A Thousand Splendid Suns (Part 3.2) Primary and Secondary Blog Posts

4/6/2018

This image could depict Mariam at peace in the final chapter of Part 3.2 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 name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Friday night 4-6-2018!

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 name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Sunday night 4-8-2018!

Shahmir

4/6/2018 10:34:20 pm

“Laila crawled to her and again put her head on Mariam's lap. She remembered all the afternoons they'd spent together, braiding each other's hair, Mariam listening patiently to her random thought and ordinary stories with an air of gratitude, with the expression of a person to whom a unique and coveted privilege had been extended” (Hosseini 358).

Before this quote was stated, Laila’s son Zalmai tells his father that his mother has spoken to a man and let him see her face. Although he meant no harm, he caused his mother and Mariam to get in ample trouble. Zalmai was sent upstairs, and immediately Rasheed began to choke Laila, with intentions of killing her, so Mariam beat him to the punch. In the quote, Laila is laying on Mariam reminiscing on the good times they’ve experienced before Mariam goes to turn herself in for the murder she committed. The two ladies represent each other’s sense of shelter. The both of the ladies shelter each other from loneliness and depression. Both Laila and Mariam are living in a house with their abuser, and although it sucks, they have each other. After being treated so bad, the two of them console in each other, and if they didn’t live together, they’d probably be dead. Mariam and Laila look out for each other in every situation physically and emotionally, and this sheltering makes the both of them extremely strong. Mariam shelters Laila and her kids from danger when she decides to turn herself in so the Taliban doesn’t come for both of them, and the kids. The effort and consideration put into Mariam’s decisions truly represent the love and appreciation the two ladies have built for each other.

word count: 228

Rashanak

4/11/2018 10:15:51 am

t is interesting seeing how much Mariam and Laila care about one another. They have a very close bond and shelter each other from the evil with which they reside. It is very sad that Mariam needs to sacrifice herself for her family, but it is necessary in the end. Either way though, the love Mariam finds in Laila and her children seems to be unlike anything she has experienced before. It is heartbreaking that Mariam is going to die to protect all those that she loves and it shows when she has to obey her last order and leave them forever. Reading this, it was obvious there was no better choice, but still, it makes me wish that they could have been in any other country.

WC: 127

Darsameen

4/12/2018 12:23:57 am

I like how you view Mariam and Laila as each others shelter, and if they hadn't lived under the same roof, both women would have been dead by now. Mariam had to endure living with Rasheed and deal with his daily mistreatments, but these two women were willing to get physically abuse in order to protect each other. When Laila first arrived, Mariam couldn't stand her presence but they start to notice that they have both suffered a lot at such a short age.
They are both each other s support, and protection against the expectations from society towards women.

WC 105

Mahsheed

4/12/2018 09:28:42 pm

I found it really heartbreaking when Mariam decided to take the fall for his death. Though she was the one who administered the killing blow, it was well deserved and the fact that no one would care about the situation was unfair to me. I agree with you when you say these actions of Mariam truly represent the love that she and Laila have built for each other. They have held each other through thick and thin, they have stood up to Rasheed together, and they have become the foundation that family needs. If they had never developed the relationship they have, who knows what might have happened in the hell they lived in. They had to work together to live through it all. (Word Count: 124)

Mahsheed

4/10/2018 06:47:49 pm

“And so Laila’s life suddenly revolved around finding ways to see Aziza. Half the time, she never made it to the orphanage. Crossing the street, she was spotted by the Taliban...If she was lucky, she was given a tongue-lashing or a single kick to the rear, a shove in the back. Other times, she met with assortments of wooden clubs, fresh tree branches, short whips, slaps, often fists” (Hosseini 321).

In this passage, Aziza has just been admitted to the local orphanage under the guise of her being taken care of better than she would at home. In reality, Rasheed wanted her out of the house, that way he wouldn’t have another mouth to feed. Aziza is terrified to be given over to an orphanage, and Laila herself does not want to give up her daughter. But in the end, both their hands are forced. This passage shows the dedication Laila has to see her daughter everyday---she endures the risk of getting caught by the Taliban, as well as the abuse they dole out. Hosseini is trying to show his audience the dedication of Laila, and the lengths she is willing to go for her love. Aziza is still Laila’s shelter---the last piece of Tariq she has left---and she’d be damned if anyone took that away from her. This passage also conveys how much the environment has changed for women. If it wasn’t clear to the reader the extent from the beginning of part three, it is now apparent how much life isn’t the way it used to be. Women aren’t allowed to be anywhere on their own without running the risk of being beaten within an inch of their life. Hosseini is trying to show just how much this world differs from the one we, as well the characters knew from before. He’s showing the development of the world around them, mirroring it through the development of both Laila and Mariam.
(Word Count: 252)

Kiriana

4/10/2018 09:54:51 pm

“‘Kneel here, hamshira. And look down.’ One last time, Mariam did as she was told.” -Hosseini 371

In this passage, Mariam is at her final moment of life before she executed for murdering Rasheed. She commits this crime because she knew if she didn’t act fast, Rasheed would have most likely killed Laila.He would’ve taken away the life of someone that was very important to her. With the strong bond that they have, especially with Aziza, Mariam knew she couldn’t live with the fact if she let Rasheed do such a cruel thing in front of her eyes. This shows that Laila and Mariam truly care for each other and will do anything in a life or death situation. They are each other’s backbone and support each other emotionally/physically. Mariam was willing to risk her life by killing him knowing that she would get a death penalty just so Laila, Aziza, and Zalmai could move on and live a better life. Her actions reflect on how much their little family means to her

WC:200

Rashanak

4/11/2018 10:05:37 am

It's amazing how much she cares for her family. It is apparent that she cares a great deal for those who are actually family to her, just like the child she thought she would have when she was younger. What I think is interesting though is that we all say Mariam was defending her family, yet in reality, the only person in her household who would be considered her family is Rasheed. It's interesting though that we see more of a family dynamic between Laila and Mariam, and I think that Khaled Hosseini did that on purpose. He shows a lot of interesting viewpoints in this novel, so it only makes sense that he would also want our family to only be together because of their oppressor.

