illustration of two women standing in burkas with two overlapping circles between them and the title A Thousand Splendid Suns written above them

A Thousand Splendid Suns

by Khaled Hosseini

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

The quote "If it's a girl, Laila has already named her" means Laila plans to name her baby Mariam. This decision honors Mariam, who sacrificed herself to save Laila and Tariq from their abusive...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

The title "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is derived from a seventeenth-century Persian poem by Saeb-e-Tabrizi, symbolizing Afghanistan's beauty and cultural achievements. The novel's depiction of...

2 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

The author's message in "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is one of hope. Despite the hardships and cruelties faced by the characters, the story ends on a positive note with Tariq and Laila reuniting and...

4 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Nana killed herself because Mariam left her and sought out Jalil.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

The prominence of Hosseini's use of setting in A Thousand Splendid Suns highlights the geographical and cultural environments that shape the characters' lives. The novel's various locations in...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam's motivations evolve from seeking her father's love to finding a sense of family and love. Initially, she strives for her father's approval, but after her mother's...

5 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Examples of irony in A Thousand Splendid Suns include when Laila tells Tariq that she will not cry over him in a thousand years (verbal irony), when Rasheed tells Laila that he would rather sleep...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Three quotes showing Mariam's self-sacrifices in A Thousand Splendid Suns include: enduring Rasheed's abuse ("Her own hands clenched the sheets..."), accepting her diminished status in her marriage...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam initially resents Laila for marrying Rasheed, viewing her as a competitor due to jealousy and the loss of Rasheed's attention. Rasheed's manipulative nature...

3 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mariam and Laila both exhibit remarkable endurance but differ in their responses to suffering in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Mariam endures quietly, relying on faith, while Laila, inspired by her...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

An example of an important symbol in A Thousand Splendid Suns is the snow. It relates to the theme of oppression that is central to the novel because it represents a sigh emitted by a woman suffering...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mariam from A Thousand Splendid Suns shares similarities with female characters in The Thorn Birds and The Kite Runner through her resilience and struggle against societal constraints. However, she...

5 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

The quote "I'll follow you to the end of the world" in A Thousand Splendid Suns signifies Tariq's unwavering love and commitment to Laila. Despite the dangers of returning to war-torn Kabul, Tariq...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mariam's mother, Nana, hangs herself because she fears losing her daughter to Jalil, Mariam's father, and realizes that he will never fully embrace Mariam as his daughter, potentially breaking her...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

The jinn that enters Nana is epilepsy.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mariam is called "harami" because she is the illegitimate child of her mother, Nana, and Jalil.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Marriam was fifteen years old when she married Rasheed.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Laila quickly agrees to marry Rasheed because she is pregnant with Tariq's child.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

The author's shift from past to present tense in the final part of A Thousand Splendid Suns serves to create a sense of immediacy and continuity. This change emphasizes the enduring impact of the...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Tariq lost his leg to a landmine when he was a child.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam and Laila are contrasting yet complementary characters. Mariam, an illegitimate child with a harsh upbringing, becomes a symbol of resilience and sacrifice....

6 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mariam refuses to escape with Laila and Tariq in A Thousand Splendid Suns because she understands that in their society, someone will have to pay for Rasheed's death. She offers herself as a...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mariam kills Rasheed to prevent him from killing Laila when he finds out Laila has been visited by Tariq.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

The quote "Women like us. We endure. It's all we have." underscores Mariam's resilience in A Thousand Splendid Suns, reflecting the broader theme of women's endurance in Afghanistan. While Mariam...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mariam's guilt over her mother's suicide is understandable but not justified. Her mother, Nana, feared abandonment and warned Mariam that she would die if left alone, expressing her deep dependency...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

The friendship between Mariam and Laila in A Thousand Splendid Suns is highlighted by a poignant moment when Laila tells Mariam, "We'll take care of each other," expressing deep emotional support....

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Laila and Tariq do get married in A Thousand Splendid Suns.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

The novel A Thousand Splendid Suns seems to say that education is valuable and important. Mariam longs to be in school, and Babi makes sure that his daughter is educated. However, the novel does not...

