A Thousand Splendid Suns Part III.ii (Mariam and Laila's Story)

3/8/2017

This image could depict Mariam at peace in the final chapter of Part III.ii of A Thousand Splendid Suns. While this moment is important, it is no means the only significant point in these chapters.
After having read these chapters:
-Select a single passage (this may be a single paragraph or several) that you feel best typifies the action and Hosseini's authorial intent in this section of ATSS.
-Explain the action and context of the quoted passage (you must cite the passage) and then,
-Explain how your understanding of this passage (1) supports your understanding, (2) deepens the character development, and/or (3) builds a central message that aligns with one of the unit's essential questions.

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the Poet's name that you selected in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by the end of Friday night!

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the Poet's name that you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by the start of class on Monday!

Notice: There will be a quote quiz on Monday regarding these chapters.

Kim Possible

3/9/2017 07:36:39 pm

In section 3.2, we really see peak of Mariam and Laila’s relationship. Mariam and Laila treat each other like family. A quote that explains this is “And Mariam could not, would not, allow that to happen. He’d taken so much for her in twenty-seven years of marriage. She would not watch him take Laila too” (Hosseini 348). Mariam has went through so much hard times with her marriage with Rasheed. She can’t bear to see Laila fall into her footsteps because Mariam knows that she didn’t want to live the same life she did. This section of the story also shows the rebellion towards men. Women did not dare to speak against their husbands in any matter. Laila and Mariam came together to finally eliminate Rasheed from both their lives. Even though they knew the punishment that came with it, they did it for their benefit and for each other’s well-being. This section also shows the growth in Mariam as she finally decides to take a swing at freedom. She did what she could to protect the ones she loved. She was responsible for what she has done and decides to take the punishment that was given to her. The line “One last time, Mariam did as she was told” (Hosseini 371), really stood out because it was her last act of obedience. Mariam has been following orders all her life and this was the last one before she was free from all her suffering. (245)

William Wordsworth

3/12/2017 09:23:55 pm

This section really highlights Mariam’s growth as a character as we see that she finally has had enough of Rasheed’s abusive behavior and straight up murders him. First of all, we finally see Mariam rising up towards her abuser and take a step towards freedom because she cares about the people she loves, even if this step will cost Mariam her life. Then, the decision to stay and get executed while Laila runs away to Tariq shows how much she has grown in terms of selflessness. She cares so much for Laila that is willing, and will, give her life in order to give Laila and the kids a better future. This part emphasizes the relationship that Mariam and Laila has established for each other. And while Mariam and Laila may never see each other again, we can be assured that they will always remember each other dearly.
Word Count: 148 words

Cynthia Williams

3/10/2017 12:00:01 am

In the novel, the author incorporates the passage "She had a sensation of...Mariam's face, engraved with scratches, heavy with worry, hovered over Laila," (Hosseini 351), to show the relationship of Mariam and Laila and how it has changed throughout the novel. Mariam used to envy Laila, but she soon realized what they both had in common and that Laila is actually a good woman who is just trying to escape from Rasheed just like Mariam wants to as well. In the passage, the readers are able to see the true feelings and relationship that the women obviously have for each other because they both know how dangerous Rasheed is, but the two were willing to put their safety at risk to protect one another. When Laila was getting chocked and attacked, Mariam got a shovel to kill Rasheed and she was pulling on his hair and when Mariam was getting attacked, Laila went after Rasheed to help Mariam out. However; that was not the only thing that the ladies did for one another and sacrificed, but Mariam volunteered to take the blame of the murder so that Laila could run off with Tariq and her son. Mariam probably chose do make this decision because she has no one. She no longer has a husband, bother her parents are not around, her brother died, and she is unable to have a child unlike Laila. Laila still has the love of her life and her two kids who need her the most. word count 250

Jasper Fforde

3/12/2017 10:56:54 pm

I agree with your response because even going further in the section Mariam tells Laila that Laila and her kids have given her so much happiness that she didn't think she'd ever get to have again after marrying Rasheed and she didn't want to affect the life that Laila could still have. I agree that they've come a long way because they went from hating each other to actual enjoying one another's company and that in itself is major growth. Mariam realizes that she needs to make this sacrifice and she went from hating Laila to giving up her life for her WC 102

