Literature Analysis #1 *SPOILER*

A Thousand Splendid Suns

by Khaled Hosseini

1. Exposition

                         The story starts in 1958 Gul Daman, Pakistan, a small rural village located just outside of the town Herat. Then the story carries over to the capital Kabul, Pakistan where the story continues until it reaches present day. The Main settings are located inside a house because of the circumstances at the time.
   Rising Action

                          We witness the lives of two women, Mariam and Laila, how their lives are very different but incidentally wind up in the same house married to the same man. They deal with the tyranny of this man and although at first enemies, they soon learn that with the harsh circumstances of not only their home life but life under the Mujadeen and Taliban in Pakistan it would be better to stick together.

   Inciting Incident

                           The Inciting Incident happens when the women try to escape Pakistan and try to board the train and realize they've been fooled out of their plan. The women are taken to an office and questioned and eventually sent home, where they know their husband, Rasheen will be extremely furious. (He previously threatened to kill them if they ever ran away.)

  Climax

                           The Climax is when Mariam murders Rasheen.

  Falling Action

                          Mariam is publicly executed for the death of her husband and Laila runs off to the country side with Tariq

\   Resolution

                       Through the rest of the story we witness how Laila copes with normal life. She and Tariq live in a beautiful house and raise a beautiful family, eventually moving back to Kabul.

I believe the authors purpose was to give an inside view of Pakistan during the 60s and 70s through a women's eyes. We witness abusive relationships, women stripped of their rights, and lies and secrets told to everyone. The story was extremely realistic and after coming away from reading it I knew more about the Mujaheddin and Taliban in Pakistan then I ever learned in History class.

2. I believe the theme of this story was the strength of women in repressive societies. From a very young age Mariam was ridiculed and she never gave up. The mujaheddin and Taliban stripped women of their rights because they didn't believe they were capable of it, they treated women like dogs. Through this story we witnessed the retaliation of women and in the end we watched them succeed.

3.  I witnessed many tones throughout this story. Not only myself but the characters as well were on a major catharsis throughout the whole novel. Here are just a few examples of tone:
Desperate- "She ran up then down the street, panting, near tears now, began trying doors blindly."
This quote was taken from when Mariam first moved to Rasheed's house at the age of 14 and was completely lost on her way home one day. This tone is expressed a lot for Mariam, her desperate want for something whether it was to be accepted, be happy, or simply find her way home.
Condescending- '"You're a clumsy little harami (bastard). This is my reward for everything I've endured. An heirloom-breaking, clumsy little harami"'
This quote was said by Mariam's mother to Mariam when she was ten. 

and

“Learn this now and learn it well. Like a compass facing north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam.”

This quote was said by Rasheed to Mariam.

 From many secondary characters (Mariam's mother and Rasheed especially) we witness a condescending tone to the girls. They will never be good enough and are a complete waste of space.
Hope-“Laila has moved on. Because in the end she knows that’s all she can do. That and hope.” 

This quote explains it all, there really is no need for explanation. This is the main tone used for Mariam and Laila, their reason to live. Hope.

4.

Irony- Jalil would raise Mariam high and swing her in the air, Nana would tell Mariam that one day Jalil will surely drop her.

This is ironic because it said by Nana, Mariam's mother, who is usually never to be taken seriously and always over dramatic. But Jalil, Mariam's father, does end up abandoning her so in the end he does drop her.

Foreshadowing- Nana told Mariam that Jalil told his wives that "I forced myself on him. That is was my fault. .... This is what it means to be a women in this world."(pg.7) This foreshadows the way that Rasheed will treat Mariam after they are married. 

Metaphors- "To Jalil and his wives, I was a pokeroot. A mugroot. You too. And you weren't even born yet." This quote is said by Nana to Mariam comparing them two to ugly weeds.

Pathos- There is only one, only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life, and they don't teach it in school. Look at me... Only one skill, and it's this: tahamul. Endure."
This quote was said by Mariam to Laila about education and is very relevant to the story. She gives off the feeling of giving up, that they will never amount to anything so just forget it. This provokes the audience to care and pity for the women.

Personification- "And the past held only this wisdom: that love was a damaging mistake, and its accomplice, hope, a treacherous illusion. And whenever those twin poisonous flowers began to sprout in the parched land of that field, Mariam uprooted them."
This quote brings to life the emotions of the women and paints an image for the audience.

Imagery-"Shirts hurriedly buttoned, belts buckled, hair finger-combed."
The author used this technique quite a lot to paint a picture for the reader. This transported the reader into the story and made them more invested in their reading.

Onomatopoeia- "the far-off boom of artillery, then, more closely, the stammering of gunfire"
This was another technique used by the author to transport the audience into the story.

Symbolism- The book ends with, "Mariam is in Laila's own heart, where she shines with the bursting radiance of a thousand suns...". The title, A Thousand Splendid Suns refers to a poem by the Persian poet Hafiz, in which he compares the mystical relationship with God to the power and brilliance of "A Thousand Splendid Suns" within you. On how has attained this mystical relationship cannot be harmed by evil, for they have joined eternity. This is symbolic of Mariam in that in that she has endured a difficult life herself, yet gives herself up for Laila, someone she loves. Mariam overcomes adversity in a world around her that is bleak she finds hope. Mariam has reached an eternal bond with Laila, and she is the symbol of hope for the future of Afghanistan. 

Analogy- Hosseini uses the analogy between something as fragile and pure as a snowflake in order to emphasize the dark trials and tribulations forced upon women on a daily bases. 

Simile- "like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman" This quote said by Nana is a direct example of gender inequality through out the story.