A Thousand Splendid Suns Part IV (The Conclusion)

THAT ENGLISH TEACHER

A Thousand Splendid Suns Part IV (The Conclusion)

3/16/2017

This image could depict Jalil composing the letter that Laila reads in Part IV of A Thousand Splendid Suns. While this moment is important, it is by 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!

Jasper Fforde

3/24/2017 11:40:01 am

In the fourth and final section, Laila steps into Mariam's life when she visits her home in Herat. Laila is looking for closure and wants to say her final farewell before returning home and putting her life together. Laila goes to Mariam's kolba and is given a box that Jalil meant to give to Mariam. Receiving this box, Laila comes to understand that Jalil wanted to have a relationship with Mariam and help her through his letter because he is full of regret and guilt. An important passage in this section is when Hosseini writes, “The old man is looking at her quizzically. The film playing on the screen is Walt Disney's Pinocchio. Laila does not understand”(Hosseini 404). This is important because, even though Laila doesn't understand the meaning behind it, us readers know that in the beginning of the book “Pinocchio” was the movie that Mariam wanted to watch with Jalil at his cinema. Hosseini does this intentionally for the plot because he knows that the readers will understand this hint, and why it is significant to Mariam.This text is also ironic because all while Mariam was suffering with Rasheed, Jalil was trying to make an effort and connect with her through the contents in the box, while Mariam thought he didn't care about her. Unfortunately this gesture came too late, and Mariam doesn't get to see the contents of the box before she dies, so she will never know what her father felt for her, and Laila will never understand why this movie is of importance to Mariam, her life, and the connection between the beginning and present day. WC 273

Thomas Bastard

3/26/2017 11:30:42 am

I agree that it is very unfortunate what happened between Mariam and her father. If Mariam had been able to forgive him and let him speak to her or read his letter she would've realized how sorry he was and that he did regret everything. It's unfortunate she and her father died before really being able to have that closure that they both really needed. I also agree with Laila going to Mariam''s kolba for closure of her own. Going there was Laila''s way of thanking and paying her respects towards Mariam who gave her life to save Laila''s and her children's.
WC:102

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

3/28/2017 01:01:04 am

I feel bad Jalil never received closure or forgiveness from Mariam since he realized he had messed up when it was too late. I wonder what would have happened if Mariam would had lived to read the letter? Because of your response I finally understand the reference to Pinocchio and I just find it heartbreaking! I really like your statement at the end because it is really ironic and sad Laila will never understand the reference to Pinocchio and this meant to much for Mariam. I feel this section of the book was just a reminder to the readers that life is too short for resentments and regret.

Robert Hayden

3/28/2017 11:18:18 am

When I read that section I also thought that Hosseini wrote it so that us readers can realize the meaning of the film even though to Laila and the man watching the film it seems insignificant. This also got me thinking that authors often includes section in a book that is meant only for us readers. Only us as readers realize the importance of that film and its significant in Mariam’s life. Had Jalil took Mariam to see the film in his theater like she asked none of the things that happened in Mariam’s life wouldn’t have happened. I also thought the fact he chose to leave her that film also shows how he regrets not taking her to see that film in the theater when she asked.
Word Count:128

William Butler Yeats

3/24/2017 11:45:34 am

"Before she leaves the clearing, Laila takes one last look at the kolba where Mariam had slept, eaten, dreamed, held her breath for Jalil. On sagging walls, the willows cast crooked patterns that shift with each gust of wind. A crow has landed on the flat roof. It pecks at something, squacks, flies off. 'Good-bye, Mariam.' And, with that, unaware that she is weeping, Laila begins to run through the grass" (Husseini 402). Before Laila leaves, she looks back at the past, where Mariam had once hoped, dreamed, lived, and spent her childhood in. The willows represent Mariam's flexibility with life, and her surrender to it instead of fighting. The crow symbolizing the death of Mariam, (being a creature thought as for death and afterlife) flies away, in which Laila says goodbye afterwards, and how out of sight, as are the crow and Mariam's death, they still exist, in Laila through her child, Mariam will still live on, if she has a girl, and the crow being someplace else yet still there. Laila runs through the grass, a symbol of community, togetherness, life, health, and renewal, where this represents the action towards the end of the section, after the closure of Mariam's death, of rebuilding and repair - for just as in the city of Kabul, Laila's family goes through a process of mending and reconstruction. Laila deepens as well as strengthen her relationship with Mariam even through death through this passage, which also adds complexity to her own character as she reflects back on her experiences with Mariam and Mariam's own life experiences. This section was written as part of closure on Mariam and her death, and the transition for Laila and her family into a new beginning, as they go through a reparative process. (Word Count: 297)