Thomas Bastard

3/10/2017 12:32:22 pm

In the second half of part three everything changes for Mariam and Laila. Laila now has her second child and Rasheed is a little more patient now that he has his son. However, in a matter of what seems like a few pages Laila learnsTariq is alive, and then Laila, Mariam and their husband are in a bloody fight to the death. While this is a continuation of their stories together I believe it is Mariam we learn the most about. Hosseini writes, "And so Mariam raised the shovel high...She turned it so the sharp edge was verticle...this was the first time she was deciding the course of her own life... Mariam brought down the shovel. This time, she gave it everything she had"(349). After over 20 years of her life after she was forced into a marriage she did not want, a marriage where she was repeatedly abused physically and emotionally, she was finally able to stand up to her husband. She killed him without hesitation because that was what she needed to do to free not only herself but to save Laila. Later in the chapter Hosseini writes, " "For me it ends here. There's nothing more I want. Everything I'd ever wished for as a little girl you've already given me. You and your children have made me so very happy...This is all right""(358). We see here how much Mariam has grown because she use to be terrified of Rasheed, she would take whatever he did to her without making a noise. Now she is strong. Mariam has chosen the course of her own life and in doing so took down someone who spent his life trying to bring her down. She is now at peace with herself and her life and is okay with what will be coming next for her. This contributes to the understanding of the novel as a whole because we see how important it is for a woman to stand up for herself, not to the extreme of murder, but that you need to stand up for your right to happiness and a life without pain and suffering.

Kim Possible

3/12/2017 05:47:36 pm

I really enjoyed reading your response. I really agree that this section was all about Mariam and seeing Mariam blossom into who she really wanted to be. I felt like her killing her husband was for all the time that he had beaten her, the times she couldn't say no, all the miscarriages and all the times that she has been put down. There was probably a vengeance that was burning up inside her. When this has happened, it has fulfilled her and made her at peace because there was nothing more that she wanted. She was deprived of her happiness and now she can have that freedom that she always wanted to have.

Cynthia Williams

3/19/2017 11:02:46 pm

I agree with what you have written. The readers do in fact see more of Mariam's character because the author illustrates and emphasizes her traits more throughout these chapters. For example, she becomes more supportive of Laila and she actually backs her up and defends her as well when Rasheed was attacking Laila. Also, Mariam takes on more responsibilities to protect Laila and the two try to work together. Mariam does great thinking with her decisions because in order for things to not completely go down hill, she must either save one of them or both of them, but saving the both of them would not work, so it made sense to save Laila because she can a whole life ahead of her.

Jennifer Garner

3/10/2017 08:35:39 pm

Chapter 46 of A Thousand Splendid Suns is a critical moment of the entire book. Within this chapter Mariam kills her husband of many years, Rasheed, and Laila and Zalmai leave Mariam behind in the house. The killing of Rasheed ultimately sets the both of the women free from traditional ways they have lived in. They no longer have to endure as a women is supposed too. They can finally live their lives the way they desire. When Mariam went to the tool shed to find the shovel she knew it was the moment. Not only did she have a duty to save Laila as she had defended her, but she needed to save the entire family regardless of the bond Zalmai had with his father. However, I also think that Mariam should've went with Laila. Mariam deserves to live a better life away from the house that caused her so much pain. Even though she did commit a crime, it's morally good. All of the years previous to the crime have fundamentally gave her permission to what she has done. In the end, I wonder how Laila will handle this freedom to take control of her own life especially with the Taliban still around.
200 words

SKIII

3/12/2017 11:45:52 pm

Although escaping with Laila and the children seems like a better option in our eyes, I believe that Mariam's choice to accept her punishment was her best choice in the society that they were living in. A wife murdering her husband was a very serious offense because women were supposed to be obedient to their husbands. The Taliban would have found out and hunted her down. We saw before how strong their security was when the two tried escaping before, so Mariam stood little chance if she left with them. She would have also put Laila and her children in danger if she went with them because the Taliban would have killed them two. By accepting her punishment and not fleeing with Laila, Mariam shows her love for the family and her bravery.

Ray Bradbury

3/13/2017 07:15:10 am

I agree with the person above me that Mariam made the best decision for both her and Laila. She knows that if they went on the run together they will be in constant fear that someone would find them. She also knew that If the Taliban did find them that not only would they let Laila and Mariam suffer they would also let the innocent children suffer, even though they did nothing. I also believe that Mariam was justified in killing Rasheed. He did not show that same love for her even though she took care of him for many years and he was taking away one of the few things that brought Mariam happiness in their marriage. W.C. 118

Cynthia Williams

3/19/2017 11:17:43 pm

It would have been a happier ending if Mariam hadn't risk her life for Laila, but that was impossible due to the environment and society that they lived in. Women were more likely to be blamed for things that they did do and did not do. There were no possible way to get away with the murder especially in their time. It wouldn't have been right if she blamed it on Laila because their relationship has strengthen so much since the beginning of her marriage with Rasheed. In a way they are all one big family and Mariam does actually care about Laila.

