A Thousand Splendid Suns (Part 4) Primary and Secondary Blog Posts

4/8/2018

The image above 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 name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Tuesday night 4-10-2018!

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 Wednesday night 4-11-2018!

Mahsheed

4/10/2018 07:04:45 pm

“Laila frowns. She keeps watching for a minute or two. Then she pushes stop, fast forwards the tape, and pushes play again. It’s the same film. The old man is looking at her quizzically. The film playing on the screen is Walt Disney’s Pinocchio. Laila does not understand” (Hosseini 403-404).

This quote is taken in part four, after the tragic death of Mariam. Laila is devastated, because the reason she died was not to be condemning, but freeing. The death of Rasheed and the sacrifice of Mariam has allowed Laila to live life with Tariq, Aziza, and Zalmai. To honor Mariam, she visits the home of the late Mullah Faizullah---and finds that Jalil, Mariam’s father, had passed down a box to him so that one day he would deliver it to his daughter. Because it is impossible for Mariam to now receive it, Laila opens it out of curiosity and finds a letter, a cassette, and a burlap sack. When she plays the video cassette, she finds Pinocchio. This small scene, was very satisfying, yet very gut wrenching for me. Hosseini has had the story come full circle for Laila, where she reunites with Tariq and gets the ending she deserves. And yet, he has somehow done the same thing for Mariam. Despite her end, this small gift from Jalil signifies the fact that Mariam was loved in the end. Hosseini does this to show the regrets of Jalil, that he was right to have. He is showing Jalil trying to make amends for his mistakes on the cusp of his death, in a similar way Mariam was doing when she turned herself in. This pulls her story to a close with a beautiful, angsty flourish, and I loved/hated every second of it.
(Word Count: 244)

Zarafshan

4/10/2018 10:18:49 pm

In the final part of A Thousand Splendid Suns, I feel the most significant moment of strength was when Mariam found the power to hit Rasheed with the intent to end his life; though she realizes she will have no escape from the punishment of killing a man, she fiercely decides to sacrifice her life for those of the three people she calls family. "But in Rasheed’s eyes he saw murder for them both. And so Mariam raised the shovel high, raised it as high as she could so it touched the small of her back. She turned it so the sharp edge was vertical, and, as she did, it occurred to her that this was the first time that she was deciding the course of her own life. And, with that, Mariam brought down the shovel. This time, she gave it everything she had" (Hosseini 349). This quotation reveals Hosseini’s authorial intent of Mariam accepting what truly matters to her as well as her sudden realization of her ability to fight for the people he cares about. This opened my understanding of Mariam’s character development through her change of action while still holding much of her original character morals such as her appreciation of those who have taught her. Despite being put into a situation where the monster who’d induced pain on her for almost twenty years had the opening to kill her and the woman she considered a sister, she found the right state of mind to stand up for the people she loved and end his reign of cruelty.
Word Count 265

Zarafshan

4/10/2018 10:24:32 pm

I love the quote that you chose here, as it truly shows Hosseini's effort to include the audience in the closing of Mariam's character in the novel. I agree with the fact that the purpose of these letters was originally to show Mariam that she was loved and still important to her father, however I also feel as thought the meaning of the gifts from Jalil were to show how pure Mariam was; since Jalil knew simple things such as a movie would mean the most to Mariam, we see how truly open and appreciative to the world she was.
Word count 102

Rashanak

4/11/2018 10:47:28 am

It is interesting seeing the close of Mariam's story. You would expect a characters story to end at their death, but Mariam is better than that. Her story lives on through Laila, who gets to discover the end of Mariam's story. I had hoped that she would never have to die, but it seems that death was actually a freeing thing for Mariam. It would have been very difficult for her to go back to Mullah Faizullah's home, but Laila, desperate for answers and always very brave, was able to. This let us see the love Mariam's father actually had for Mariam, even if she never got to see it. This helps to redeem his character, and it helps us to see that even though she didn't believe it, Mariam was indeed loved.

WC 133

Shahmir

4/11/2018 11:24:36 pm

When Laila goes to see Mariam’s old home, I end up really surprised. I knew that Jalil felt some kind of regret and agony, however, I hate that he was so late. When Mariam was first sent off, all she could do was look her father in the face and hope that he wasn’t actually gonna send her away to live with a stranger. Mariam practically begged her father to let her stay, and all he did was look away in sorrow. The idea of it “being too late” seems to occur in many plots. Jalil decided to leave Mariam an inheritance and a sad letter once she had already moved away, been gone, and not only that, but dead. If only Jalil decided to get off his high horse a long time ago, Mariam could’ve had a different life.

