrates how love may promote optimism and resiliency despite extreme adversity.

Khaled Hosseini also explores the catastrophic effects of conflict on common people during a time of political unrest and war in Afghanistan. It shows how homes and towns are destroyed, lives are lost, and millions of people are displaced. ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ characters are a testament to the resilience and tenacity of the human spirit. The protagonists can withstand extreme tribulation and still maintain optimism in the face of difficulty. It shows how the human spirit can triumph in the face of the most trying situations.

Afghan History

The setting of ‘ A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ is Afghanistan, a nation whose tribal tribes have fought for hundreds of years between foreign invasions. The characters’ struggle for survival amid conflict clearly reflects the conflicting political forces and factions that vie for control of the nation and its citizens. The novel’s historical elements cover a sizable amount of time—30 years—to depict how the effects and pain of war are passed down through generations. Laila’s family experiences the impact of the Soviet occupation while Mariam navigates the first years of her marriage to Rasheed. The Soviets fire Laila’s father from his position as a teacher, and Ahmad and Noor, two of Laila’s brothers, are killed while battling the Soviets. Although Laila’s family is in trouble, Laila’s teacher supports the Soviets and maintains that the populace has overthrown the former government. Due to the loss of the boys—first to the army and then when they are killed—her mother experiences despair. Laila struggles to feel like she belongs in the family because her parents always quarrel. The ongoing conflict and political change cycle has shaped Laila’s entire young life.

For Laila’s family, the Soviets leaving seemed like a happy turn of events, but a tribal faction’s attempt to seize control leads to conflict between them. Tariq’s family departs Kabul for Pakistan due to the instability. Giti, Laila’s best friend, is destroyed by a rocket, and her parents are killed by shelling her home. Rasheed and Mariam are necessary for Laila’s life, but this circumstance quickly becomes unsustainable as well. Laila, Mariam, and Aziza have no chance at all of evading capture when the Mujahideen take over Kabul, and they are sentenced to home confinement, where they almost dehydrate to death. Then, the ongoing conflict between tribal tribes and the Taliban’s extensive territory turns into a full-scale campaign on women. Rasheed is pleased that a more conservative government is in place, but because of the Taliban’s severe regulations, Laila must deliver Zalmai via cesarean section without anesthetic. The cruelty of the Taliban is matched by the cruelty Rasheed exhibits at home. No aspect of life for any of the characters has not been touched by war.

Shame, Social Status, and Reputation in A Thousand Splendid Suns

Several of the characters make decisions based on how their actions will impact their reputation rather than their desires. This dissonance results in varied degrees of humiliation for numerous characters. Rasheed’s interactions demonstrate how reputation may be used as a weapon, while Nana’s treatment of Mariam demonstrates how reputation can be used as a tool to instill shame. The plot of the novel is set in motion by Jalil’s shame at having Mariam recognized as his daughter. Mariam would not have wed Rasheed if he had not worried about what other people would think of him. Throughout the book, Mariam is identified by her reputation as a harami. Laila, who consistently prioritizes her own goals over those of others, is one of the few characters who can struggle with throwing away her reputation. Mariam eventually succeeds in doing this as well, and it turns out to be the turning point in her story. A person’s reputation in Afghanistan matters not only personally but also politically. The Taliban’s Shari’a laws have serious consequences for women who do not experience sentiments of shame, like Laila.

Genuine Love in A Thousand Splendid Suns

The concept of pure love contrasts and coexists with the terrible outcomes of arranged weddings. Mammy (Fariba) and Babi (Hakim), Laila’s parents, had a real love-type marriage. Despite their frequent arguments in Laila’s early years, they still spoke with affection about how they met and fell in love. They still like relating their courtship tales to Laila. Their relationship is stressed out by life’s occurrences rather than a lack of affection. The author implies through these two characters that true love does not involve violence but rather involves sticking together and making decisions as a couple. Mammy and Babi delay leaving Kabul until they are both on board, a choice that ultimately costs them their lives. Laila remembers them as having a loving relationship, even though she is subjected to horrific brutality in her arranged marriage. Laila finds the courage to confront Rasheed and the understanding that she does not deserve his violence from the memories of her parent’s love for one another.

