Laila's Argumentative Essay

Meanwhile, having a good strong amount of perseverance is very helpful and important for someone having to endure, including the women of Afghanistan. In the beginning, when a bomb destroyed Laila’s home, killing her family, Rasheed saves her from the wreckage and Mariam works hard and perseveres to nurse Laila back to health, “... Mariam rub antibiotic ointment on the cuts on the girl’s face and neck, and on the sutured gashes on her shoulder, across her forearms and lower legs” (Hosseini 200). Little did Mariam know, but she and Laila would become great friends later on, and they both would show perseverance for each other 's friendship and sisterhood. “Mariam slowly grew accustomed to this tentative but pleasant companionship. She was eager

Mariam is married off to a disgusting man named Rasheed and he mistreated her just like her mother treated her. Rasheed then gets another wife and things for Mariam and Rasheeds new wife, Laila , don't get off to a great start. Mariam is told to take Lailas orders, but upon one of Laila and Mariam's first conversations with each other Mariam gave a crude tone and let it readers know that “I was here first and I won't be thrown out” (225). Mariam believes that Laila will get rid of Mariam and this causes disagreement and tension between the two. Mariam later opens her eyes and realizes that Laila isn't an enemy and forgives Laila for trying to get her thrown out. Mariam allowing herself to forgive Laila leads to a bond that helps Mariam find meaning in their lives (250). Laila seems to have a better life than Mariam, but that all changes when Laila's parents are killed by a rocket. Laila was not mistreated as bad as Mariam was but still wasn't loved as much as her brothers were. Lailas mom loved her sons and once they were killed Mammy became distant towards Laila. Laila is aware of the change and knows that “She would never leave her

In the novel Mariam sacrifices her life for Laila and also her freedom for Jalil. Like Jesus, Mariam willingly sacrificed herself and when she descended from the truck to be killed, her “legs did not buckle. Her arms did not flail. She did not have to be dragged.”(369). Mariam sacrifices her freedom for Jalil by marrying Rasheed. In the novel, when the wives told Mariam they found a suitor for her, she tells Jalil to say something and he says “‘Mariam don’t do this to me’”(49). Even though Mariam did not want to marry Rasheed, she knew Jalil wanted her to and so she did, forever surrendering her freedom to him. Marrying Rasheed deprived Mariam of her freedom because when Rasheed tells Mariam “‘a woman’s face is her husband’s business only’”(70), it indicates that she is his and he controls her. Not only does Rasheed saying this indicate her deprivation of freedom, but also when Rasheed makes Mariam wear a burqa she loses the right to show her own face. Mariam describes the burqa as “tight and heavy…[and] suffocating”(72). This symbolizes that his controlling grip on her is tight and heavy and that their marriage is suffocating.

To begin with, Mariam is one character who demonstrates most if not all of these character traits, especially selflessness. She willingly makes major sacrifices for Laila and her children, as well as taking responsibility for their abusive husband, Rasheed’s death despite knowing that she will be punished.Laila tries her best to change Mariams decision but it does not work. Mariam tells Laila different reasons of why she can not go with them such as “When they do [find us], they’ll find you as guilty as me. Tariq too. I won’t have the two of you living on the run, like fugitives. What will happen to your children if you’re caught?”(Hosseini,358). Mariam offers to surrender herself for Rasheed’s death, instead of taking the risk of both of them getting caught and killed. Unlike herself, she realizes that Laila has significantly more to lose, her children and Tariq. Mariam knows that the action she has taken against Rasheed is completely justified, therefore to her, execution is an honest and good way to die. For her family

One similarity between Mariam and Laila is that both women, in one point of their lives, were aware of the things they could do in life. Mariam became aware when Rasheed took her out to Kabul for the first time they were married. While waiting for Rasheed, Mariam observed modern Afghan women and she thought how successful they all were. They made Mariam aware of how little she has accomplished and what she could if was given the opportunity. A quote from the list to support this is, " She imagined that they all had university degrees... these women mystified Mariam. They made her aware of her own lowliness, her plain looks, her lack of aspirations, her ignorance of so many things. (p. 75)". Laila was aware of her abilities, her aspirations and priorities were clear, since she was encouraged to study and her friends had high hopes for her. One difference between Mariam and Laila is that Laila did something significance in her life. For example, at the end of the novel, Laila open a classroom to teach the new generation of Kabul and landed in a newspaper. She came back to Kabul to help rebuild it. Laila and Mariam were aware of their endless possibilities as women, even under the never ending oppression but Laila was the one who acted

When Laila’s parents were killed and she was injured, Mariam took her in and sacrificed her time and space in order to take care of Laila (199). Mariam didn’t have kids of her own, yet took care of Laila as if she were her own daughter. She cared enough for the young girl’s well being to take her in and show her kindness. When Rasheed is about to kill Laila, Mariam hits Rasheed with a shovel so hard that it kills him (349). She viewed Laila as her own daughter, and she wasn’t going to let anyone hurt her daughter. She knew how much of an abomination killing her husband would be to society, but she loved Laila enough to risk the punishment. Instead of running away from Kabul with Laila, Mariam stayed behind so that Laila would never get in trouble for killing Rasheed. She was then arrested and later shot for murder (371). Mariam sacrificed her own life so that Laila could marry Tariq and live happily and freely with her family. She gave up everything, even her life for those whom she loved, even though they biologically were not her children.

