A Thousand Splendid Suns Belonging Analysis
Through the characters of Laila and Mariam, a sense of wanting to belong can be felt. Following these characters through their hardships and destitutions, their burdens and wishes become illuminated. Khaled Hosseini integrates the theme of belonging into A Thousand Splendid Suns.
Hosseini weaves the theme of belonging through Mariam in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Mariam wants nothing more than to have a true family to belong to. However, even her own mother adds to her shame by calling her a harami, and reminding her that she was unwanted even from the beginning. Mariam’s wanting to belong truly shows through her game of the lining up of the stones. Mariam positions stones in columns to represent the ten legitimate children of her father, Jalil, …show more content…
Often Laila takes on the task of keeping after the house and chores, replacing her mother. She wakes her mother in the morning and reminds Mammy of her responsibilities. Laila’s mother worships her sons. Consequently, Laila feels as though her mother does not love her or even realize that Laila still exists. Even while Laila lays beside her mother, Laila still feels invisible to her Mammy. Laila’s mother in enveloped in sorrow for her sons who are at war. Mammy blocks out Laila, forgetting her remaining child: “ Wishing Mammy would notice her that she Laila, hadn’t become shaheed, that she was alive, here in bed with her, that she had hopes and a future. But Laila knew that her future was no match for her brothers’ past” (128) . Laila wants to feel as though she belongs and possess people in her life who love her. The feeling of wanting to belong blends into A Thousand Splendid Suns. Through Mariam and Laila empathy for them can be felt. In the cruel, and ghastly environment that these two women are forced to endure, both Mariam and Laila want nothing more than to feel needed. In the end Mariam and Laila give one another what they were both seeking, love and a sense of family. They both found refuge in each other. Through a juxtaposition a difference can be seen in both characters when they were lacking love and belonging versus when they had found what they were looking for the
Hosseini weaves the theme of belonging through Mariam in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Mariam wants nothing more than to have a true family to belong to. However, even her own mother adds to her shame by calling her a harami, and reminding her that she was unwanted even from the beginning. Mariam’s wanting to belong truly shows through her game of the lining up of the stones. Mariam positions stones in columns to represent the ten legitimate children of her father, Jalil, …show more content…
Often Laila takes on the task of keeping after the house and chores, replacing her mother. She wakes her mother in the morning and reminds Mammy of her responsibilities. Laila’s mother worships her sons. Consequently, Laila feels as though her mother does not love her or even realize that Laila still exists. Even while Laila lays beside her mother, Laila still feels invisible to her Mammy. Laila’s mother in enveloped in sorrow for her sons who are at war. Mammy blocks out Laila, forgetting her remaining child: “ Wishing Mammy would notice her that she Laila, hadn’t become shaheed, that she was alive, here in bed with her, that she had hopes and a future. But Laila knew that her future was no match for her brothers’ past” (128) . Laila wants to feel as though she belongs and possess people in her life who love her. The feeling of wanting to belong blends into A Thousand Splendid Suns. Through Mariam and Laila empathy for them can be felt. In the cruel, and ghastly environment that these two women are forced to endure, both Mariam and Laila want nothing more than to feel needed. In the end Mariam and Laila give one another what they were both seeking, love and a sense of family. They both found refuge in each other. Through a juxtaposition a difference can be seen in both characters when they were lacking love and belonging versus when they had found what they were looking for the