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A thousand splendid suns : A Book Report

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A thousand splendid suns

Book report

 

 

 

The novel

Mariam and Laila are two pillars that uphold the story. The story moves between the polar cities of Herat and Kabul. They paint a vivid contrast with Mariam with a rural background aloof from society and distant from love and attachment. Her waiting every week for her father is symbolic of the love that is just around the corner but never quite touches or accepts her. Being an illegitimate daughter, it is neither requited by her mother. Her sudden and forced marriage to a forty year old divorced man at the age of 15 soon looks hopeful with the sun about to shine on it. But her incapability to bear children makes Rashid, her husband, to emotionally reject her. She is hurled on physical and emotional abuses throughout her life for happenings that were written by the hand of nature. She was the victim of powerful people such as her mother and husband, who because of their own frustrations blamed her.

Laila's upbringing was opposite to that of Mariam. But her childhood had a dark cloud hovering over it, with her mother mourning over the departure of her sons to war and oblivious to her growing daughter. Her mother blamed her meek and studious husband who she labels as not having conviction and hated him for letting their sons go, though they went on their own will. Laila's father is the opposite of the patriarchal stereotype embodied by Rashid, yet he is condemned for his nature. Laila’s mother dampened her domestic life with her personal sorrows, imposing her frustrations. But Laila had a supportive father and a constant friend in Tariq, the relationship that blossoms into romance as they enter their teenage years. Though she had love and beauty, it was abruptly snatched away when the terror of Taliban made Tariq flee to Pakistan and an air bomb destroys her home, killing her parents. She was found by Rashid who was now in his later fifties and marries her, enticed by her young beauty.

Mariam initially disliked Laila for she could bear children. But as the city is overcome by Taliban soldiers, they are pushed inside a house with a man whose hatred for both of them gradually deepens. Amidst the bloodshed and hostility, the two women find a friend in one another with the both of them supporting each other through the abuses hurled at them, both domestically and politically. Mariam sacrifices her life after Rashid is murdered so that Laila and Tariq could take the children away for a better life.

A thousand splendid suns, set against the backdrop of a totalitarian regime, is a symbol of how love can blossom amongst hatred and how it has the immense power to change people and the lives they lead.

 Published in the fourth issue of RoundPier Magazine: https://issuu.com/roundpier/docs/rp_issue_iv_july_2022


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