Robert Hayden

3/28/2017 11:16:37 am

When I was reading that section I thought that hosseini purposely wrote it to show how Laila is experiencing Mariam’s life. The imagery allows us as readers to understand the accurate view Laila is getting of Mariam’s life. Everything Laila is experiencing and seeing is almost like as if she grew up with Mariam and was there with her. That also made me think that laila did not only go there so she could feel close to Mariam, but also so she can see with her own eyes the place where Mariam grew up. Mariam watch Laila grew up and saw her childhood and now Laila is experiencing Mariam’s childhood.
Word Count:110

Kim Possible

3/28/2017 11:34:38 am

I really like your analysis and how you connected with the nature that was around Mariam's old home. You really made it seem like everything was written for a reason. It really opened my eyes to see this passage in a new light and have more of a symbolic meaning to it. Part 4 was written as almost like a reflection on Mariam's past life and what Laila is doing because of the decisions that Mariam has made.

Jennifer Garner

3/24/2017 08:59:17 pm

In chapter 28 of A Thousand Splendid Suns, Aziza finally finds out that Tariq is her actual father and she’s overjoyed by this news. To me, this moment symbolizes the fulfillment of a father figure role in Aziza’s life that she never really had. In this moment Rasheed is now a person of the past. However, it’s interesting how Aziza is so open and accepting of Tariq without going through a period of getting to know his intentions. Rasheed had done so much psychological damage to Aziza that I would think it would be hard for her to trust another man. Instead Aziza is relieved of her new father almost as if she’s been waiting for him to step up and take that place. On the other hand, it’s also interesting how long Laila waits to inform her daughter. Laila sees the moments they share, so if she told her earlier I don’t think it would’ve made a difference. But, Aziza’s brother, Zalmai, is suffering from the loss of his real father. Laila keeps telling him the same lie, but he stills has a hard time adapting to his new father figure. It’s understandable how much he misses his father, but I also wonder if he will move past that point in his life. Overall, Laila’s children experienced a lot in this chapter.
223 words

Thomas Bastard

3/26/2017 11:38:24 am

I feel like the growth that Laila's children experience in the final chapters is very important. Like you said, it is kind of unbelievable that Aziza would be so open and welcoming of a new father figure in her life after all the torment Rasheed put her through. I feel though she is relieved that she isn't hated by Tariq like she was by Rasheed and that plays a huge role in why it is so easy for Aziza to except him. For Zalmai it is a a very different experience. He is still young and is grieving the loss of his father by not excepting the fact that he is really gone. And while he starts out despising Tariq and wanting nothing to do with him we can see his growth towards the end when Laila see him reaching for his new father.
WC:143

Mary Oliver

3/24/2017 09:17:56 pm

“But Laila has decided that she will not...that and hope,” (Hosseini 411). In this passage, Laila, Tariq, and the kids have moved back to Kabul. Laila resents the facts that the warlords are still in the city, but she knows that she can’t let it get to her. She has to move on and have hope because she knows that Mariam would tell her that dwelling on it is senseless. This passage exemplifies the passage as a whole because even though Laila has come back to where her parents died and it’s hard for her, she has a duty to help rebuild the city. It also shows how Mariam’s memory is always with her. Laila has a family of her own, but we see her fierce loyalty show itself again in this section. She lost nearly everything in Kabul, but she loved the city. Her city and its people were everything to her, so she put her family at risk to go back to help. This was ultimately the best decision because she is somebody now. She is making a difference by aiding at the orphanage; just as Mariam gave herself to help Laila, Laila is giving herself to help the orphans and her people. 206

SKIII

3/24/2017 11:09:04 pm

"But the game involves only male names. Because, if it's a girl, Laila has already named her" (Hosseini 415). The last two sentences in A Thousand Splendid Suns end the novel with a resonating feeling of hope and peace. If Laila's child is a girl, she plans on naming her after Mariam. Laila has so many things to be grateful to Mariam for: she helped in raising her children, saved Laila by killing Rasheed, and sacrificed herself so Laila could get away and live with Tariq and her children. Laila plans to name her daughter after Mariam because without her help, she would still be under the harsh treatment of Rasheed, or he would have killed her for inviting Tariq into his house. Laila loved Mariam and does not to lose the memories that she has of her, so she wants to give her daughter her name. By doing this, Mariam will be able to live on even after her sacrifice. These are the last words of the novel because Hosseini wanted to display the importance of love and family and how that was what got Laila through the abuse that she was put through.

