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At the end of chapter 1 in A Thousand Splendid Suns, Nana says to her daughter, Mariam: Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam (Hosseini 6).  In a thoughful and well-written paragraph, address the following points:
Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 75-100 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 at the end of your response. Due by 11:59 pm TONIGHT! Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 75-100 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. In these replies, you can contribute, agree, disagree, support, elaborate, challenge, clarify, and/or connect. Please use the PEN NAME that you were assigned in class as your PEN NAME and be sure to add word count at the end of your response. Due by 11:59 pm on Monday night!
27 Comments
Hornbill
2/21/2025 11:08:28 am
Nana's lesson to Miriam of a man will always accuse a woman. Nana has this belief because of her relationship and circumstances with Miriam and Jalil. Nana a house servant got pregnant with Jalil who had 3 wives already and instead of marrying her or accepting Miriam into his household he hid the two in the outskirts of town. Being isolated, disowned by her father, and blamed by Jalil for what happened causes Nana to become suspicious of men and no faith in them. I agree with Nana on her point because in the past women were blamed for men cheating. They blame the women for being a thief who intentionally seduces men and takes all the credit in it. This makes no sense as cheating is a two way street. It is a conscious choice both parties make. Both hold the blame in the reason of cheating. In the end, cheating cannot be excused or pinned on one person for doing so is just to relieve guilt and give themselves face.
osamason
2/25/2025 11:01:12 am
I agree with your view on cheating, it’s weird how only Nana got to face consequences while nothing happens to Jalil. They were both in on the scandal and only one party got to face consequences. Nana shouldn’t have received the full blame and Jalil should’ve faced consequences as well. Jalil is almost like abandoning his duties as a father and casts his illegitimate child away to save his own reputation which is why he rarely sees them.
osamason
2/21/2025 11:56:58 am
Tokyo Gecko
2/28/2025 02:08:02 pm
I agree with nana’s ways of teaching her child the dangers of a man’s finger because men think they rule the world but they aren’t the ones pulling the string. I don’t think comparing the witch trials to this is relevant in any sense and i also don’t agree and agree with the quote because they didn’t know it would go this far and for this long but it is also jalil’s fault for not stepping up and marrying her when she has his child. wc: 85
Jungle Cat
2/21/2025 11:57:27 am
Nana is protecting Mariam by warning her about the dangers of the outside world such as being accused. For example, Nana says, "Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam" (Hosseini 6). Nana is telling Mariam that she should watch out when being accused of anything. She wants Mariam to know that she shouldn't blindly trust anyone, especially in situations where she could get herself seriously hurt. Nana's warning to her daughter is valid because based on what life is like for the women of Afghanistan and the history of what they have gone through, women have been punished, killed, and seen more as a threat for their wrong-doings. Jalil on the other hand is not punished for having a child with Nana, and they are the ones sent to an isolated place because they are not welcomed in Jalil's home with his other family. However, both parties should be punished for doing the same wrongful thing, not one more than the other.
osamason
2/25/2025 11:09:55 am
It really just sucks to see how the reputation of women can be tarnished because of an ill decision both parties made. Nana and Mariam both bear the consequences of Jalil’s decision to be outcasted while Jalil lives normally. Nana has to take on all the motherly duties alone while Jalil gets to continue being wealthy. Jalil shouldn’t continue living his life as normal and instead, should face the same punishment as Nana and Mariam.
Hornbill
2/26/2025 10:02:40 am
I agree with the writers claim and view point. To add to this their parenting style is shown by this. Nana is teaching Miriam, hard lessons in life that she believes she has learned. Meanwhile Jalil teaches Miriam about love, care, and valuing yourself. That the world is a beautiful wonderful place. This is very contrast to Nana as she teaches Miriam that the world is horrible and men will always be terrible to women no matter what.
