A Thousand Splendid Suns Discussion A

  Khaled Hosseini's tragic novel A Thousand Splendid Suns reveals the horrors that many women go through not only in Afghanistan but all over the world. In this heart wrenching novel, Mariam, a father-less child who always dealt with the harsh way her mother talked to her, crossed paths with Laila, a child that was neglected of her mother's love because she was overshadowed by her two older brothers. These two women unite and become allies against Rasheed, their controlling, belittling husband that beats them like dogs whenever they do not behave the way they are suppose to behave.Hosseini's use of imagery and diction gives the reader a clear picture of the domestic abuse, both psychological and/or physical, that these two women, along with plenty more that are in their position, have to endure everyday.
   Hosseini's use of imagery in A Thousand Splendid Suns gives the reader a vivid picture of the abuse that Mariam and Laila have to through whenever Rasheed is angered. In an attempt to run away from Rasheeds belligerent behavior, Laila, Mariam, and Aziza get caught. As they get home Rasheed separates both Mariam and Laila. As Laila goes upstairs, she "didn't see the punch coming...It was as if a car had hit her at full speed, in the tender place between the lower tip of the breastbone and the belly button..."(Hosseini, pg 268)  By Hosseini using this simile he shows imagery, and he does not only make the reader picture where Rasheed's fist hit her body but the reader can see how painful it was to Laila based on the comparison with the power of the punch to a car at full speed crashing into an object. After he is done with Laila, Rasheed turns towards Mariam,  "the systematic business of beating and being beaten.."(Hosseini, pg.268)  had begin and as Rasheed leads Mariam "across the yard by the nape of her neck. Mariam was barefoot and doubled over. There was blood on his hands, blood on Mariam's face, her hair, down her neck and back..."(Hosseini, pg 269) Hosseini's use of imagery shows the reader that not only is Rasheed more aggressive and abusive to Mariam, but it also shows the reader how bad Mariam got beaten for something that was not her idea.
    Hosseini's use of diction lets the reader know how much Mariam and Laila suffer. Hosseini expresses both their thoughts and feelings in a way that makes it easier for the reader to understand. As children both Mariam and Laila suffered from neglect from their parents. In Mariam's life, her father was ashamed of her and her mother saw her as a burden. Her mother would make her feel bad by calling Mariam a bastard and "she understood then what Nana meant, that a harami was an unwanted thing; that she...was an illegitimate  person who could never have legitimate claim over things...such as love, family,home, acceptance.."(Hosseini, pg 4). This was something that always affected Mariam throughout this whole novel. It was until she got close to Aziza that made her realize that what she was told when she was little was not true. This use of diction made the reader realize how unpleasant it must have been to hear that come out of your own mothers mouth. In Laila's case she was horribly neglected by her mother. After being bullied by the neighborhood kids after her mother once again forgot to pick her up from school; Laila believed now that people "Shouldn't be allowed to have new children if they'd already given away all their love to their old ones..." (Hosseini, pg 119) Lailas mother, Fariba's love to her two oldest boys always put Laila's needs and attention to the end of the list of many things she as a mother and wife should have done. Hosseini's use of diction let the reader know how Laila felt her mothers neglect more as a child whenever she would want her to be normal and not so depressed about her two boys not being at home with her.
    In the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, the use of imagery and diction is heavily used to show the domestic violence that two women go through. By showing this the reader realizes that many women go through the same thing in many parts of the world. Domestic abuse is something that many women and children endure and it affects their life in great ways.