Mary Oliver

3/28/2017 07:46:41 am

I agree that by naming her daughter after her, Mariam will be able to live on even after her sacrifice. Laila literally owes her life to Mariam. Without Mariam, it is very likely that she would be dead. Mariam was willing to give everything to save her loved ones. Even though her memory will never be lost, this unborn child will be a physical connection to Mariam. By naming her this, it would also be a way to carry on Mariam's legacy. Hopefully the child will possess the same caring and selfless qualities that Mariam possessed.

The A in ABC

3/28/2017 11:32:25 am

I agree that Mariam had a big part in Laila’s life and she needed her to get through the horrible times that she was placed in front of. Mariam had spent years of time living with Rasheed and dealing with the hardships that came with him. She was able to mentor Laila and teach her how to get through what her new life would bring. This brought the relationship to one another stronger and eventually form a bond that can’t be broken. Without the bonding of both of these women they might not have survived. That bond created the idea of naming Laila’s child after Mariam, the one who basically saved Laila’s life.

William Wordsworth

3/24/2017 11:20:12 pm

As A Thousand Splendid Suns comes to an end, we see Laila and her family years later with Laila herself running an orphanage and teaching in said orphanage. We see that Laila has vastly matured as a person as she we see her realized in a close encounter with warlords as she thinks to herself “What‘s the sense?...what good is it, Laila jo?” (Hosseini 411). We see that Laila has moved on from resenting other that have hurt her as she sees that behavior as a waste of time and something that “Mariam wouldn’t want…” (Hosseini 411). And from this we see that even after all this time, Laila is still grateful for Mariam’s sacrifice and refuses to let Mariam fade from her memory. This showcases the major theme of family that Hosseini emphasizes throughout the novel as even though they weren’t related and one has passed, Laila still keeps Mariam, someone she saw as sister, close to her heart. So much so that when we find out that Laila is pregnant again that she remarks “...if it’s a girl, Laila has already named her” (Hosseini 415). This comment alludes that Laila will name her daughter Mariam, which shows how much Mariam meant to Laila as she names her own child after her so that she will never forget her and in a way, Mariam will always be with Laila.
Word Count: 231 words

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

3/28/2017 01:06:41 am

When I read the part Laila had open an orphanage I just thought it was the kindest thing to do on her part because she knows the struggle and hardships people have to face, especially since at one point she had to leave Aziza at an orphanage too because they could provide for her. It also brings tribute to Mariam because she sacrificed her life for Laila and now Laila is helping and saving children which makes the death of Mariam look like it was worth it. I find it really touching Laila keeps the memory of Mariam alive in her children and the orphanage, it just shows the love they still have for one another.

Robert Hayden

3/24/2017 11:52:02 pm

Before Laila, Tariq and the children went home to Kabul, they went to Herat. Once in Herat Laila went to see Mullah Faizullah who took her to see the kolba where Mariam lived for fifteen years. “When she approaches it … into her own ears”(399, 400). In this section it is Laila describing what she sees in the kolba and imagine what life must have been like for Mariam living here. When Laila is anywhere else she founds it difficult to summon an image of Mariam’s face but in the kolba it was easy to remember the detail of her face. Hosseini wrote this section so that us as reader would realize how the kolba served as more than physical shelter. For the first fifteen years of her life it served as a shelter that kept Mariam from the hatred and judgements of others. Once mariam left that shelter she had suffered nothing but misfortunes. Realizing that everything that happened to Mariam took place Once she left the kolba provides evidence that the kolba kept her safe and protected all these years. The kolba right now is sheltering Laila’s memories of Mariam. While in the kolba, it was as though like Laila could actually see Mariam there with her. It was getting hard for Laila to remember Mariam’s face but inside the kolba it was all clear to her. Perhaps Hosseni’s purpose is to show that even in death the kolba will still shelter Mariam even if it is just the memories of who she was.
Word count:257

Jasper Fforde

3/28/2017 10:38:05 pm

I agree with your response because in a way the kolba serves as her coffin that will keep her memory and life there forever even though she is not physically there. In a way your response relates to the Irish Proverb in class because the kolba was Mariam's shelter and when she loses this shelter she loses her freedom and she doesn't actually live her life happily. Laila was looking at the kolba for shelter in order to get over her grief for Mariam. She needed the closure and being able to stand where Mariam once stood it can bring her somewhat peace out of the entire situation. wc108

The A in ABC

3/26/2017 05:45:05 pm

In this final section of A Thousand Splendid Suns we conclude the story of Laila and Mariam and their struggle to find piece in the cruel world in which they live in. They had depended on each other throughout the book so that they would be able to live and survive. If it weren’t for each other then they wouldn’t have made it as far as they did. Mariam has died and Laila has gone throughout her life in the years after finally gaining what she had hoped for. She has gained the peace and life with tariq that she always wanted. Hosseini adds the a part in the section where Laila is trying to name her next child. “If it’s a girl, Laila has already named her” (Hosseini 415). Laila had already made the decision that if she were to have a girl she would name her Mariam. I feel like this scene concludes the entire message that the author was trying to get across. With a little bit of hope, anyone can get out of any situation. This was what happened to Laila with the help of Mariam. Laila decided to pay her back by naming her child after the person who essentially saved her own life. It’s like Laila was just trying to show her appreciation in this situation.

