‘A thousand splendid suns’ revolves around hope in the midst of pain and suffering. It is a story of Mariam and Laila’s unusual compassion and honesty towards each other. This novel can move the toughest of the minds.
When I read this book, the only thought I had reoccurring in my mind is what an exceptional lady Mariam is. So, I would dedicate this blog post to the most generous, kind hearted woman- MARIAM.
The changes seen in Mariam is quite evident in the entire book. In the beginning of the novel, it is mentioned repeatedly that she is an illegitimate child of a wealthy businessman (Jalil) and his housekeeper (Nana). Her mother have been really strict with her which she completely despised. She loved her father and always complained of meeting her only once a week. The children of her age often bullied her, called her shameful names. They referred to her as ‘Harami’. Mariam’s mother committed suicide when she ran away from home at the age of 15. Due to these reasons, she was shy and under confident all her life.
When Mariam ran away to see her father, Jalil clearly rejected Mariam as his daughter. She spent days and nights outside his house, without much of a concern. When she returned, she had already lost both of her parents by then. Jalil was embarrassed of her and was ready to wed her off to anyone. This broke Mariam to the point of being submissive to her extremely abusive husband Rasheed. She never defended herself. That was the time when her mother’s strictness actually made sense to her.
She made friends with Laila, a young girl who lived down the block. Later when Rasheed brought Laila home and married her, that’s when Mariam’s relation with Laila grew. She became her best friend, her only confidant. Together the duo brings out the best in each other. Mariam loved Laila as her own child and would take a bullet for her if need arises.
At the end of the novel, she dies as a hero. She sacrificed herself so that Laila could have a life full of happiness that she never found. She was guilt ridden ever since her mother’ death, fearful in her actions. But all that vanished when Rasheed went out of his mind and tried to strangle Laila to death. She, without even thinking twice, killed Rasheed with the swing of a shovel.
Now, lets talk about the art, Shall we?
The picture shows the obvious turning point of the novel. In the background, we can see a lady standing near a noose, considering ending her life. This suggests that Nana was tired of Mariam actions and no longer wished to live such a shameful life. After Mariam killed Rasheed, the police took her to prison. At the end, we find Mariam in same as Nana’s fate. This has come to a full circle of life.
Mariam’s entry into this world was as the harami child of a lowly villager. Yet she left us as a woman who loved, a guardian, a compassionate angel in disguise and a person of consequence. It was indeed “a legitimate end to a life of illegitimate beginnings.”
Long live hamshira!
MUSINGS 