Part 2: Laila's Story (Primary Blog ONLY)

3/7/2025

These images (all images of Afghanistan occuring during the time period in Part 2) could depict some of the main plot points of the beginning of Part II (Laila's Story) of A Thousand Splendid Suns. While these moments are important, they are by no means the only significant points in these chapters. Here is a link to Getty Images collection of photos of Afghanistan in the 1980s:

https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/afghanistan-1980

After having read these chapters:

Select a single passage (this may be a single paragraph or several) that you feel best typifies the thematic importance of "shelter" in this section of ATSS. You may Copy/Paste from the PDF copy of ATSS on GClassroom OR clearly paraphrase the passage to familiarize your reader.
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 of the thematic topic, "shelter," (2) deepens the character development, AND (3) builds a central message that aligns with one of the unit's essential questions (see the main ATSS page).

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 100-150 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name that you were assigned in class as your PEN NAME and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59 pm on Sunday night!

9 Comments

Torsier

3/9/2025 11:22:36 pm

In A Thousand Splendid Suns we read about Laila and Tariq and how they like each other and have feelings for each other and are seen around each other and are doing some things. But we learn more about how they were friends sense they were young and Tariq lost a leg to a land mine. Later when we read we see that his other boy likes Laila but his mad that she does not like him back so he puts pee in her, we later read that Tariq ends up fighting the boy that put pee in Laila's hair protecting her room the bully. This shows the thematic understanding of "Shelter" by showing Tariq sheltering and protecting Laila from bullies.

3/10/2025 07:03:56 am

Great paraphrasing! Only thing that I woiuld add is to expand a little on your connection to the topic of "shelter." Ideally, these blog responses and your Dialectical Journals will "pre-write" your essays! Thank you!

Tenrec

3/10/2025 07:44:12 am

Within A Thousand Splendid Suns, We see the Laila's relationship with her parents from once the happy and caring family seem to wither as time passes, as her mother becomes unresponsive and neglectful, and the only for of Shelter comes from both her dad, and Tariq, her dad only wants the best for his daughter and wants her to get an education. Tariq is willing to stand up against her and protect her in most cases even when his disability effects him. This theming of "Shelter" is very prevalent in the book and is a key staple of it,

Osprey

3/10/2025 07:44:39 am

In a thousand splendid suns we read about Laila and Tariq and how much they enjoy one another's company as we learn more about their relationship and how long their friendship has lasted for and endured such as Tariq losing his leg to a land mine. Later on in the story we see another boy who likes laila but frustrated due to her not feeling the same way so he shoots her with a water gun full of pee and causes laila to be the butt of the joke. This connects to the theme of shelter because we find out that tariq chooses to fight the boy over this which connects to shelter because it can be seen as a form of protection or a way to cover you or keep you safe from negative nature which is what tariq does.
141 words

MuGGer

3/10/2025 07:53:03 am

In A Thousand Splendid Suns we read about Laila and how she was thinking about how happy her mom and dad was with each other before her brothers are gone.It shows them eating and talking with love and not hate. with this readers can see how here shelter change from here having fun with here mom and here having a loving family.but once here brothers are gone her mom shutdown and her dad lost his job now she here grow up and strat walking home try to wake up her mom and try to cook food for her mom and dad now they don't even know what's going on in her life .

Transcaucasian water shrew

3/10/2025 07:54:23 am

In the book A Thousand Splendid suns part two we read how due to the constant war Lailah is losing the people she loves the most or are of utmost importance to her. Around Chapter 24 we see that Lailah friend giti is killed due to a rocket, and Tariq is moving away from the war, and at the end of the part two how Lailah parents die. This is important to the theme of shelter because it shows how to the outside world even your own home is not a safe haven for you or the people closest to you, as we see Lailah lose everyone close to her in a short span of time.

proboscis monkey

3/10/2025 09:42:33 am

In A Thousand Splendid Suns one example of shelter is when Tariq beat up khadim for spraying Laila.''The others understood too when Tariq straightened up, standing on one leg. When he
began hopping toward Khadim, then charging him, his unstrapped leg raised high over his
shoulder like a sword.
The boys stepped aside in a hurry. They gave him a clear path to Khadim.
Then it was all dust and fists and kicks and yelps''(Hosseini 85) I think this is sheltering because he is able to stand up to lailas bully and prove that he truly does want the best for Laila.

Tibetan Antelope

3/11/2025 10:17:01 pm

Laila’s home, once a place of warmth and love, is reduced to rubble in an instant. The walls that had sheltered her from the dangers of war could no longer protect her. This occurs when a rocket hits Laila’s house, killing her parents. Up until this point, her home had been her refuge, despite the dangers outside. However, this moment marks a turning point—she loses her physical and emotional shelter. The passage illustrates how war strips away even the most basic forms of safety. Laila’s home had once been a symbol of stability, but its destruction shows that nowhere is truly safe.This event forces Laila into a new reality where she must find shelter elsewhere, leading her to Rasheed’s home and eventually changing the course of her life.Hosseini highlights the fragility of safety in war-torn environments. Shelter is not just a physical space but also emotional security, something Laila struggles to regain throughout the novel.

Pallas's Cat

3/12/2025 07:32:42 am

“She thought of the wide streets of Herat, the snowcapped mountains, and the gardens of roses and tulips. She thought of the alleys and the bazaars, the mosques and the minarets. But most of all, she thought of the house in the old part of the city where she had been born, the house with the beautiful green gate and the lovely courtyard. She thought of her father, who had always been there for her.”

Passage: Laila reflects on the safety and warmth of her childhood home, contrasting it with the harsh realities of her current life in Kabul, where violence and uncertainty occurs.

Action and Context: In this passage, Laila is reminiscing about her earlier years, filled with love and security. This reflection occurs during a tumultuous time in Kabul, emphasizing the stark difference between her past and present.

Understanding of the Passage: This moment underscores the theme of “shelter” as a symbol of safety and belonging. It deepens Laila’s character by revealing her longing for the comfort of her childhood amidst chaos. This aligns with the essential question of how personal spaces shape identity, illustrating that true shelter is not just a physical space, but also emotional security, which is often disrupted in war-destroyed Afghanistan.

Class Period A Blog

Part 2: Laila's Story (Primary Blog ONLY)

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