Robert Hayden

3/10/2017 10:18:07 pm

Part three of ATSS tells the story of Mariam and Laila and their lives together. Even though at first Mariam did not like Laila, but over the years they have grown closer together. Their relationship resemble that of a mother and daughter. In chapter 45 Laila meets Tariq on the streets and discover that he wasn’t dead. Laila invited him over, they talk, and when Rasheed came home Zalmai told him everything. Rasheed was so furious that he was willing to killed Laila, when Mariam noticed that she grabbed the shovel and killed him with it. Mariam knew if she didn’t killed him, he’d killed them. Then Mariam turn herself in, so the Talibans wouldn’t hunt them all down. Mariam never got the opportunity to become a mother, but with Laila it was like she was. The sacrifice she made for Laila resemble the sacrifice a mother would made for their daughter. The irony of the idea in this section is that the mothers in ATSS like Mammy and nana wouldn’t have done that. Mariam never had any children but she acted like a mother to mariam and to Aziza. I thinks the importance of this section is to show how Mariam have truly developed over the years. She went from being a scared little girl to someone who is capable of making her own decision. She decided to killed Rasheed and turned herself in so that Laila, Tariq and her children could be happy together. This was her decision.
Word Count: 250

William Wordsworth

3/12/2017 08:58:13 pm

While I agree that Part Three shows Mariam developing and maturing greatly as a person to the point of sacrificing her life, I never really saw Mariam and Laila’s relationship as one of mother and daughter but as one of sisters. The way that they both wanted to protect and care for each other at all costs makes me think of siblings more than a parent and their child. And with this point of view, it still keeps the major themes of the novel such as the importance of family and how it can be formed. And while I may not entirely agree with your interpretation of this novel, keep in mind that this is just my opinion and you are entitled to have yours.
Word Count: 125 words

Ray Bradbury

3/12/2017 10:29:52 pm

I also think that Mariam and Laila have developed a mother daughter relationship. The way that Laila looks to Mariam for comfort and even the way Mariam thinks her last moments of life shows this. As she is reflecting on her accomplishments in life Hosseini writes "She was leaving it a friend,a companion, a guardian. A mother" (Hosseni 370). The fact that Hosseni writes shows that this was his intention for the two characters. Laila also seems to give Mariam some purpose in life. She plays the role of surrogate mother even when she doesn't really like her because she is a protector. W.C 104

William Wordsworth

3/10/2017 11:27:12 pm

This section of Part 3 of this novel continues the downward spiral and dystopian air that the end of section 1 has established. Laila and Mariam’s life has gone down the drain as their marriage to Rasheed turns bloodier every day and have to resort to bringing Aziza to a boarding school as they can’t provide enough for both her and Zalmai. But not all hope is lost as Tariq, who is surprisingly alive, visits Laila sparking their love for each other once more. As their situation worsens, Rasheed becomes more and more violent as he beats both Laila and Mariam daily. Their skirmishes reach a climactic end when during one fight where Rasheed tries to suffocate Laila, Mariam smacks him with a shovel multiple times and murders Rasheed. They both realize that sooner or later they’ll be found out and executed, so in an act of selflessness, Mariam decides to take the brunt of the punishment and tells Laila to grab the children and reunite with Tariq. We see in these moments that Laila and Mariam’s relationship with each other reaches it peak as Mariam realizes that Laila has a future, something she can hope for, while she does not. We see that Mariam begins to fully understand her Nana’s words of endurance as now that Rasheed is dead she has nothing in this world but her endurance and sees that she should use this to give Laila a new life. And for Laila we see that she has found hope in the face of despair as she starts a new with Tariq and realizes the importance of family as she becomes ever more grateful for Mariam’s sacrifice.
Word Count: 279 words.

Kim Possible

3/12/2017 10:00:04 pm

I agree with your response. Mariam is like a mother to Laila, almost like a child that she always hoped to have. She really exhibits a mother's love for her children. Mariam saw the potential in Laila and knew that should would always become something. Everyone knew that Laila had potential, a purpose in life, but it was Mariam who really pushed it forward and will make a lasting impact on Laila. Mariam has done everything that she could for Laila. A human can only endure so much and I think that Mariam had enough and decided to break from the chains that Rasheed had put her in.

