Blood Is Thicker Than Water Analysis

Relationships Formed by Choice are Stronger than Those Formed by Blood

The proverb, ‘Blood is thicker than water’ is commonly used in order to try and prove

that familial relationships are stronger than those formed independently. Now, not only is

this notion wrong, but so is the proverb. The original proverb was ‘Blood of the covenant

is thicker than the water of the womb’, which means that people belonging to the same

covenant, or group of acquaintances, held stronger bonds than those related by birth. This

is a recurring theme throughout multiple works of literature and is backed up

scientifically as well. This thesis paper attempts to prove the same, through a study of A

Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini.

First, a glimpse

The depth

of their love for each other is proved, when Mariam offers to let herself be caught and

hung so that Laila can secure a future for herself with Tariq.

This message is repeated in many other works of literature, one being the Harry Potter

series by J K Rowling. Harry lives with his closest living relatives, the Dursleys, But of

that information was not given, on would assume he was the household help, and not

their nephew, such is their treatment of him. He is made to live in a literal cupboard

under the stairs, wear his cousin’s cast-offs and receives items such as toothpicks and

clothes hangers on his birthday. However, when he befriends Ron Weasley, he soon

learns not all families are like that. The Weasleys have him over every summer to stay,

despite being poor and with too many children to fit in their cramped house. Still, they

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treat him just like any of their own children and Harry constantly thinks of how grateful

he is to them.

It seems clear enough that multiple authors think that choice relationships are superior