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Cruelty In A Thousand Splendid Suns Essay

1139 Words5 Pages

Cruelty in Us
Cruelty is an enemy to the morals of people; while purposely inflicting sufferings on others, cruelty is done with no feelings of concern. Cruelty can manifest from anger, irritation, or defeat. Moreover, it is driven by self-interest. Commonly when a person feels threatened, cruelties in the form of aggression are even used to force others to submit. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Hosseini’s use of cruelty reveals key aspects of both Rasheed and Mariam as well as essential ideas about the nature of cruelty itself.
Rasheed’s cruelty towards Mariam reveals his values of male superiority as well as his thirst for dominance and control. In the Afghanistan society, men rule over women just as Rasheed rules over Mariam. The belief is …show more content…

Rasheed’s cruelty inflicted on Mariam reflects his belief in the male-run Afghani society as he struggles to maintain control and remain on top. For Mariam, Rasheed’s abuse reveals her willingness to sacrifice for what she loves. From Mariam’s endurance, to Rasheed’s abuse, to her ultimate sacrifice, she becomes a strong woman in juxtaposition to the impassiveness of how he treated her once before. By adding cruelty to the novel, Hosseini adds depth and complexity to the characters, revealing their values and other character traits. In another way, Hosseini also reveals how cruelty in itself is driven by self interest. Specifically, Rasheed acts cruel because of his thirst for dominance. In effect, a person is not born to be cruel, and they act upon it out of choice. Much of the mind-set involved comes as an effect of the surrounding environment or society. The society set in the novel focuses on men in power and women underneath, encouraging Rasheed’s abuse. By the same token, cruelty is the product of human emotion, and in A Thousand Splendid Suns Hosseini unfortunately shows how natural it is for “bad” to exist in the

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