True love is demonstrated through Laila’s narrative with Tariq, which demonstrates that it endures. Tariq, her high school sweetheart, ends up being her lover. Afterward, Laila is committed to protecting his child, even if it means wed to the hateful Rasheed. When she thinks Tariq is dead, Laila keeps his memory alive and rushes to him when he knocks on her door. Laila is aware that Tariq’s presence in the home will lead to issues, but she is unsure of how harsh Rasheed’s response will be. She is prepared to deal with the repercussions, though, to speak with Tariq. When Laila must flee, Tariq waits close by, and she follows him. In the novel’s conclusion, they are married, and despite the sadness that comes along with their happiness, their love is still strong.

Another illustration of genuine love in the book is Mariam’s devotion to Aziza, Laila, and later Zalmai. Mariam’s narrative emphasizes the virtue of being prepared to make sacrifices for loved ones. Because of her love for Zalmai, Mariam is unwilling to run to safety with Laila, even if she is willing to risk her life to save the latter. She doesn’t want Zalmai to have to deal with living with his father’s murderer. She loves Laila and Aziza too much to insist on their staying, though. She values their security more than her own life. Because she was able to love Laila and the kids, the family she always desired, Mariam claims she has had a fulfilling life. Despite her fear of dying, she is able to meet her death peacefully because of this understanding.

Pain and Resilience in A Thousand Splendid Suns

All of the characters in ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ have experienced both physical and emotional agony. But this sorrow manifests itself in various ways. Losing a loved one causes its unique brand of acute pain, frequently in a way that doesn’t appear to offer any sort of solace. But, there are other forms of hardship that the characters voluntarily put up with to save others. ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ appears to be struggling with how to establish a hierarchy of suffering and loss. Is the death of Laila’s brothers—which occurred after Babi, or so Mammy alleges—allowed them to fight the Mujahideen somehow worse than the accidental rocket that took Giti’s life? Several techniques are used by the characters to deal with such hardship. After the passing of her sons, Mammy seeks solace in her gloomy bedroom but never fully appears to be able to get over her grief. Laila is more practical; she marries Rasheed as a result of her parents’ passing rather than despite it because she believes it to be her only alternative. This kind of tenacity seems to be encouraged in the book rather than the immobility that can result from suffering. Even though the characters’ pain may be irreversible, there is strength and value to be derived from their ability to survive.

This is particularly true when the characters voluntarily choose to endure. For instance, Laila voluntarily consents to be beaten by the Taliban for going alone as a woman to visit and spend time with her daughter Aziza who is being raised in an orphanage. Mariam naturally decides to kill Rasheed to give Laila a better chance at life, despite knowing full well that she will be found guilty and put to death by the Taliban as a result. It is suggested that women, in particular, excel at this capacity to willingly suffer for the benefit of others. From Mariam’s sacrifice to Laila’s very difficult childbirth, women suffer on their own.

Intergender Dynamics and Afghan Women

Hosseini can highlight particular facets of Afghan life and history that diverge from the mainstream historical narrative by recounting the tale of ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ from the perspectives of two Afghan women. In reality, the book makes use of the restrictions placed on Afghan women to examine how women have dealt with, overcome, and defied these restraints. Throughout the book, gender relations vary according to the occupying troops and the regulations that go along with them. For instance, under communist control, girls are allowed to go to school and work outside the family. Babi pushes Laila to capitalize on this status and praises it. Yet, before being married, girls are advised not to spend too much time with people of the other sex. Gender relations can also be influenced by particular cultural or traditional customs; Mariam, for example, has been forced to wear a burqa by her husband for a long time before it was made legal. The ones who go off to fight are the males, like Laila’s brothers, while the women stay at home and frequently have to deal with the effects of war.

The Mujahideen and, later, the Taliban arrive, significantly altering the comparatively progressive gender norms of communism. The limitations on Laila’s freedom of expression and travel have the effect of removing Kabul, the city she always believed to be hers. Nonetheless, the protagonists manage to buck these expectations. Laila slips to the orphanage across town, and Mariam plots an escape from Rasheed with her. Although Rasheed’s brutal beatings may have been lawful under the Taliban, Hosseini is unmistakably on the side of more rights for women, and the reader is intended to support Laila and Mariam as they fight against these injustices.

What is the main theme in ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ?’

The persecution of women in a patriarchal society is one of the main themes in ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns. ‘ The book is set in Afghanistan, a nation where women are required to act by gender norms and are denied fundamental freedoms like the right to an education and the freedom to travel around as they like.