1 educator answer

A Thousand Splendid Suns

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam and Laila undergo significant development. Mariam evolves from an oppressed illegitimate child into a strong woman who defends Laila and ultimately kills Rasheed,...

2 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

The characters of Laila, Mariam, and Rasheed all experience injustice over the course of the novel, but none respond to it in quite the same way. Laila is able to see injustice for what it is and...

1 educator answer

A Thousand Splendid Suns

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, women's strength is highlighted through Mariam and Laila's resilience and courage. Mariam's reflection on enduring hardships symbolizes quiet resistance. Her execution...

2 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

The depiction of government in A Thousand Splendid Suns primarily focuses on the oppressive rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan. The novel illustrates the Taliban's dictatorial theocracy,...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Rasheed’s son died by drowning in a lake while Rasheed was intoxicated.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Laila is strongly attached to her father, Babi, because he provides hope and support in contrast to her emotionally distant mother, who is consumed by grief over her sons fighting in the Mujahideen....

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Laila's childhood trip to see the giant stone Buddhas teaches her about Afghanistan's history and her father's humanity. Babi emphasizes learning through experience, and shares personal stories about...

1 educator answer

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Dane from The Thorn Birds is most similar to Mariam from A Thousand Splendid Suns. Both characters are illegitimate and have complex relationships with their fathers who prioritize power over family,...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

The judge's words about God's laws are ironic because they promote injustice, even as he professes to value justice. Basically, in executing what he believes to be justice, the judge is actually...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Loss of innocence in A Thousand Splendid Suns occurs on personal, community, and national levels, driven by war and social inequalities. Mariam loses her innocence through her mother's death, a...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns and Things Fall Apart share themes of maternal sacrifice and cultural invasion. Both feature complex father-child relationships and oppressive male figures, yet differ in...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

In Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns, modern women in Afghanistan are depicted as resilient and enduring, facing both personal and societal challenges. The novel intertwines their stories...

3 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Adversity profoundly shapes the identities of Mariam and Laila in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Mariam, facing illegitimacy and an abusive marriage, learns resilience and self-sacrifice, particularly in...

2 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

The movie Titanic captivates people in Kabul due to its depiction of abundant water amidst a severe drought and its role as an escapist fantasy under Taliban rule. It offers hope and opulence,...

2 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

The opening scene of "A Thousand Splendid Suns" highlights Mariam's shame and social condemnation as a 'harami,' setting the stage for her acceptance of abuse. In contrast, the ending scene portrays...

1 educator answer

A Thousand Splendid Suns

In "A Thousand Splendid Suns," an individual experiences redemption through selfless sacrifice and connection with others. Mariam, initially isolated and suffering, finds redemption by forming a bond...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

The author's style in "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is characterized by its emotional depth and vivid portrayal of the tragic lives of its characters, Mariam and Laila, within a male-dominated society...

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

To develop a thesis comparing To Kill a Mockingbird and A Thousand Splendid Suns on the theme of enduring evil to achieve goodness, focus on the parallels between characters who suffer due to their...

1 educator answer

A Thousand Splendid Suns

There are two strong similarities between the marriage of Laila and Rasheed in A Thousand Splendid Suns and that of Meggie and Luke in The Thorn Birds. In both cases, the man desired the union but...

2 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Laila and Mariam, dual protagonists of A Thousand Splendid Suns, are strong female characters who overcome great obstacles and steadfastly persevere. Their mothers, Nana and Fariba, struggle with...

3 educator answers

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mariam and Laila are both emotionally and physically sheltered by people throughout the novel. Their first physical symbol of shelter is the kolba. Mariam and her mother return to it after her...

1 educator answer

A Thousand Splendid Suns

After Laila and Tariq leave for Pakistan, Mariam takes responsibility for Rasheed's death to protect them. She decides to stay behind, allowing Laila and Tariq to escape, knowing they wouldn't elude...

1 educator answer