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

3/15/2017 07:42:56 pm

I really felt bad for Aziza when she got left at that boarding school because she had such a close relationship to Mariam and Laila, I can only imagine what she felt like being left alone in a place where she didn’t know anyone and was away from her family. Mariam and Laila should have fought back against Rasheed a long time ago and not let it get to the point where one of them almost died. However, Mariam killing Rasheed was very brave and it proves her love and loyalty to Laila and her children since they were the only family Mariam really had.

Paloroan

3/11/2017 11:57:12 am

“One last time, Mariam did as she was told,” (371). This quote is the last line in this part of the book. Mariam is told to kneel down right before she is killed. This quote is significant because it brings the novel full circle in a way that puts everything at peace. Mariam was brought into the world unloved and was told that she’d always have to just endure and do as she was told; now she has to do this once more. Instead of being angered by this and as hostile as the majority of her life has life, Mariam is actually accepting and calm. This is because she turned her life around for the better. With Laila and her children, she had actually known love and had a family. Instead of just being someone’s servant, she was actually loved. She had also stood up for something and by killing Rasheed, she took her life back into her control. He had abused her and her loved ones, and no one would stop him. To stop the abuse, she knew that his death would ultimately be the last option. In the end, the only regret she felt was towards his son. She is at peace for two reasons. One is that she is finally mentally free. Two is that she knows she did commit a crime; she is okay with the consequence ahead of her. (235 words)

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

3/15/2017 07:14:55 pm

I enjoy the first part of your response, I like the idea that everyone is now at peace. Laila is with Tariq and her children and Mariam no longer has to suffer and get beat from Rasheed. I was really surprised however how Mariam was acting so calm and at peace as she was going to get executed. I guess she was really happy with her actions because she knew it was the right thing to do, if anything she should have done it sooner. As you said I love the fact Mariam is leaving earth with no regrets and with the love of a family she always wanted to have.

Jasper Fforde

3/11/2017 07:58:54 pm

In part 3 of the story we see that Laila and Mariam are finally deciding what will happen in their life without the dictatorship of a man. This section is extremely eventful because Laila has her son, we find out as readers that Tariq is alive, and the household is full of constant violence, secrets and hunger. Hosseini writes, "And so Mariam raised the shovel high...she gave it everything she had"(Hosseini 349). This particular part emphasizes that Mariam is making a decision of her own that Rasheed, Jalil or Nana cant make for her. This is important because we can see how Laila and Mariam can move forward with their life and try to take back their life that has been robbed of them for so many years wc 130

Ray Bradbury

3/12/2017 10:14:28 pm

The part that typifies the second half of Part 3 the most was when Mariam took charge of the situation that Laila and herself have gotten into. As Mariam is about to get executed for the crime she has confessed to, Hosseini writes "She thought of her entry into the world, the harami of a lowly villager, an unintended thing, a pitiable regrettable accident. And yet she was leaving the world as a woman who had loved and been loved back. A person of consequence at last" (Hosseini 370). I feel like even though the third part showcased the relationship between the two women and how they grow together it also showed immense growth in Mariam. Mariam lived her entire life living in the shadow of what her mother told her she was a "harami" and by the end of her life she realizes that she is more than that because of Laila and her kids and her instinct to protect these people she has grown to be a stronger person. She doesn't allow the words of others to affect her as much and she also decides to fight back. Without Mariam Laila would have probably given up because she didn't have her to help her adjust to this new life. Her story would have ended with the death of her parents because Rasheed would have beaten down her defiant spirit. W.C. 231

SKIII

3/12/2017 11:55:25 pm

I think that Laila and Mariam both contributed to each other's growth and bravery. When Laila jumped on Rasheed as he was attacking Mariam, she showed her care for Mariam as well as her feeling that women should not be treated this way. Before this, Mariam had just accepted Rasheed's beatings and believed there was no way to stop it. When Mariam kills Rasheed as he is choking Mariam, she displays her growth and bravery. She teaches this to Laila when she decides to part ways with the family and accept her punishment. Although Laila does not want her to go, she understands that this is the best choice for the family. This teaches Laila how to be brave and put love above one's self.