Word Count- 140

Darsameen

4/16/2018 08:17:29 pm

This scene was pretty significant since Jalil never forgot about Mariam, and he seems to have been living with guilt since the day she was taken away from his house. Even though the letter was never delivered to Mariam, I think it was good for Mariam to never read it. Jalil didn’t protect her, nor did he prevent her from getting married to a man way older than her. Moreover, the need to watch the film was pretty significant to Mariam when she was a child, since it’s about a puppet who is simply trying to be accepted by society, just like Mariam.

WC= 104

Kiriana

4/16/2018 08:41:10 pm

I also believe that this scene was very important because it does shows how Jalil did care for at the end. Though he wasn’t the best father by forcing her into an arranged marriage with a very abusive person ( he probably wasn’t aware, boo Rasheed.) at the end of the day he ended up caring, but just a little too late. He is trying to come to terms with his faults before he faces death, so he doesn’t have to live with the complete guilt of marrying off his daughter to a man who could also be old enough to be her father.

WC: 105

Zarafshan

4/10/2018 10:20:00 pm

Zarafshan

4/11/2018 10:05:25 am

wc 265, sorry for the comment of my primary post

Rashanak

4/11/2018 10:20:36 pm

It is interesting to see all of the pain inflicted on Mariam. She is tortured by her mother, father, and husband, though in many different ways. She does decide that she is done with being tortured and that she will not let others be hurt by her cruel, evil husband. This is what I think gave her the strength to kill Rasheed, something she never before seemed able to do. She killed for love, possibly the most noble reason for murder. She killed her husband so that Laila's children wouldn't have to grow up without a mother. Mariam and Laila both had very distant mothers, so it is very powerful that Mariam wants these children to grow up with a mother who is present and loves them.

WC: 127

Mahsheed

4/12/2018 10:12:34 pm

I thought of Mariam killing Rasheed as a sign of freedom, and you’re right about it. She’s finally taking full control back in her life, doing something she wants with no holding back. Mariam was using her will to protect the people she loved, and like you said, she was ending his reign of cruelty. Though the consequences are terrible, it is this moment that Mariam is freed from her prison, and she is able to be who she wants, even if it’s only for a few moments. This does show a big part of her character development, most likely the climax. It shows a point to where her life has finally peaked, and in this she must have found acceptance even when we didn’t. (Word Count: 125)

Rashanak

4/11/2018 10:42:52 am

"But the game involves only male names. Because, if it's a girl, Laila has already named her" (Hosseini 415)

This quote shows the depth of Laila and Mariam's friendship. Laila and Mariam spent years living together sister wives and stuck in marriage to Rasheed, who was overly cruel to both of them. They strike up an unlikely friendship, and learn to work together to accomplish their goals. Mariam killed and then died for Laila in the end, displaying just how much she loved her. At this point, we realize that, if she has a girl, Laila will name her baby Mariam, after the woman who saved her, helped raise her, and eventually killed and died for her. It is heartbreaking, especially after reading the letter Mariam's father wrote to Mariam, and after seeing Mariam's childhood home, decaying and destroyed. We see that while Laila knew a lot about Mariam, she was also blind to some of the parts of her life that made her who she was. She was forced to marry because her mother killed herself, she was unable to have children, she was abandoned by her father. These terrible things changed Mariam, somehow for the better. Perhaps she saw all fo these terrible things and decided that she never wanted another person to suffer like this again. We see as Laila learns about Mariam, her infatuation with her father's movies and just with her father, and this lets Laila decide to name a daughter after Mariam, the best friend she will ever have.

WC 236

Mahsheed

4/12/2018 09:46:47 pm

I agree with you in how Laila didn’t know much about Mariam. They were so preoccupied with trying to live day to day that I doubt they had much time for childhood stories of tragedy. Mariam herself probably never wanted to think about it again. I do disagree however, with the fact that only after Laila learns about Mariam, that you say she decides to name the baby after her. I believe that their relationship alone made Laila want to name her child after her. They had been through so much, and as you said, Mariam killed and died for Laila. Laila loves her enough where if she didn’t know where Mariam came from, she’d still want to keep her close to her heart. (Word Count: 124)

Farahnoush

4/11/2018 01:55:24 pm

"In Rasheed’s eyes he saw murder for them both. And so Mariam raised the shovel high, raised it as high as she could so it touched the small of her back. She turned it so the sharp edge was vertical, and, as she did, it occurred to her that this was the first time that she was deciding the course of her own life. And, with that, Mariam brought down the shovel. This time, she gave it everything she had" (Hosseini 349).
I think one of the most significant parts is when Mariam felt the desire to hit Rasheed with the sharp end of the shovel despite knowing the consequences if she were to do so. This quote helps the reader understand how Mariam has changed over the course of the story because she is finally deciding to dictate her own life and so something of her own volition. She is making a choice of her own and is willing to accept all of the consequences in order to protect those people that she actually loves.