WC: 127

Shahmir

4/11/2018 11:31:04 pm

When Mariam had the guts to kill Rasheed, I was absolutely proud. Not only did she build up the courage to do everything in her power to save Laila, she offered to turn herself in so that she could protect Laila and her children. Although Rasheed’s intentions were to kill Laila, no superior could let Mariam do such a crime of killing him, without having her killed in return. In fact, Mariam knew this before she decided to admit to her wrongs, but she did this so that Laila’s children could have the best life with her, and so Laila could be happy with Tariq. Mariam knew that if she was to stay, they would’ve discovered the crime, and hunt down both Mariam and Laila. To go down to protect the ones Mariam cared about the most really highlighted her morals and personality, and made her a bigger and better person that she was seen as prior to that moment.

word count: 160

Rashanak

4/11/2018 10:00:38 am

"Had Mariam been certain that he would be satisfied with shooting only her, that there was a chance he would spare Laila, she might have dropped the shovel. But in Rasheed's eyes she saw murder for them both [...] And, with that, Mariam brought down the shovel. This time, she gave it everything she had" (Hosseini 349)

This shows the true development of Mariam's character. She has spent the entire book being controlled and oppressed by her husband, Rasheed. He would beat her ruthlessly, breaking her molars, sometimes beating her senseless. This time though, we see how powerful she really is. By bringing down the shovel, she is standing up to her husband for every terrible thing he did to her and her sister-wife Laila. This shows that she has grown and finally become a powerful, able person.

This also shows the development of Mariam's character with respect to Laila. When Laila married Rasheed, Mariam was hurt and wanted nothing to do with her. They finally became allies when Laila slept with Rasheed so that he wouldn't beat Mariam, but they had never really been friends. This act of murder, though, shows how much Mariam has come to care for Laila. She killed for her friend because she loves Laila and her children, and she would never let anyone, not even her husband, hurt these loved ones. It is amazing to see this change. This is one of the biggest surprises in the novel: Mariam has gone from an innocent and hopeful girl to a troubled woman who will do anything to protect the ones that she loves

WC: 211

Darsameen

4/12/2018 12:14:09 am

I also believe Mariam has come a long way, from being a little girl who was being hidden from the world to a strong woman who is determined to protect those she loves. It s amazing how Mariam had the courage to end the life of the man who only made her suffer. As we can see, Mariam is capable of being a confident woman, but all she needed was a reason to fight for. In my opinion, Laila and her children were the main reason Mariam decided to kill Rasheed. She was willing to put her life at risk in order to secure a better life for the people she loves.

WC 112

Darsameen

4/11/2018 11:59:16 pm

“Laila loved the moist kisses Zalmai planted on her cheeks, loved his dimpled elbows and stout little toes. She loved tickling him, building tunnels with cushions and pillows for him to crawl through, watching him fall asleep in her arms with one of his hands always clutching her ear. Her stomach turned when she thought of that afternoon, lying on the floor with the spoke of a bicycle wheel between her legs. How close she’d come. It was unthinkable to her now that she could have even entertained the idea. Her son was a blessing, and Laila was relieved to discover that her fears had proved baseless, that she loved Zalmai with the marrow of her bones, just as she did Aziza” (Hosseini 295).
In this passage, Laila is spending time with Zalmai and she realizes how much she truly loves him. Moreover, she is glad that her fears didn’t take over her which would have led to her losing the baby. Throughout the novel. Laila had to sacrifice her freedom in order to provide a shelter for her daughter, Aziza. This little girl was the result of her eternal love with Tariq, and she was the only thing that gave Laila good memories and provided her the strength to fight for a better future. However, as a consequence of living under Rasheed’s roof, Laila gave birth to his child, and his birth made Rasheed unconditionally happy. Unlike Aziza, Zalmai was the product of a violent relationships, which didn’t bring anything but suffering to Laila. In my opinion, any women would have hesitated giving birth to a child who wasn’t created with love, but Laila had finally learned that a mother’s unconditional love for her children can transcend the circumstances around their birth. As year have passed by, Laila has learned to equally love both of her children, and to protect them from anything. After all, they are the ones who look up to their mom for protection and it's up to Laila to provide that protection.
WC 201

Mahsheed

4/12/2018 09:19:30 pm

I like how you brought up how different the contraception of both Aziza and Zalmai were. Like you said, no woman wants to endure having a child with someone who abuses them constantly. The child can be seen as a burden, and a trap inside a relationship that is not healthy. Laila has learned that Zalmai is just as every bit of her as Aziza is, and that she had nothing to fear in terms of separating her love. I’m very happy Laila didn’t go through with the abortion, because she herself might have gotten extremely damaged, as well as she wouldn’t have another child that she adores.
(Word Count: 108)

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