What lessons can be gleaned from ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ?’

One of the lessons in ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ is the value of human fortitude and the capacity to bear unfathomable agony. Throughout the upheaval of war, Mariam and Laila, two women who struggle in a patriarchal culture, forge an unshakable relationship. Their experience is told in the novel. The tale also teaches readers the value of female unity. Mariam and Laila develop a strong friendship despite coming from different origins.

What genre is “A Thousand Splendid Suns” ?

Khaled Hosseini’s ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ is a work of fiction that falls within the literary and historical fiction categories. A subgenre of literature, known as historical fiction, uses historical persons or events as the backdrop for fictional stories that are set in the past. The novel ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns ‘ is set in Afghanistan in the 1980s, during the Soviet occupation, and in the 1990s, during the Taliban administration.

Why did Mariam stay with Rasheed in ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns?’

Mariam’s decision to endure the violence and stay with Rasheed can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, societal and cultural pressures played a significant role. Growing up in a society where women were expected to be obedient and submissive, Mariam internalized these expectations and felt trapped in her marriage. Additionally, Mariam felt a sense of duty and responsibility towards her role as a wife and mother, despite the mistreatment she endured.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Khaled hosseini, everything you need for every book you read..

None of the characters in the novel is a stranger to pain and suffering, either physical or emotional. However, this suffering takes different forms. The loss of loved ones brings its own kind of acute pain—often in a way that seems to lack any kind of redemption. On the other hand, there are other types of suffering that the characters willingly endure in the service of others.

A Thousand Splendid Suns seems to grapple with how to create a hierarchy of grief and suffering: is the loss of Laila’s brothers, after Babi (or so Mammy accuses him) allowed them to fight the Mujahideen, somehow worse than the random rocket that killed Laila’s friend Giti ? The characters grapple with such suffering in different ways. Mammy takes refuge in her dark bedroom following her sons’ deaths and never quite seems to be able to overcome her grief. Laila is more pragmatic: she marries Rasheed not despite but because of her parents’ death, which she sees as her only option. The novel seems to promote this kind of perseverance over the immobilization that can stem from suffering. Though the suffering that the characters have experienced might be impossible to undo, there is value and strength to be drawn from their ability to endure.

This is especially the case when the characters choose willingly to suffer. Laila, for instance, willingly submits to beatings by the Taliban for traveling as a woman alone, just so that she has the chance of seeing and spending time with her daughter Aziza at the orphanage. Mariam, of course, chooses to kill Rasheed so as to give Laila a chance of a better life, knowing all the same that she will be convicted and executed by the Taliban as a result. This ability to suffer willingly for the benefit of others is portrayed as something women in particular excel at. From Laila’s horrifically painful childbirth to Mariam’s sacrifice, women endure their own suffering and even add to it themselves.

Suffering and Perseverance ThemeTracker

Suffering and Perseverance Quotes in A Thousand Splendid Suns

She understood then what Nana meant, that a harami was an unwanted thing: that she, Mariam, was an illegitimate person who would never have legitimate claim to the things other people had, things such as love, family, home, acceptance.

“It’s our lot in life, Mariam. Women like us. We endure. It’s all we have. Do you understand?”

For the first time, Mariam could hear [Jalil] with Nana’s ears. She could hear so clearly now the insincerity that had always lurked beneath, the hollow, false assurances.

“ One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs,

Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.”

“But I’m a different breed of man, Mariam. Where I come from, one wrong look, one improper word, and blood is spilled. Where I come from, a woman’s face is her husband’s business only. I want you to remember that. Do you understand?”

It wasn’t easy tolerating him talking this way to her, to bear his scorn, his ridicule, his insults, his walking past her like she was nothing but a house cat. But after four years of marriage, Mariam saw clearly how much a woman could tolerate when she was afraid.

“To me, it’s nonsense—and very dangerous nonsense at that—all this talk of I’m Tajik and you’re Pashtun and he’s Hazara and she’s Uzbek. We’re all Afghans, and that’s all that should matter. But when one group rules over the others for so long…There’s contempt. Rivalry. There is. There always has been.”

It was hard to feel, really feel, Mammy’s loss. Hard to summon sorrow, to grieve the deaths of people Laila had never really thought of as alive in the first place. Ahmad and Noor had always been like lore to her. Like characters in a fable. Kings in a history book.