Anonymous

4/11/2018 02:01:51 pm

Guys. The shovel part is in 3.2. Part 4 doesn’t start until Mariam is dead.

Mahsheed

4/12/2018 09:33:14 pm

wooaaahhh intruder alert

Shahmir

4/11/2018 11:17:18 pm

“Most times, Laila and Tariq make love in silence, with controlled muted passion […] But for Laila, being with Tariq is worth weathering these apprehensions. When they make love, Laila feels anchored, she feels sheltered” (Hosseini 385).

This quote is speaking on the scene of where Tariq and Mariam are making love, and they actually feel spiritually connected and comfortable with each other. In the beginning of the novel, we see the strong relationship of Laila and Tariq form. They were friends from young, yet it became apparent that they liked each other a lot more than just “best friends”. However, after Tariq left and Laila was in the predicament of marrying Rasheed, she and him had no choice but to make love on their wedding night. However, this quote shows the difference in feelings between Laila and the two men. Rasheed wasn’t much of a romantic, and Laila also didn’t marry him because she loved him. Laila only went along with the marriage and sex because she had to allow Rasheed to believe he was the father of her daughter. However, the love making between Laila and Tariq is described as sheltering. With Rasheed, Laila was sheltered in a way where it was almost suffocating because of all the abuse she was out through. But, she enjoys making love to Tariq because not only does she love him, but he makes her feel safe.

word count:233

Darsameen

4/16/2018 08:00:07 pm

I agree with your response, since Laila had no other choice but to marry Rasheed in order to protect her baby with Tariq. She knew what were the risks of marrying a man, and clearly her purpose was to pretend she was getting pregnant. Just like you state it, everytime Laila had sex with Rasheed, she was basically trying to shelter herself and in the process she was suffocating. In the other hand, while she made love with Tariq, not only did she love him but he was her protection; shelter. Also, Laila and Tariq had a strong bond that has been keeping them together since the day they met, which explains their strong connection.

WC= 115

darsameen

4/12/2018 02:04:03 am

But Laila has decided that she will not be crippled by resentment. Mariam wouldn't want it that way...and so Laila has resigned herself to moving on. For her own sake, for Tariqs, for her childrens. And for Mariam, who still visits Laila in her dreams, who is never more than a breath or two below her consciousness. Laila has moved on. Because in the ends she knows that's all she can do. That and hope. ⧭Hosseini 411 ⧭
After many years of suffering, Laila and Mariam have finally found peace. Even though Mariam had to sacrifice her own life in order to bring that peace to Laila, she did it. It seems to me that Laila always had hope for a better future, and she never gave up. However, now that she is back in Kabul, she is back to the place where it all started. She is back to the place that shaped her future, a future filled with suffering, love, friendships, and death. Now, she needs to learn to forgive and forget all those past memories, and manage to live a life full of joy with the love of her life and two children. In the other hand, Im wondering if just like she is willing to forgive those who killed her parents, she is willing to forget Rasheed for everything he has done. Is she willing to forgive and forget all those moments that Rasheed made her suffer when he would hit her︖ From the beginning of the novel, to the end, Laila's life was similar to a roller coaster, where she had her moments of happiness and many sad moments.
Word Count 200

Kiriana

4/16/2018 09:19:06 pm

“ I hope you do not think that I am trying to buy your forgiveness. I hope you will credit me with knowing that your forgiveness is not for sale. It never was. I am merely giving you, if belatedly, what was rightfully yours all along. I was not a dutiful father to you in life. Perhaps in death I can be. Weak heart, the doctors say. It is a fitting manner of death, I think, for a weak man.” -(Hosseini 406)

In this scene, Laila is reading the letter Jalil has left for Mariam who unfortunately who isn’t alive to read it herself. This is important because after the day of Mariam’s fifteen birthday, she was no longer fond of him as he turned against her when she needed him most, especially when her mother had just passed away and he treated her by forcing her into an arranged marriage at such a young age. He realized his faults and wanted to apologize, even if wasn’t a physical apology because she refused to see him, but it’s the thought that counts. His small gift that he left for Mariam symbolizes/ shows that he always cared for her and regretted what he put her through.

kiriana

4/16/2018 09:20:52 pm

WC: 205

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