A Thousand Splendid Suns
By: Khaled Hosseini
"She thought of her entry into this world, the harami child of a lowly villager, an unintended thing, a pitiable, regrettable accident. A weed. And yet she was leaving the world as a woman who had loved and been loved back. She was leaving as a friend, a companion, a guardian. A mother. A person of consequence at last. No. it was not so bad, Miriam thought, that she would die this way. Not so bad. This was a legitimate end to a life full of illegitimate beginnings" (Hosseini 370).
In the context of the book (Afghanistan before, during, and after the Taliban), those few sentences are saddening. Miriam, the woman the quote is about, is facing the death penalty for murdering and running away from her husband. Even though it is heart wrenching, this quote applies to each of the character in a special way. Since this book is a life story, a love square, and a difficult topic to read about, I picked the four important characters that I liked the most. I gave you a brief summary of their story along with the meaning of this quote for them individually.
Miriam:
She was born outside of wedlock, so naturally, she and her mother were shunned and lived alone in their own little world. When her mother committed suicide because Miriam left for a few hours, Miriam was sent to her father's. But not for long. He married sweet,thirteen year old Mariam off to an aged man with graying hair, Rasheed. Her life went from the shunned daughter, the maid of a wife, the "old hag" of the family, then the burden in the house.
This quote is Miriam's thought in the book. She was walking up to her death spot thinking those very things by reflecting on her fight through life. Her life embodies that quote perfectly because of how mistreated, unappreciated, and looked-over she was in her childhood and adulthood home. Even though she was surrounded by a strong husband and a good family, Miriam life behind closed doors was one of fear and obedience. Miriam was trapped under authority and lived like a "weed," but the best part about Miriam is that she overcame that false identity. At the end of the day, Miriam was thankful for her little family of Leila and the children, she treasured the richness of life they had together despite the barrenness of their surrounding, and she always humbly took the place of others. Miriam was a warrior, and she was proud of her life in such a way that she stared death in the eye fearlessly and with no regrets.
Leila:
She was the daughter of modernized parents who encouraged her to dream big and live like the special little girl she was. She was learning, playing, and of course, falling in love with her very best friend, Tariq. When the Taliban affected her family, she became the new, young, beautiful prize of Rasheed. Going into the marriage, she had become pregnant with Tariq's child--she had to do something to cover it. Rasheed was the last person she wanted, but there was no way out, just like Miriam.
Leila came in this world a bit different than Miriam; Leila came in already beautiful, smarter than most young ladies, and passionate. But that life was quickly taken form her when she was forced with Rasheed and his home. She clung to Miriam and their children for all hope and goodness, but Leila was weak emotionally. She had her own battles under Rasheed's control, lust, and demands, but she too came to a point where she looked back on life and saw that she had loved and been loved. Leila's outward beauty faded over the years, but her beautiful heart prevailed, and it ignited when she was with her love, Tariq. Leila had the blessing of her difficult life in Rasheed's home, and it was exactly that challenge that made everything else so much sweeter.
Tariq:
He was the goofy, intelligent, cripple of the town. He had one real leg and one attached leg, but that did not stop his humor, determination, and care for others. Tariq was the boy in the story anyone would "crush" on or get excited when they saw his name down the page. He had his family, but he also had his best friend, Leila, who he didn't realized the truly loved more than anyone or anything until they were forced to part. Tariq brings hope to this difficult story, he comes when everyone leasts expects, and he brings only the best.
Tariq's physical disability automatically gave him the label of a weed or an unintended accident. All the boys attacked him with words and fists over the years, but even sweet Tariq defeated the label of inadequate. Like Miriam and Leila, Tariq had a special, huge heart that was constricted by the circumstances around him. His determination and pursuit in life made his life something to be proud of and something worth so much more than it was labeled. He fought and pursued and gave all he had to survive the difficulty in life, and that is was made his happy ending with his dear Leila so worth it. Personally, I loved seeing Tariq in the story, and he was the man of the story giving it an extra touch of strength, pursuit, and even true love.
Aziza:
She was the lively but tender daughter of Leila and Rasheed in other's eyes, but she was the rebellious, bright daughter of Leila and Tariq is actuality. Aziza loved her mother, Leila, but she also loved her Miriam. Aziza was the flower in a messy family situation; often times, Aziza manifested the only and little hope Miriam and Leila had at home. She grew up, learned what she could, blocked out the terrible memories she could, and found a way to love her little life and her mamas.
Aziza was born into harshness, ugliness, and difficulties. As the child of the story, she brought child-life faith, curiosity, and audacity that helped her survive. Aziza radiated these things off to others in her family, and I think her energy is what kept them going at some desperate points. She has the experience of a rough childhood, loving mothers, a fought for future, and a new,hopeful family. Aziza is still young, but she overcame so much just as a young girl and she can justifiably say she was a "person of consequence at last."
