A compelling read, A Thousand Splendid Suns looks at gender roles in Afghanistan, as the two female protagonists fight for their way out of persecution and abusive marriages. The novel covers decades of Afghan history and culture from the 1960s to the early 2000s. Because of this, students may benefit from an overview of Afghan history during this time period, with a focus on the Soviet occupation, civil war, the subsequent rise of the Taliban, and later US invasion. This background information should also examine how these events specifically affected Afghan women.
Class discussion can revolve around the role of women in Afghanistan as well as the traditional aspect of marriage. Students can examine how Miriam and Laila's relationship evolves as they endure hardships together. Due to their significant age difference, Miriam and Laila have different ideas of love and family. Students can discuss how the protagonists' different views reflect cultural changes in Afghanistan as the traditional society gradually becomes more modern.
A Thousand Splendid Suns
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Summary of A Thousand Splendid Suns
Key Facts
- Publication Date: 2007
- Length: 432 pages
- Lexile Measure: 830
- Recommended Grade Band: 11-12
- Time Magazine Top 10 Fiction Books of 2007
- Amazon's #1 Book of the Year (2007)
- Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Adult Fiction (2007)
A Thousand Splendid Suns follows two Afghan women, Miriam and Laila, whose lives become intertwined by war and marriage. Miriam and Laila endure an abusive husband with strict traditional gender expectations. Although the women are born a generation apart and have different views of love and family, they form a close bond. Through these two female characters, Hosseini explores the turbulent history of Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion, civil war, the rise of the Taliban, and US involvement.
Content Warning: A Thousand Splendid Suns contains scenes of rape, abuse, and war-related violence.
What Your Students Will Love About A Thousand Splendid Suns
- Discovering the gender roles and history of another culture
- Following the story of Mariam and Laila from when they were girls until they meet as women
Potential Student Struggles With A Thousand Splendid Suns
- The violence of war and oppression caused by the Taliban, who continually gain power throughout the novel
- The flat or static portrayals of many of the characters
Learning Objectives for A Thousand Splendid Suns
- Understand the political upheaval in Afghanistan and the struggle its people face.
- Discuss the double standard of behavior of males and females in this novel, and identify ways the double standard is perpetuated.
- Identify flat and round characters and explain the difference.
- Trace how the major characters have changed over the course of the book.
- Identify and analyze symbols in the novel.
- Explain how the setting relates to the characters in this book.
- Comment on how the shift in tense in the last part of the novel changes the effect of this final section.
Literary Elements in A Thousand Splendid Suns
- Figurative Language
- Flat Character
- Foreshadowing
- Irony
- Metaphor
- Personification
- Simile
- Symbol
- And more!
Major Themes in A Thousand Splendid Suns
Gender — The novel explores the role of women in Afghan society and what they are expected to do in their marriages.
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Tradition — Many of the marital aspects of the novel draw from the traditional side of Afghan culture and history.
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Freedom — By the end of the novel, Mariam and Laila have made their own choices, which signifies how they have reclaimed their personal freedom.
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Other Resources for A Thousand Splendid Suns
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This free guide was originally posted in June 2015. It has been updated as of February 2021.