Assignment #2 Topic C

C. Rodriguez
2nd period

Discussion Topic C:

 Khaled Hosseini’s novel A Thousand Splendid Suns tells through the eyes of Mariam the undeserved treatment of Afghan women. Mariam, frequently insulted, is held accountable for the curse her birth sets upon Nana, her mother, and Jalil Khan, her father. The fact that her birth is out of wedlock makes her a “…clumsy little harami,” (4). In her country, her culture, being a harami is compared to equaling nothing but a shameful mistake. Thus, throughout her life, Mariam feels no need to defend herself from the abuse of her husband. Additionally, Mariam forever finds herself guilty of her mother’s death. Nana warned her that “‘[she’ll] die if [she goes]. [She’ll] just die,’” (38). Mariam, nevertheless, leaves in search of contentment at the side of her father. Mariam, eventually, realizes the futility of her pursuit of happiness because in the end, she is a harami, and bastards are unwelcome and undeserving of love; at least in that country they are. Mariam’s reality, being a harami carries on to her marriage. Originally “worthless,” Mariam loses all possibility of being appreciated when she suffers a miscarriage. It is then that Mariam notices the ominous change that “…had come over Rasheed ever since the day at the bathhouse,” (94). Rasheed, Mariam’s husband, silently blames Mariam for the death his boy, as he tenaciously claims he would be. Following this incident, Rasheed’s aggressive behavior soon escalates, because in his perspective, the only thing a woman is good for is giving birth to male children. Sadly, the life of Mariam can extend to the life of most Afghan women. Like both of the women protagonist of this novel, women under the ruling of Taliban law each are linked as one for a single reason: pain. Whether they experience sorrow due to loss, or exploitation, each are obliged to embrace their pain.