I really need some help with my summative essay for my English class. Here is my thesis so far:
In A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, society's views on gender, religion, and culture limit women's freedoms and therefore cause them to react differently to the same circumstances. The novel's two protagonists, Mariam and Laila, have grown up differently. Therefore, when faced with the same external factors that limit their freedoms, they react according to their childhood experiences.
My teacher approved this thesis, I just need help thinking about the structure of my body paragraphs. I thought I could use gender, religion, and culture but I'm not sure if there is enough content! Please help! Thanks! :)
IRT Richard,
It would seem to me that you may want to share some of the origins of A Thousand Splendid Suns. The title comes from a poem titled Kabul by the author Saib-e-Tabrizi.
You may want to note the history of Afghanistan, as this book is written about the history of this illustrious nation's past 30 years. As subsections to history, you may want to point out cultural growth, religious intolerance, and political restrictions.
You may also want to make note of personal growth between the women in the four sections, and inner-socializations they experienced through the duration of this text.
Beyond this, you really should consider breaking the 5-paragraph standard for essays, and really go in depth on this book, as it is marvelous and deserves attention.
But remember, this book is not to spread the history of a nation, it is to tell a story while applying a history in the process.
I hope this has been of some help!
Great work Daniel!
As Daniel deconstructed all the Technical aspects of the novel, i'll try to show you the covalent bonds that exist between fact and fiction here.
Fiction: Meriam is the illegitimate daugther of Jalil so she has to live with her mother in a kobla... Fact: Religious intolerance begets cultural precincts. Discuss this with reference to Islam and how the religion works.
Fiction: Meriam's mom hangs herself fearing that Meriam has run away deserting her mother... Fact: Past experiences pave the way for our future actions. Discuss this with reference to psychological changes.Freud has a lot to offer here.
Fiction: Meriam is then married to this old guy (I think he was a cobbler?!), her miscarriages, her husband's abusive behavior...
Fact: Things in the third-world work at a complete 180. Write about Afghanistans cultural pattern, how women are treated,gender inequality, underage marriages and their effect on women,health hazards in young pregnancies.
Fiction:The friendship between laila and tariq, sexual tension, seperation and the farewell romance... Fact01: Men and women cant be friends on religious grounds due to fear of illicit/immoral relationships...You can back it up with some religious backthought.
Fact02: The thought of never seeing someone rouses dormant emotions. Human Psychology playing its part.
Fiction:Rasheeds second marriage, His suspicion, His abusive nature, Meriam and Laila's friendship... Fact01: An important thing about Aghans/Pathans is that according to them men are the masters and women are the slaves. Do background research on this. How this tendency fits in with the general mood of the overall novel - from Jalil to Rasheed. Discuss how Hosseini draws a comparision by introducing the character of Tariq!Why he comes back?Why is HE different from these two other men? One - a fearful man bitten both by religion/culture and conscience. The other - trying to prove his right by his might.
Fact02:How complete strangers unite on a common stand under trying circumstances? For a mutual goal...How one is willing to give up ones life if theres a glimmer of hope for the other persons survival.
Fiction:Taliban regime, Pakistan migration, The package from Meriams father
Fact01: Discuss how the whole taliban era changed Afghanistan. Hint:Talibans are fundamentalists with a twisted view of religion.
Fact02: Pakistan sharing its border with Afghanistan is the natural culmination of their journey.This too because Peshawar(city in Pakistan) has Pathans who are related to Afghans (sharing the same language-Pushto-dialects may vary ofcourse and cultural background)
Fact03:Jalils package confirms that he is infact a loser(in simpler terms) who doesnt have the guts to stand up for his family.A VERY IMPORTANT POINT TO DISCUSS!
Ok, so if I write more, I might as well write the whole thing. I hope you draw inspiration from this.
Do tell me how it shapes up.
Best of Luck.
Part of this is difficult to write... It is not your fault; what you are trying to express is a complex idea.
Try this:
... cause them to react differently to
the same their circumstances. The novel's two protagonists, Mariam and Laila, have ...
I just need help thinking about the structure of my body paragraphs.
One good strategy is to go deep into the book and really enjoy it... and... write whatever you want. When an idea comes to mind, write a sentence about it. Follow that up with a sentence of elaboration and example, quotation, etc., and... let each idea become a paragraph.
Just make sure the ideas you write about are ideas that support your thesis: gender oppression causes its victims to act ________ (what is the perfect word to use?)
:-)