Tokyo Gecko
2/21/2025 12:58:50 pm
In the book nana said, "what rich lies! rich man telling rich lies... he cast us out of his big fancy house like we were nothing to him. he did it happily." (Hosseini 6). this signifies how jalil wants nothing to do with his family. he kept them out of sight and out of mind as he doesn't want to live in the same house as them.
killer orca
2/24/2025 10:50:20 am
"Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam "(Hosseini 6). Nana is trying to tell her daughter a lesson shes trying to warn her daughter that a ma has power to ruin you and your name. I agree with Nanas ways of parenting I believe that Nana is trying to show her daughter what happened to her because of Jahil. Nana's way of parenting is tough from an outsider perspective but she w[doesn't want her daughter to go through the same things she did at once. by doing that she shows acts of tough love to mariam. I believe she does this to strengthen her daughter up so she is ready to deal with what's to come in the future. Nana's fear of her daughter betting taken advantage of the way she was is what guidies her parenting methods
King Cobra
2/25/2025 11:12:31 pm
Nana tells it how it is, no lies, no sugar coating, nothing. She says what she means, because she knows the truth, and sometimes knowing the truth doesn't mean too much to people that don't want to hear it or deny it. But she still tells it anyways, why? Because she knows what's right and wants the best for her daughter. She doesn't want her own flesh and blood to live in a world where she is lied to and taken advantage of. She wants her daughter to be strong, so she makes her stronger by showing what you say is "tough love".
Masked Palm Civet
2/24/2025 10:58:00 am
Man I think the granny is trying to protect the daughter emotionally type stuff. I got an example. I know this boy who had some bad problems at home, and it affected his attitude, especially towards his mother. I asked him why and he said his father blamed his mother and his grandmother for the split, but really, it was his father's influence from his father's mother, according to the boy's mom. So it's kind of some way, but I think the granny is trying to show her the reality of things and also protect her emotionally.
Brown Bear
2/24/2025 11:00:37 am
Nana is only trying to protect her daughter from the men who could potentially ruin her reputation. She wants Miriam to choose a man carefully, someone that will be in her life as well as her kids life; someone who will be a role model to their kids. Nana doesn't want Miriam to make the same mistakes she made with Jalil. While Nana was pregnant Jalil already had 3 wives. Jalil never stood around to be an actual father to Miriam, instead he moved away from them to live a different life. Not only has past relationships made Nana believe in this but women during this time had less power than the men had as well.
killer orca
2/25/2025 10:49:53 am
I agree with your statement with Nana trying to protect her daughter . I feel like Nana has been through so much shes scared that what she went through is repetitive and she doesn't want mariam to have the same fate. I feel like her telling mariam about jahil creates a bad image for mariam to see. I feel like it would confuse a kidd knowing that her father has more then one wife. I feel when mariem grows up she will understand Nana and her lessons.
Hornbill
2/26/2025 10:06:29 am
I agree with the writers as well. Nana does love Miriam as although she has her flaws she still raised her. Miriam is her only family left in her eyes. Her father abandoned her and left for Pakistan. Jalil blamed her for "forcing herself" on him and didn't take full responsibility. Instead hiding her and Miram to the outskirts of town. Away from prying eyes, especially his other family like his three wives and in-laws.
ermine
2/24/2025 11:05:46 am
What this quote means to me is that a man will accuse you of doing something, when in reality they're doing it themselves. I can agree to disagree with this quote for 2 reasons. the first reason is if you accuse, you obviously feel like they're that kind of person, or don't have that trust, so some people just want to be reassured. the other reason is simply to distract the other person from what they're doing. I think all nana is trying to do is watch out for her, because she knows how men is, and she knows how her father is.
Common Raven
2/24/2025 11:11:28 am
In the quote "Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman." is explaining that you can never trust no man especially as a woman because it will never be fair on the woman side and that only men are superior. Everything that Nana said was correct and I agree with what she said also because it is the truth on how men and women treat each other. Women have always been fighting for what they reversed for years and even with the changes there are always people that would think otherwise and that affects people. With all that said the quote was definitely a serious thing all around the world and it really has an effect on people when they want it to be equal.
