a. Many works of literature deal with political or social issues. Analyze how Hosseini uses literary elements to explore the issue of domestic abuse (psychological and/or physical). Do not summarize the plot or action of the work you choose.
In the spectacular novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, author Khaled Hosseini exhibits the overwhelmingly miserable lives of two women, Mariam and Laila, who are burdened with the oath of marriage to Rasheed. Hosseini uses vivid literary elements throughout the novel to explore the issue of domestic abuse in specific relevance to the ties between the relationship among the three characters. The novel's events provide the reader with a combination of both psychological and physical abuse, Rasheed proclaims patriarchal power above Mariam and later Laila as he takes them into his binding through the act marriage. It is crucial to note the predominant use of Afghan culture that Hosseini explicitly utilizes to allow him to incorporate the events that lead to the descriptive abuse of these two women. All of this abuse occurs within the walls of Rasheed's household in Kabul. It all begins when Rasheed exercises his power by telling Mariam, “where I come from, a woman’s face is her husband’s business only” (p. 70). Rasheed’s requirement that Mariam wear a burqa symbolizes that Mariam’s new life is limited to Rasheed and Rasheed only. The requirement of Mariam's burqa foreshadows Rasheed's selfish, protective nature, which will stagnate into abuse. This psychological prowess facilitates the means of and as to how Rasheed can channel his abuse. The historical context of the novel in addition to the level of familiarity held by the primary target audience of Hosseini of that said culture, the author accomplishes the objective of properly and realistically creating such Afghan lifestyle throughout the novel. The reader's overall view can be discerned into the acceptance that such events are realistic, providing success in the author's purpose. Because of this, A Thousand Splendid Suns triumphs for its context, social and lifestyle examples, and most importantly providing a solid foundation to the dominating theme of the novel. That theme of the inner strength of women. Both characters, Mariam and Laila, are forced into life situations which challenge their strength and their ability to endure. Mariam is born illegitimate in a world which turns their back on such women. She is later forced into a marriage to a cruel, abusive man. “But after four years of marriage, Mariam saw clearly how much a woman could tolerate when she was afraid.” (p. 98) It is very important to note that such view can be shared by many of the Afghan women. Mariam bonds with Laila later in her life, which allows her to understand that she can love and be loved in return. A turn in the novel, being that this view directly contrast to the opening of the novel. In the end, her great strength allows her to face the sacrifice she makes of her own life to forsake the sorrows of those that she loves.
3/21/2011
Blog Topic C:
c. In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present actions, attitudes or values of a character. Select a character from A Thousand Splendid Suns who must contend with some aspect of the past, either personal or societal. Analyze how the character’s relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not summarize the plot or action of the work you choose.
Proclaimed author Khaled Hosseini writes in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns the tragic story of a woman named Mariam. Her story is told in a chronological series of events, from birth to death. In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present actions, attitudes or values of a character. Mariam must contend with her past in a struggle to endure the hardships that her miserable life presents her. The author develops a dynamic relationship to the days of the past with the paced upcoming days and events of Mariam's present and future. In the beginning of the novel the reader can note the very event that will pave Mariam's life to a very desolate, misfortune life that she will live. “She [Mariam] was being sent away because she was the walking, breathing embodiment of their shame.” (p. 48) Hosseini's character exposition of Mariam is very blunt as to how the situation is with her and the community, her family. This perspective of the people becomes Mariam's shadow, following her every day, behind her, as a reminder of what she is and what will become of her. The story develops in the sense that this idea in the back of her head ends up shaping what the rest of her life is and is the sole explanation to why her life is becoming what it is. Mariam learning to endure suffering not only suggests how bleak Mariam's future will be, but also the type of lessons that Mariam must have learned as a child. Ultimately, throughout the rest of the novel, Mariam's capacity for endurance is what allows her to survive horrible conditions and depressing personal losses. Additionally, as Mariam grows up, she becomes steady and solid enough to endure her surroundings but rarely proactive enough to change her situation; a pattern of behavior which most likely reflects her upbringing. In a sense her ovarlapping past, the days of yesterday, filled with misery and abuse, allow Mariam to shape her future, the day of tomorrow. In the end it all pays off, “It seemed worthwhile, if absurdly so, to have endured all [she'd] endured for this one crowning moment, for this act of defiance that would end the suffering of all indignities.” (300). Finally Mariam can lift of all burden in her life, dependent on the events of the past, each piling on top of one another to the point where she becomes strong and able to endure it, use it to bend her reality into what Hosseini claims as a radiance that gives the strength to those that she loves. She is now able to shine “with the bursting radiance of a thousand suns.” (p. 414).
Proclaimed author Khaled Hosseini writes in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns the tragic story of a woman named Mariam. Her story is told in a chronological series of events, from birth to death. In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present actions, attitudes or values of a character. Mariam must contend with her past in a struggle to endure the hardships that her miserable life presents her. The author develops a dynamic relationship to the days of the past with the paced upcoming days and events of Mariam's present and future. In the beginning of the novel the reader can note the very event that will pave Mariam's life to a very desolate, misfortune life that she will live. “She [Mariam] was being sent away because she was the walking, breathing embodiment of their shame.” (p. 48) Hosseini's character exposition of Mariam is very blunt as to how the situation is with her and the community, her family. This perspective of the people becomes Mariam's shadow, following her every day, behind her, as a reminder of what she is and what will become of her. The story develops in the sense that this idea in the back of her head ends up shaping what the rest of her life is and is the sole explanation to why her life is becoming what it is. Mariam learning to endure suffering not only suggests how bleak Mariam's future will be, but also the type of lessons that Mariam must have learned as a child. Ultimately, throughout the rest of the novel, Mariam's capacity for endurance is what allows her to survive horrible conditions and depressing personal losses. Additionally, as Mariam grows up, she becomes steady and solid enough to endure her surroundings but rarely proactive enough to change her situation; a pattern of behavior which most likely reflects her upbringing. In a sense her ovarlapping past, the days of yesterday, filled with misery and abuse, allow Mariam to shape her future, the day of tomorrow. In the end it all pays off, “It seemed worthwhile, if absurdly so, to have endured all [she'd] endured for this one crowning moment, for this act of defiance that would end the suffering of all indignities.” (300). Finally Mariam can lift of all burden in her life, dependent on the events of the past, each piling on top of one another to the point where she becomes strong and able to endure it, use it to bend her reality into what Hosseini claims as a radiance that gives the strength to those that she loves. She is now able to shine “with the bursting radiance of a thousand suns.” (p. 414).
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