“The greatest sacrifice is when you sacrifice your own happiness for the sake of someone else”. In the book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, the author Khaled Hosseini writes a story about an Afghan girl name Mariam. Throughout the book it shows her life and growing up in Afghanistan. She learns about her country from events from her personal life and others. As these events grow throughout her life the color black appear more. As it grows it leads to her sacrificing herself for Laila and her children. A Thousand Splendid Suns develops the theme, human nature plays a factor in one who sacrifices themselves for the one they love through the archetypal uses of black, the mother figure, and the villain.

Although Laila grows up with a mother, her mother does not behave like a lawfully mother. She lays consistently in bed, tucked away from the natural light of the outside world. She couldn’t even gather the courtesy to pick Laila up from school. Revealing the irresponsibility of her mother and her misfortune, Laila got squirted by a gun filled with urine, and scurried on home to wash up and confront her mother. Growing up, Laila soon finds herself living in a household with Mariam and Rasheed. Becoming fond of Mariam, Laila and Mariam form a connection through the calamities they face. After protecting Mariam from Rasheed’s wrath, Laila stumbles upon “a stack of baby clothes, neatly folded, outside of her bedroom door,” suspecting they were from Mariam (221). This act of kindness represents the beginning of tremendous maternal love. A mother tending to her daughter’s baby insists a strong bond, full of support. When Laila’s life is at stake, this maternal love continues. After one of their visits with Aziza, Laila and Tariq finally reunite. Subsequently, Rasheed finds out, dashing towards Laila, and vigorously grabbing hold of her throat, nearly taking her life. Mariam triumphantly grabs a shovel and strikes Rasheed on the head, rationalizing, “He’d taken so much from [my] twenty-seven years of marriage. [I am] not [going] to watch him take Laila too” (310). Mariam

In the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, the author Khaled Hosseini emphasizes the importance of education in woman. With the importance of education in women comes the endurance of woman. Hosseini displays the endurance of hardships that women face in Afghanistan through his female characters in the novel.

In Gary Soto’s short story ‘Growing Up,” the main character, Maria, says, “‘I know, I know. You’ve said that a hundred times,’ she snapped.” Maria is acting ungrateful because she doesn’t want to go on vacation with her family and she is arguing with her father about it instead of being grateful for what she has. Being grateful is feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness and being thankful. In the story Maria argues with her father about not wanting to go on vacation with her family and claims that she is old enough to stay home by herself. Maria is trying to grow up too fast and she put her family to the side instead of being grateful. In this story, conflict, characterization, and symbolism all have an effect on the overall theme.

Evil is something that affects not only the evil person, but also those around them. The wicked behavior or attitude of an individual is more than often protect onto the individuals peers. This is evident in A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Rasheed is a critical character and arguably, his personality is so powerful that it shapes both Mariam and Laila’s character to a significant degree. Rasheed’s exhibition of pure cruelty, his abusive attitude and his desire to have a child are extremely important to the story.

Mariam is married to Rasheed. Rasheed a controlling shoemaker, who is motivated to replace his dead son. After discovering Mariam cannot conceive a child, Rasheed started to abuse Mariam. Rasheed unhappy that he can’t replace his son, he marries Laila. Laila gives Rasheed the son that he wanted. Rasheed having two wives, he abuses them both. “Laila insists that it isn’t fair for Mariam to stay and face punishment for Rasheed’s death, but Mariam tells her it is. She says she has killed their husband and deprived Zalmai of a father. It isn’t right that she runs. She will never escape Zalmai’s grief. How will she look at him in the future? She says, “For me it ends here. There’s nothing more I want. Everything I’d ever wished for as a little girl you’ve already given me. You and your children have made me so very happy. It’s all right, Laila. This is all right. Don’t be sad.” (Hossini.319)”

This quote is an example of symbolism being used in the text. Say Mariam’s breath represents her own life and the coffee table is a representation of Jalil’s. When her breaths out, or puts herself in Jalil’s life, she disappears, as if she means nothing to him. This is important to the text in many ways, one showing Jalil didn’t want her in his life full time, which is pretty pathetic. It also shows how little she meant to him, just like her reflection on the table means nothing. Mariam was just something else on earth that was in his way. This proves what Nana said in chapter 2 to be right. That she and Mariam were nothing but a mug wort, they were just ripped out and thrown aside, made unnoticeable to anyone because it looked

“She felt guiltily of Mariam, beaten and bloodied, locked in this heat in the toolshed.” (270). Their friendship depends on each other, and offer protection against Rasheed. Their friendship also stands in new situations such as the government. “‘You can buy the medicine yourself, but-’ ‘Write the name’ Mariam said. ‘You write it down and I’ll get it.’” (290). Mariam helps Laila as much as she could, even though she wasn’t as educated, and Laila helps Mariam in return by making her happy. “Mariam would always admire Laila for how much time passed before she screamed.” (292). They start to work well together and their friendship develops from a way of escape to a healthy, caring relationship. If they had never been caught by Rasheed, or if they never had been abused by him, they would not be so fond of each other. Laila would’ve been Mariam’s enemy because Mariam was jealous of Laila when they first

By the end of the story, I found myself proud that Mariamu found her voice. Mariamu refuses to marry, Dodge, (the new name wariki gives himself) because she is has been married before, to her husband, Wariki, who is dead. Mariamu progresses throughout the entire story losing touch with the man she fell in love with. As time went on, she was a less and less connected with her husband. She gave up her happiness so he can conquer an old memory that meant nothing to her and their marriage.