Chukar Partridge
2/24/2025 11:25:55 am
Nana is warning Mariam to be careful with what she decides to do around a man because they will always find a way to accuse you. For example, Nana says to Mariam, "Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter....a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam."(Hosseini). Nana was explaining to Mariam that she can't trust men because she was accused of something, and doesn't want her to end up in the same shoes. I personally disagree with this statement because tho men often accuse females of things that weren't true, but that doesn't mean all men do it. All men have different personalities such as men who are honest, kind, and caring, and also other men who are selfish, mean, and full of crap. Nana is not wrong for hating men, but being mistreated by a man doesn't mean the same mistreatment from other men.
killer orca
2/25/2025 10:57:32 am
I agree and disagree with your statement yes not all men accused women but I believe that Nana has a a fear because of what she went through. In there area it is normalized for a man to have more the one wife but to exile a women that a could have been sexually assaulted and forced to bare a kid on land that you don't want to be one is traumatic. In the Nanas case she has been through alot and she doesn't want her kid to go through the same thing .And as you said not all men are the same but it is a good lesson to teach a women as a kid so they are always aware of what could happen. in this world they is more bad then good and as for nana she has been through to much bad to not teach her kid about it.
Masked Palm Civet
2/25/2025 01:23:28 pm
Yoo! Wasgud? I see your opinion, and I kind of agree, but it can go both ways like crossroads, feel me?. Like, we can't blame the pops first without knowing the truth type stuff. Dope comment though.
King Cobra
2/25/2025 02:03:35 pm
I can see where you're coming from, however, you have to understand that Nana speaks of men in a generalized way here. How Jalil left Nana and abandoned his family is just one of the harsh things that most men in the middle east will do, because it's a cultural thing. The rules of their society dictate what they do, how they act, and how they talk. As long as they're there that is how all men are. Men have the power, men don't.
King Cobra
2/24/2025 02:02:15 pm
Nana called Miriam her little "hirami" which we come to know later on translates to the word "bastard". Overtime Miriam came to understand the meaning of this word anytime she felt unwanted and unaccepted by Nana. This sets the tone for an unwanted relationship between mother and daughter, and shows us Nana's bitterness for Jalil. Giving birth to Miriam was the reason why their family got banished in the first place, because she was the illegitimate daughter of Jalil. (76 words)
Panthera Uncia
2/24/2025 09:08:37 pm
This quote from A Thousand Splendid Suns can be interpreted as Mariam’s mother, Nana warning her about the dangers of an accusing man and what that could lead to as a woman in their society. I agree with with Nana says to her daughter as this is proven time, and time again in societal events such as men making false accusations or making a woman look “crazy” when she acts off her emotions. This quote can have many different meanings but through all of them it showcases that a woman should always be weary of a man and what he’s capable of.
komodo dragon
2/25/2025 10:04:38 am
I think Nana is trying to warn Anna about something trying to help guide and lead her on a better path of greatness. Protecting her from the danger that could possibly be ahead. Saying North always finds a woman which could either be good or bad but either way. Nana is trying to spread a important message to Anna
Indian cobra
2/25/2025 11:55:15 am
I Think nana was trying to warn Mariam and guide Mariam because shes young .sayings North always finds a woman which could either be good or bad but either way .an nana is also warning Mariam to be careful with what she decides to do around men because they will always find a way to accuse you .
indian cobra
2/25/2025 07:16:46 pm
I think nana is just warning nana about the future and that she shouldn't trust anyone that easy.
Giant Asian Hornet
2/25/2025 08:16:26 pm
"Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam (Hosseini 6)". Nana relates to what she is telling Mariam on a personal level when she reveals to Mariam exactly how men in this case her father will do anything to keep their reputation clean even if it means hurting the people they supposedly "love". Men have power over a woman's reputation.
Masked Palm Civet
2/26/2025 09:07:11 am
Man I kind of agree. But she not be what you might think she is (I'm talking about Nana) Dope comment Komodo! Leave a Reply. |
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