Kim Possible

3/28/2017 11:28:50 am

I agree with this post. I feel that Laila was trying to give back to Mariam and everything that she is doing is for her. She really reflects upon Mariam's life and tries to put herself in her shoes when she goes back to visit her home in the past. Laila has made something out of her life. Rasheed was holding her from that but Mariam has helped her set her free and follow her dreams.

Cynthia Williams

3/26/2017 08:31:54 pm

These last few chapters was a some kind of closer/ build up to the ending of the novel. The author incorporated and added more details that would show the readers how their relationship was much more than what it seems to be because Laila managed to visit Mariam's old town before she moved. There wasn't much that Laila could do thank Mariam, who is now dead. However, she could have visited her home town where Mariam had always dreamed of going back. On page 414, the author includes how Mariam is in Laila's heart, where she shines with the bursting radiance of a thousand suns. It seems to be that Mariam will always be thought of for the brave and sincere thing that she did for Laila. The readers also find that Laila is having another child with Tariq and how she already knew the name for the child if it were to be a girl. She was going to name is Mariam. This was her way of thanking Mariam and it shows the amount of respect and how much she meant to Laila because she was going to name her own child after her. When you think of naming something after someone, it has a special meaning and huge value to it. A lot of respect and thinking goes towards it because that person has done some kind of great deed to deserve it. Mariam was a hero is Laila's eyes. words:242

Robert Hayden

3/26/2017 09:53:42 pm

Robert Hayden

3/26/2017 10:51:01 pm

Kim Possible

3/27/2017 07:57:33 am

The last section, Laila further deepens her connection with Mariam, even though she is not around anymore. It is almost like that she is finding out the beginnings of Mariam and how she lived before they met each other. Laila visits the place where Mariam used to live and pictured her as a little girl, “Already Laila sees something behind this young girl’s eyes, something deep in her core, that neither Rasheed nor the Taliban will be able to break. Something that, in the end, will be her undoing and Laila’s salvation” (Hosseini 401). In the beginning of the story, we always though Mariam to be a little more submissive, and enduring anything that came her way. She was always taught to deal with whatever was given to her. Now we see her in a new light. She always had that something in her when she was younger. She always wanted to break free. We always thought of Laila being the independent one, but now we see that Mariam was the one who really wanted it more. She had that drive in her, and one day that would be her chance. Mariam’s big turn in her life where she actually did what was right and stopped enduring the torture was the day Laila’s life changed forever. Mariam has made the ultimate sacrifice and she knew from the start that she would eventually act and fulfill that desire of being free. (240)

Mary Oliver

3/28/2017 07:58:47 am

I agree that our thoughts of Mariam do change. We initially thought of her as submissive, but we come to realize that everything she does is for a reason. When she stays with her mother all those years, it isn't her being submissive and just doing what she is told. We can now understand that she does many things because she genuinely cares for others. When she stays with Rasheed, she knows he has nobody else. When she helps Laila, she knows she has nobody else. It isn't her being submissive, it's just her fierce loyalty to others and selflessness.

Jasper Fforde

3/28/2017 11:23:49 pm

I agree with your response because Mariam was told by her mother that women like them will always have to endure and when she says this it makes it seem like they are forced to accept their lives and never really deal with their problems. Mariam does things because she is a caring person that puts others before herself, not because she feels burdened to or because that is all she can do. Mariams sacrifice allows Laila and her family to live a happy life that she never got to experience unless she was with Laila and her children. Mariam was finally taking control of her life by making this big decision and allowing herself to endure no longer by turning herself in. Even though Mariam lived a horrible life filled with people pushing her aside, we know that she will always be a heroic person and be respected by Laila and her family. wc 154

SKIII

3/27/2017 07:52:18 pm

In response to Robert Hayden
I agree that the kolba was a shelter for Mariam as she grew up. She was sheltered from the pain that was given to women in Afghanistan. Nana protected her from the harsh world in the kolba. However, Mariam was unable to realize this protection when she was a child. She could only see Nana as angry at a world that did not go her way. Growing up, Mariam did not understand why Nana did not want her to love Jalil. She only knew him from his visits to the kolba and the gifts he brought. When she finally entered the city, however, she learned about the unfair treatment of women and her father's reasons for leaving her. Only after it was too late did Mariam realize the shelter that she had in the kolba.