It was Tariq who was real, flesh and blood.

“And that, my young friends, is the story of our country, one invader after another. [...] Macedonians. Sassanians. Arabs. Mongols. Now the Soviets. But we’re like those walls up there. Battered, and nothing pretty to look at, but still standing.”

There would come a day, in fact, years later, when Laila would no longer bewail his loss. Or not as relentlessly; not nearly. There would come a day when the details of his face would begin to slip from memory’s grip, when overhearing a mother on the street call after her child by Tariq’s name would no longer cut her adrift. She would not miss him as she did now, when the ache of his absence was her unremitting companion—like the phantom pain of an amputee.

All day, this poem about Kabul has been bouncing around in my head. Saib-e-Tabrizi wrote it back in the seventeenth century, I think. I used to known the whole poem, but all I can remember now is two lines:

Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls .’”

The girl was looking back as if waiting for Mariam to pass on some morsel of wisdom, to say something encouraging. But what wisdom did Mariam have to offer? What encouragement? Mariam remembered the day they’d buried Nana and how little comfort she had found when Mullah Faizullah had quoted the Koran for her.

She was remembering the day the man from Panjshir had come to deliver the news of Ahmad’s and Noor’s deaths. She remembered Babi, white-faced, slumping on the couch, and Mammy, her hand flying to her mouth when she heard. Laila had watched Mammy come undone that day and it had scared her, but she hadn’t felt any true sorrow. She hadn’t understood the awfulness of her mother’s loss. Now another stranger bringing news of another death. Now she was the one sitting on the chair. Was this her penalty, then, her punishment for being aloof to her own mother’s suffering?

But, miraculously, something of her former life remained, her last link to the person that she had been before she had become so utterly alone. A part of Tariq still alive inside her, sprouting tiny arms, growing translucent hands. How could she jeopardize the only thing she had left of him, of her old life?

Laila examined Mariam’s drooping cheeks, the eyelids that sagged in tired folds, the deep lines that framed her mouth—she saw these things as though she too were looking at someone for the first time. And, for the first time, it was not an adversary’s face Laila saw but a face of grievances unspoken, burdens gone unprotested, a destiny submitted to and endured.

“Why have you pinned your heart to an old, ugly hag like me?” Mariam would murmur into Aziza’s hair. “Huh? I am nobody, don’t you see? A dehati. What have I got to give you?”

But Aziza only muttered contentedly and dug her face in deeper. And when she did that, Mariam swooned. Her eyes watered. Her heart took flight. And she marveled at how, after all these years of rattling loose, she had found in this little creature the first true connection in her life of false, failed connections.

[Mariam] had passed these years in a distant corner of her mind. A dry, barren field, out beyond dream and disillusionment. There, the future did not matter. And the past held only this wisdom: that love was a damaging mistake, and its accomplice, hope, a treacherous illusion.

Laila dropped the spoke because she could not accept what the Mujahideen readily had: that sometimes in war innocent life had to be taken. Her war was against Rasheed. The baby was blameless. And there had been enough killing already. Laila had seen enough killing of innocents caught in the cross fire of enemies.

Mariam regretted her foolish, youthful pride now. She wished now that she had let him in. what would have been the harm to let him in, sit with him, let him say what he’d come to say? He was her father. He’d not been a good father, it was true, but how ordinary his faults seemed now how forgivable, when compared to Rasheed’s malice, or to the brutality and violence that she had seen men inflict on one another.

[Laila] thought of Aziza’s stutter, and of what Aziza had said earlier about fractures and powerful collisions deep down and how sometimes all we see on the surface is a slight tremor.

Though there had been moments of beauty in it. Mariam knew that life for the most part had been unkind to her. But as she walked the final twenty paces, she could not help but wish for more of it. […] Yet as she closed her eyes, it was not regret any longer but a sensation of abundant peace that washed over her. She thought of her entry into this world, the harami daughter of a lowly villager, an unintended thing, a pitiable, regrettable accident. A weed. And yet she was leaving the world as a woman who had loved and been loved back.

A Thousand Splendid Suns Analysis Essay

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a novel written by Khaled Hosseini. The story follows the lives of two women, Mariam and Laila, who are born in Afghanistan in different centuries but share a similar fate. Despite their differences, the two women develop a strong bond and support each other through the many trials and tribulations they face. A Thousand Splendid Suns is a powerful tale of love, loss, and hope in the face of adversity.

Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-American author who was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1965. He moved to the United States in 1980 and became a doctor. Hosseini is best known for his novels The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. Both books are set in Afghanistan and explore the themes of war, exile, and family. A Thousand Splendid Suns was published in 2007 and was a New York Times bestseller. The novel was also nominated for the prestigious Man Booker Prize.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is an emotionally powerful novel that tells the story of two women who are forced to confront the many challenges of life in Afghanistan. Mariam and Laila share a strong bond that helps them survive the many trials they face. The book is a testament to the power of friendship and love in the face of adversity.

A veil of silence descended on the room. A Thousand Splendid Suns is a novel by Khaled Hosseini that tells the story of two women, Mariam and Laila, who are forced to marry a man they do not love. The novel follows their lives as they are subjected to abuse and violence at the hands of their husband.

Despite the horrors they experience, Mariam and Laila find moments of happiness and friendship. The novel explores themes of love, courage, and resilience in the face of adversity. A Thousand Splendid Suns was published in 2007 and was adapted into a Broadway play in 2013. The novel has been translated into over forty languages.

Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-American author who has written two other novels, The Kite Runner and And the Mountains Echoed. Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. He moved to the United States in 1980 and became a citizen in 1992. A Thousand Splendid Suns was highly acclaimed by critics and won several awards, including the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Novel and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism.

When A Thousand Splendid Suns was published, it became an instant bestseller. The book tells the story of two women who are forced to marry a man they do not love. Mariam is from an upper-class family, while Laila is from a lower-class family. Rasheed is a warlord who has killed many people. Mariam and Laila are both subjected to abuse and violence at the hands of their husband.

Despite the horrors they experience, Mariam and Laila find moments of happiness and friendship. The novel explores themes of love, courage, and resilience in the face of adversity. A Thousand Splendid Suns was highly acclaimed by critics and won several awards, including the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Novel and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism.

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, the focus is on women’s rights, particularly in the Taliban era. Mariam and Laila live through regimes that are not horrible. Despite her father’s family forcing her to marry Rasheed, Mariam has the final say as to whether she will accept his proposal.

Laila’s family is much more traditional, but her mother does not lose her identity after marriage. Both women must deal with Rasheed’s increasing control and violence as the Taliban takes over Afghanistan.

Despite the challenges they face, Mariam and Laila are both strong women. They find ways to help each other and to resist Rasheed’s abuse. In the end, they are able to escape his grasp and create a better life for themselves and their children. A Thousand Splendid Suns is an important reminder that women have always been strong and capable, even in the most difficult circumstances.

It is also a testament to the power of friendship and love between women. Khaled Hosseini has written a beautiful and moving story that will stay with readers for a long time. A Thousand Splendid Suns is an excellent novel and deserves all the accolades it has received.

The women in this group were—what was Rasheed’s term? —”modern.” Yes, modern Afghan women married to modern Afghan men who did not mind that their wives walked among strangers with makeup on their faces and no head coverings.

They had attended universities in America and Europe. They worked as doctors and lawyers and wore pantsuits to the office. A thousand splendid suns Mariam born illegitimate in a small village in rural Afghanistan, Mariam has spent her entire life as a virtual prisoner of her conservative father.

When she is not under lock and key, she is busy laboring in the family fields. So when an opportunity arises for her to escape—to go live with her mother’s sister in Kabul—she takes it, even though she must leave behind her beloved young son.

When Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns was published in 2007, it became an instant bestseller, spending over two years on the New York Times Best Seller list. A rich and complex story set against the backdrop of Afghan history, A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the tale of two women, Mariam and Laila, whose lives are forever changed by the Taliban’s rise to power in the 1990s.

The story begins in the late 1970s, with Mariam living as a virtual prisoner of her father. A product of an illegitimate union, she has always been treated poorly by her father and other members of her village. So when she is offered an opportunity to escape to Kabul and live with her mother’s sister, she takes it, even though she must leave her young son behind.

Laila is born into a more fortunate family in Kabul, but the rug is pulled out from under her when the Soviets invade and occupy Afghanistan. Her father is executed, her brother disappears, and her mother flees to Pakistan, leaving Laila behind to fend for herself.

