Blog Topic A:

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.

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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.