Themes: Home and Homeland
The novel is set in Afghanistan over several politically and socially tumultuous decades. Despite the tragedies endured by the characters, Hosseini describes their love for their homeland and their desire to work to rebuild it. Early in Laila’s narrative, she describes a trip she takes with her father, Babi, and Tariq to see the two Buddhas in the Bamiyan Valley. These “Buddhas were enormous . . . they peered down . . . as they had nearly two thousand years before” and are surrounded by caves. Laila is stunned by the beauty of her country, and Babi shares that this is his favorite spot because of “the silence. The peace of it,” as well as “the country’s heritage” and the “rich past” represented by this site. Laila feels connected to the history and traditions that have gone into building Afghanistan’s national identity. When the Taliban takes power, and Afghanistan’s reputation in the world becomes synonymous with oppression and violence, Laila knows that the Taliban does not reflect her homeland.
The Buddhas are destroyed by the Taliban, but Laila remembers the feeling she had when she visited the site with her father and the values he instilled in her, particularly pride in her homeland and a sense of responsibility for its success. When she is a child, Babi tells her that it is important for women to be educated not only for the individual’s future but also “because a society has no chance of success if its women are uneducated.” After she has spent some time raising their family with Tariq in Peshawar, Laila feels compelled to return to Kabul. The city is recovering, as “she hears of schools built in Kabul, roads repaved, women returning to work,” while she thinks her life in Pakistan is “wasteful.” She tells Tariq that she “want[s] to be a part of it all . . . to contribute.” When they return, Laila teaches at the orphanage where Aziza once stayed when the family was in dire need. She becomes a role model to them, as her teacher was to her before Taliban rule. Laila remains inspired by those she has lost, namely Babi and Mariam, and charges forward with a sense of hope and dedication to rebuilding the city she loves.
Expert Q&A
What is the thematic significance of the phrase “a thousand splendid suns” in the novel?
The phrase “a thousand splendid suns,” from the poem by Saib-e-Tabrizi, is quoted twice in the novel—once as Laila’s family prepares to leave Kabul, and again when she decides to return there from Pakistan. It is also echoed in one of the final lines: “Miriam is in Laila’s own heart, where she shines with the bursting radiance of a thousand suns.”
The title of Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns refers to the theme of the strength and resilience of Afghan women that runs throughout the novel. Women like Mariam and Laila manage to retain their inner light and shine it to others even in the midst of the great darkness of their lives.
How does A Thousand Splendid Suns relate to the theme of belonging?
The theme of belonging in A Thousand Splendid Suns is explored through the women's relationships and their struggles against male oppression and societal constraints. Mariam and Laila find a sense of belonging in their friendship, despite being treated as possessions by Rasheed. Laila ultimately finds true belonging with Tariq and returns to Kabul, driven by her love for her homeland and Mariam's memory, highlighting the enduring connection to family and place.
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