The two women eventually cross paths in Kabul, where they are both living as refugees during the Taliban’s rule. Mariam has been working as a servant for a man named Rasheed, while Laila has been selling flowers on the street to support herself and her young daughter. The two women become unlikely friends, despite the many differences in their backgrounds.

However, the Taliban’s rule is a difficult time for women, and both Mariam and Laila must face increasing restrictions and dangers. Mariam is forced to marry Rasheed, an abusive man who takes pleasure in controlling and humiliating her. Laila is nearly raped by a member of the Taliban, but is saved by her former fiancé, Karim.

As the years go by and the Taliban’s grip on Afghanistan Tightens, Mariam and Laila are increasingly desperate and frustrated. Finally, they find an opportunity to escape—but it comes at a high price.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-5

Chapters 6-10

Chapters 11-15

Chapters 16-20

Chapters 21-25

Chapters 26-30

Chapters 31-35

Chapters 36-40

Chapters 41-45

Chapters 46-51

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

What is the role of childhood in the novel? To what extent are Laila and Mariam’s adulthood experiences shaped by their childhoods?

To what extent do the changes in Afghanistan’s political regimes affect Mariam and Laila?

“‘Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman,’” Nana tells Mariam in her girlhood (7). How do Mariam and Laila encounter misogyny, and how successful are they in confronting it?

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — A Thousand Splendid Suns — The Confusion Towards the Rights of Women in “A Thousand Splendid Suns”

The Confusion Towards The Rights of Women in "A Thousand Splendid Suns"

• Categories: A Thousand Splendid Suns

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Published: Jan 15, 2019

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Power and War in a Thousand Splendid Suns 

There have been many novels throughout the course of history that have discussed many issues in current society. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, the idea of power and war against women has directly affected females in foreign countries like Afghanistan. This idea of power and war has been shown through treatment in society as well as societal ideals. Throughout the novel, this demonstration of power is shown through the man’s superiority and women’s oppression. In Afghanistan, it is typical for the man to have complete control and power over their women.

This image is shown in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, when Laila and Mariam’s late husband, Rasheed, demonstrates his power over his wives by treating them as if they have no dignity or worth. Rasheed exhibits this suppression of women by this quote said in the novel, You try this again and I will find you. I swear on the Prophet’s name that I will find you. And if I do, there isn’t a court in this godforsaken country that will hold me accountable for what I still do. To Mariam first, then to her, and you last. I’ll make you watch. You understand me? I’ll make you watch (Hosseini 243). In this quote, Rasheed, Laila’s husband, shows the authority he has over Laila’s life by threatening her and two other women’s lives. He does this by telling Laila if she ever tries to escape from Rasheeds controlling grasp again, he will find her and possibly kill her. In typical Afghan habit, the men dominate over their wives lives, controlling each and every aspect the woman participates in.

This demonstration of control is proven by this quote said by Cristina Masters, At the mercy of sovereign power, women, due to their function as a vehicle of ethnic cleansing, and to her sexual vulnerability, arguably becomes femina sacra at the mercy of sovereign power: she who can be killed, but also impregnated, yet who cannot be sacrificed due to her impurity (Masters 32). As stated in this quote, women are viewed as sexual objects who can be raped or killed without punishment towards the attacker. This means that any Afghan women can be subject to rape or murder and their perpetrator will not be punished under the femina sacra. A Thousand Splendid Suns exemplifies this by showing Rasheed’s’ impulse to treat women poorly, especially his wives Laila and Mariam, with awful tendencies. This impulse that Rasheed has, comes from the Femina sacra which states “she who cannot be sacrificed but can be raped or killed”. The notion given by the femina sacra is another example of how in Afghan culture, men have the desire to do whatever they wish amongst their women.