SKIII

3/27/2017 08:03:12 pm

In response to Kim Possible
Mariam's sacrifice for Laila showed her boldness against the societal norms in Afghanistan. She could no longer accept the treatment that Rasheed gave her and Laila, and she could not let him attempt to kill Laila. By killing Rasheed, Mariam ended their suffering. Mariam also showed courage by accepting punishment for killing him. She wanted to give Laila and her family a chance to live life free, and she knew she had to accept blame for this to happen. She gave herself up because she loved Laila unconditionally.

William Wordsworth

3/27/2017 09:25:44 pm

In response to SKIII:
I agree with your interpretation of Hosseini’s intentions for the novel’s end, but what I really like is just how quaint of an ending all of this is. Through this moment, we don’t have to see Laila suffer anymore while bringing the relationship of Mariam and Laila full circle by having Mariam, in a sense, reincarnate through Laila’s child, and speaking of which Laila can start a family with Tariq away from Rasheed and finally leading her own life instead of fearing for it. All of this just brings such satisfaction to the reader as, thankfully, the protagonist prevails from their tribulations and see their perseverance, their ability to endure, finally pay off and brings a novel to a delightful conclusion.
Word Count: 121 words

William Wordsworth

3/27/2017 09:37:08 pm

In response to William Butler Yeats:
First of all, that was a beautiful analysis of that quote, just goes to show how expertly Hosseini can create such an atmosphere with a scene just through imagery doesn’t it? And to add on to this, I think this scene is really impactful for the reader as we get to see Mariam throughout her life from her kolba to her tragic execution. This scene just puts all of her life events into perspective: this girl, born being told that she was nothing but a burden, having the world just take advantage of her in every way possible, having become disillusioned to the concept of family multiple times until Laila came along, then willingly gives everything including her life just so that her one and only friend can live. All of this just emphasizes how selfless and brave Mariam is a person, and how she really headed her Nana’s words, even to her grave. This section gives a rather melancholic conclusion to Mariam’s character, doesn’t it?
Word Count: 166 words

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

3/28/2017 12:53:30 am

In part 4 of ATSS Laila, Tariq, and the children move back to Kabul but first Laila stops at Herat and goes back to the place Miriam lived the first 15 years of her life. She realizes the horrible living conditions she had to endure and while there she states “A young Mariam is sitting at the table making the doll by the glow of an oil lamp, she’s humming something. Her face is smooth and youthful, her hair washed, combed back. She has all her teeth. (401)” The description Laila gives of Mariam in this passage gives the reader a better image of what Mariam looked like the last time Laila saw her because it is the complete opposite of what Laila is describing now. This shows character development in the physical description of Mariam because she went from being a beautiful young girl into an old lady with wrinkly face and missing teeth. The fact Laila went back to Miriam’s home town shows the reader Laila truly loved Mariam and was thankful for everything she did for her. “Mariam is never very far. She is here, in these walls they’ve repainted, in the trees they’ve planted, in the blankets that keep the children warm, in these pillows and books and pencils. She is in the children’s laughter… (414).” Laila knows that Mariam will always guide and protect her and her family despite the fact she is gone now. Laila and her children were Mariam’s only true family and the love they had for each other was incomparable. (word count: 259)

Totally Not Bryan KB

3/30/2017 11:25:03 am

In this portion of the novel, part IV, Laila takes time, at the very end of the novel, the think about Mariam. Housseini utilizes the last few pages to sum up the work as a whole by having Laila’s family discuss and argue names for the new baby. It’s important to note that even though her family was debating names of the unborn child, the names were all male names because the name had already been decided if the child turns out to be a girl. This is important because it solidifies what exactly Mariam meant to Laila. It exemplifies just how much of an impact her actions made on Laila’s life. Also, not only does this clarify to the readers that Mariam had become a martyr for Laila, but it’s much more deeper than that. Mariam had never been able to make a child of her own. It is for this very reason that Laila was taken in by Rasheed and eventually forced into marriage. Because Laila understood how much Mariam wanted to hold her own child and pass on her husband’s (whom she lived for and had always been a good wife for) name, Laila was set on passing on Mariam’s name instead. This heart-warming scene successfully sums up the heartbreak throughout the novel and ends on a bliss note.
Word Count: 224

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