Paloroan

3/13/2017 09:24:50 am

I agree that this passage shows Mariam's immense growth and accurately represents this section of the novel. When Laila and the kids entered into her life, she came to know what love was. She became a motherly figure towards all of them and this allows her to grow. Once her life became not only about her, she really had to take charge. Throughout the beginning of the novel, Mariam would constantly think about the negative things that everyone had said to her; she believed them. By the end, she had confidence that none of those things were true about her. (100 words)

SKIII

3/12/2017 11:31:57 pm

"'Kneel here, hamshira. And look down.' One last time, Mariam did as she was told" (Hosseini 371). These two lines that end part three of the book are important because they strongly reenforce the idea that women are expected to be subservient to men in Afghanistan's society. Mariam had been the victim of her husband's anger all throughout the novel, and she was forced to accept his punishments for her. She defied this cultural norm of women having to do what their husband says when she kills Rasheed with the shovel. This scene shows that she believes she is as strong as men are. However, this feeling is shortly lived. She soon accepts her punishment of death for her crime without putting us a fight. She gives in to her exicutioner's requests because she knows that in their society, she will always be below men no matter how hard she fights.

Paloroan

3/13/2017 07:44:18 am

I disagree that she gives in because she knows that she's below men in their society. I think that from the time she kills Rasheed, it is actually her feeling of triumph that is short lived. Her and her extended family were finally liberated from him, but Mariam also had to think about his son. Mariam is calm before her execution because she feels like she has a debt to pay to his son. He had a very close bond with Rasheed and Mariam understood that. If she were not punished for her crime, she would spend the rest of her knowing that for the boy, she has ripped his family apart. (112 words)

Robert Hayden

3/24/2017 11:41:23 am

Even though Mariam’s punishment was issue by a man, I don’t think it is necessarily them defining her last moments. I believe Mariam went out strong because she decided her own fate. It was Mariam’s choice to killed Rasheed so He wouldn’t killed Laila. She decided to turn herself in so the Taliban’s wouldn’t hunt them down. She knew that if she runs with Laila and the kids they would have to live in hiding and in fear. This was her own decision. It is the one decision she’s made since the death of her mother. She chose to die so Laila, Tariq, and the kids could have a better life together.
Word Count:112

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

3/15/2017 06:55:29 pm

In this section of ATSS Rasheed was mad at Laila and Mariam for letting Tariq into his house and near his son, when he finds out about the news he starts to choke Laila with the intentions of killing her but Mariam stepped up and killed Rasheed with a shovel before he had the chance to do so. “He’s going to kill her, she thought. He really means to. Mariam could not, would not, allow that to happen. He’d taken so much from her twenty-seven years to marriage. She would not watch him take Laila too (348).” These are the thoughts of Mariam before she swung the shovel and hit Rasheed across the temple. Mariam has grown into a strong woman; she was no longer afraid of Rasheed and she was not going to let him kill someone so important to her. What Mariam did was the right thing to do because if Laila would have gotten killed then Aziza and Zalmai would have had to grow up without a mother. This also shows the kind of love Mariam and Laila have developed for each other because at first they couldn’t even be in the same room and now they were both fighting back Rasheed. This scene relates to the themes of family, love, and power because Laila and her kids are the only real family Mariam has ever had so she is willing to sacrifice many things for them. (word count: 240)

Robert Hayden

3/24/2017 11:32:00 am

I also thought that passage was a vital moment in the book because it shows the development of Mariam but it also demonstrate a special bond between Laila and Mariam. When Mariam married Rasheed she was just a fifteen year old girl who didn’t know how to stand up for herself and now she is standing up to Rasheed to keep him from taking one more thing away from her. This quote shows how much Mariam have grown over the years, she’s gotten so much stronger. Mariam defending Laila from Rasheed the way she did is kind of like how a mother would defend her daughter. Even though Mariam never had children she still had that experience.
word count: 117

Totally Not Bryan KB

3/28/2017 11:34:59 am

In the final chapter of section III of A Thousand Splendid Suns, the portion that stood out the most was when Mariam took her final order from anyone else in her life. It was the moment that the executioner told her to kneel down (Hosseini 371) that revealed the author’s intent. It was clear that throughout Mariam’s hard life, she had been given orders. It started with Mariam’s mother telling her exactly what to do all of the time and always harking on her about everything that she does. Then, it went on when Jalil and his wives took over her life for a little after her mother died and forced her into an unwanted marriage. Then Rasheed took over her life and completely forced her to do things she did not want to do and even abused her. It was the moment that she kneeled down for the last time, the moment that she chose to accept the repercussions of her actions, the moment where her only selfless deed in life that she truly was free of the shackles that held her throughout her life. It was clear at that moment that Mariam was at peace.
Word Count: 199

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