Similarly to how Hosseini suggests power, Christine Masters discusses the war on terror and how women have become accustomed to this oppression of men. Although Hosseini discusses power, Christine Masters contrasts this notion by defending Afghan women’s’ rights when she explains their roles and contributions to society as a whole. In this source, Masters is explaining the roles women take in the place of war. As women are presented in stories, they take on many roles that are accustomed to current society of the time, like master explains, “when women appeared in these war stories, they have often been cast in roles with which we are culturally well acquainted– as mothers, nurses, wives and beautiful souls” (Masters 30). In this, quote Masters discusses how during wartime, women usually portray typical roles such as mothers or beautiful wives which shows that women’s power is suppressed to typical ideals of catering to their husbands. Here the quote discusses the gender roles of men and women and how women are supposed to be submissive and compliant to their male counterparts. This means that Hosseini portrays the lives of main characters according to Afghani ideals. The author suggests that the undermining of women causes their self-worth to diminish which makes male authority to dominate more than ever. The idea of power is important because it gives men and women two completely different outcomes. For women, their power is very limited especially for Afghani women who have little to no say on how they live their lives. Meanwhile, men carry on all of the responsibility, authority, and action within their society.

Power connects to Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns because he shows a depiction of men’s authority over women. Furthermore, Christine Master’s article discusses women’s roles during wartime such as housewives, contributing very little to society outside of their home. Through Christine Masters article, Hosseini’s novel comments on how women’s roles can contribute no use for society other than their husband’s benefit. This proves that Hosseini depicts all women in A Thousand Splendid Suns to be none other than powerless slaves to their husbands call. Equivalently to Hosseini suggestion of war, Fredrica Halligan discusses the effects war takes on Afghani women. Although Hosseini discusses war in the novel, Halligan highlights this notion by giving real-life perspectives on those who have experienced war on hand. In this source, Halligan talks about how those who have been touched by war, experiences change in mind about everyday life.

As represented throughout the novel, Fredrica R. Halligan states “selfishness and altruism, sex and loneliness, fear and relief, these are the themes that intertwine in the psyches of the young people who are personally touched by war” (Halligan 343). Halligan discusses those who have experienced war before and talks about how they have adapted their behaviors to their experiences. This quotation discusses behaviors that people have underwent during wartime. Selfishness, loneliness, and fear are three words described in this above quote to give the reader a sense of vulnerability for the individual experiencing hardships during war. The author suggests that Laila has experienced habitual symptoms of fear, selfishness, and altruism.

The idea of war is important because it shows the impact war has on a person. War can both mentally change the state of a human but also can cause them to live in fear. Living life in fear can cause the individual to become selfish, lonely, and altruistic which can form into other bad intentions or habits. These feelings derived from war are because people are seeking love at this hard time. War connects to Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns because of his depiction of Laila experiencing war in the novel. Through Halligan, Hosseini’s novel comments on the attitudes in the quote “selfishness and altruism, sex and loneliness, fear and relief.” These symptoms compare to Laila’s in the book through the decisions she’s made to relieve her loneliness and fear by being selfish or having sex to fill the hole that war has caused. Throughout the novel, Khaled Hosseini has given readers an opportunity to experience for themselves what Afghani women have to go through on a day to day basis.

The power men and society holds on Afghani women has taken a major toll on their lives. Not only has the suppression of women caused by men made it harder for women to gain dignity or worth but also men have held back their women both mentally and physically. Furthermore, war has also played a big role in this novel because of women’s war on themselves, men, and society.

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Power and War in a Thousand Splendid Suns . (2021, May 06). Retrieved from https://supremestudy.com/power-and-war-in-a-thousand-splendid-suns/

"Power and War in a Thousand Splendid Suns ." supremestudy.com , 6 May 2021, https://supremestudy.com/power-and-war-in-a-thousand-splendid-suns/

supremestudy.com. (2021). Power and War in a Thousand Splendid Suns  . [Online]. Available at: https://supremestudy.com/power-and-war-in-a-thousand-splendid-suns/ [Accessed: 10 Apr. 2024]

"Power and War in a Thousand Splendid Suns ." supremestudy.com, May 06, 2021. Accessed April 10, 2024. https://supremestudy.com/power-and-war-in-a-thousand-splendid-suns/

"Power and War in a Thousand Splendid Suns ," supremestudy.com , 06-May-2021. [Online]. Available: https://supremestudy.com/power-and-war-in-a-thousand-splendid-suns/ . [Accessed: 10-Apr-2024]

supremestudy.com. (2021). Power and War in a Thousand Splendid Suns  . [Online]. Available at: https://supremestudy.com/power-and-war-in-a-thousand-splendid-suns/ [Accessed: 10-Apr-2024]

Power and War in a Thousand Splendid Suns . (2021, May 06). Retrieved April 10, 2024 , from https://supremestudy.com/power-and-war-in-a-thousand-splendid-suns/

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