A Thousand Splendid suns; The novel occurs in Kabul with the anti-soviets

A Thousand Splendid suns
The novel occurs in Kabul with the anti-soviets. Mariam who was born an illegitimate daughter whose father is Jalili is forced at a young age into marrying Rasheed. Years later Rasheed takes in another wife Laila whose parents were killed by a rocket fire. Laila had two children whose fathers where Tariq and Rasheed. At the end of the novel many characters had to make sacrifice for what they loved, to be happy. Laila moved out to go live with her loved one Tariq and Mariam had to sacrifice herself because she killed Rasheed. Khale Hosseinie writes about the struggles against society and the Taliban's. The Author concentrates a lot on the different genders and how dominate the male power is. In the novel A Thousand Splendid suns by Khale Hosseinie Jalil, Rasheed and Mariam all portray signs of shame.

Many men in this society cared a lot about their reputation, they had to make many sacrifices and sometimes even hurt the ones they loved to avoid any shame to their name. When Nana worked for Jalil as a maid, he kicked her out when she got pregnant with their illegitimate child Mariam. He was ashamed to have a kid with Nana who was just a maid and to keep his high reputation he only had contact with Mariam once a week. When he promised Mariam one day to take her out to the movies he never showed up, when Mariam went to his house to see him he ignored her and made her site outside all night. "I used to worship you . . . On Thursdays, I sat for hours waiting for you . . . I thought about you all the time . . . I didn't know you were ashamed of me."(p.55) these where Mariam's last words to her father, she then realised he waste the person she thought he was. When Nana dies, Mariam now has to live with Jalil who is so ashamed of Mariam that he decides to marry her off to Rasheed in one of Mariam's darkest times. "She [Mariam] was being sent away because she was the walking, breathing embodiment of their shame." (p. 48). After years later when all of Jalil family dies he finally realises how harsh he was to Mariam and writhe a letter stating to forgive him for all the dreadful things he has done to her. Jalil cared more about his reputation then his own child, he suffered as he finally realizes the consequences of his actions. He longs for the daughter he never acknowledged and realizes that he has sacrificed his happiness for hurting his own name.

Mariam one of the main characters was born with shame in her life. Her father Jalil had a sexual relationship with his maid Nana, Mariams mother. Mariam was described in the novel has an illegitimate daughter. In other words when Mariam was born her own father was ashamed of her because her mother was a maid. Growing up Mariam was ashamed of herself being an illegitimate daughter and her own father was embarrassed of her. Mariam was broken and had no confidence, she never felt wanted or loved. Trough her stay with her father she never felt welcomed and isolates herself (my mother says you're not really my sister like you say you are)p.39. Born with no power Mariam couldn't stand up for herself which caused many problems in her life. When Jalil promises to take Mariam to a movie and never showed up Mariam leaves her mother who repeatedly told her father was a bad person and waits at Jalil house all night. The next day Nana hung herself by the tree. Mariam lives with shame and guilt because she believes it was her fault her mother died.(it wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault) (Mariam nodded, but as desperately as she wanted to she could not bring herself to believe him)p.41. Mariam blames herself for the death of her mother for never listening to her mother when she told her about Jalil and her guilt affects Mariam for much of her life.

The novel is based on a story about two Afghan women living in Kabul in the background of Anti-Soviet wars and the rise of Taliban regime.

Mariam who was born an illegitimate daughter whose father isof Jalili is forced at a young age into marryingthe marriage with Rasheed
Laila moved out to go and live with her loved one Tariq and Mariam had to sacrifice herself because she killed Rasheed.