Themes in a Thousand Splendid Suns
. Themes
1) Justice and Penance Although it is not directly apparent, one of the strongest underlying themes of the novel is the idea of justice and penance. As the characters lives are inevitably altered by the chaos around them, they look to themselves as to why they are being punished. They believe that what occurs is penance for the sins they have committed. The theme is introduced to us by Nana, Mariam's mother, when she explains why she built the kolba by herself, "Jalil could have hired labourers to build the kolba, but he didn't. His idea of penance" (Hosseini 10). This was his way of making Nana atone for their affair, even though they were both at fault. The most striking examples, however, occur near the end of the novel. Rasheed, who had tormented Mariam and Laila for years, finally met his end with the same brutality as he treated them. And lastly, the relationship between Mariam and her father, Jalil. Mariam always admired her father, so much so that she intended to leave her mother, who had raised Mariam alone all her life. Mariam waited for days outside Jalil's house, knowing of his presence inside. But he, for fear of losing face, ignored his harami, never to treat her like a daughter of his own. Later, awaiting the arrival of his death, Jalil visited Mariam's house to make amends. Mariam, fittingly, did not welcome him and shredded his letter, never to know until many years later why her father visited. After Mariam's execution, Laila read a letter from Jalil's will, one Mariam had never read. He was both understanding and disappointed that Mariam never opened the door, describing it as penance for his actions: How little do those things matter to me after all the loss, all the terrible things I have seen in this cursed war. But now, of course, it is too late. Perhaps this is just punishment to those who have been heartless, to understand only when nothing can be undone. (Hosseini 359)
2) The Discrimination Against Women in
1) Justice and Penance Although it is not directly apparent, one of the strongest underlying themes of the novel is the idea of justice and penance. As the characters lives are inevitably altered by the chaos around them, they look to themselves as to why they are being punished. They believe that what occurs is penance for the sins they have committed. The theme is introduced to us by Nana, Mariam's mother, when she explains why she built the kolba by herself, "Jalil could have hired labourers to build the kolba, but he didn't. His idea of penance" (Hosseini 10). This was his way of making Nana atone for their affair, even though they were both at fault. The most striking examples, however, occur near the end of the novel. Rasheed, who had tormented Mariam and Laila for years, finally met his end with the same brutality as he treated them. And lastly, the relationship between Mariam and her father, Jalil. Mariam always admired her father, so much so that she intended to leave her mother, who had raised Mariam alone all her life. Mariam waited for days outside Jalil's house, knowing of his presence inside. But he, for fear of losing face, ignored his harami, never to treat her like a daughter of his own. Later, awaiting the arrival of his death, Jalil visited Mariam's house to make amends. Mariam, fittingly, did not welcome him and shredded his letter, never to know until many years later why her father visited. After Mariam's execution, Laila read a letter from Jalil's will, one Mariam had never read. He was both understanding and disappointed that Mariam never opened the door, describing it as penance for his actions: How little do those things matter to me after all the loss, all the terrible things I have seen in this cursed war. But now, of course, it is too late. Perhaps this is just punishment to those who have been heartless, to understand only when nothing can be undone. (Hosseini 359)
2) The Discrimination Against Women in