On this page, I'll discuss the characters in A Thousand Splendid Suns.
Mariam- Mariam had a hard childhood. She lived in poverty, almost exile due to her mother's sin, realizing her father's rejection, being given to Rasheed, and experiencing seven miscarriages. All of these hardships built up inside of her since Rasheed didn't let her show emotions because "[he didn't] have patience for it" (Hosseini 59) She released all of her built up frustations and anger by killing Rasheed.He threatened those that she loved, and she shattered at this breaking point, and released all of those emotions that had been cooped up for so long inside of her.
Laila- Laila was a young girl that was very involved with her schooling. Her dad used to be a teacher, until he got fired. She hung out with Giti, Hasina, and especially Tariq. As they grew up, Laila began to fall in love with Tariq. They had a "relationship", but he announced to her that his family was fleeing the country to Pakistan. Befure he left though, they had sex and concieved Aziza. Soon after Tariq's departure, her house was hit by a rocket, killing her parents, and making her hard of hearing in one ear. After her fling with Tariq, the "news" of his death, and the death of one friend and the moving away of another, and the death of her parents, her daughter, Aziza, was what kept her going. Aziza was her beacon shining in her dark world. After a while living together, Laila and Mariam became friends, and it was them against Rasheed. He overpowered them, until Mariam reached her breaking point and killed him. She recently learned that Tariq wasn't dead, and Rasheed's death allowed Laila, Aziza, and Zalmai to go live with Tariq in Pakistan and live a better temporary life there.
Rasheed- After the death of his first wife and son, he was devastated. He tried to replace them with Mariam, but she was unable to bear him a child. After seven miscarriages, he gave up trying to have a kid, because it was useless. He started taking his anger and frustrations out on Mariam because she wasn't good enough for him. Then Laila came along and gave birth to a daughter and then a son. He found out that Aziza was Tariq's daughter, and he started to beat Laila too. He despised Aziza, hence sending her to the orphanage, but he adored Zalmai. This split his family apart. His anger was his demise, and he had it coming.
Tariq- As a little boy, his leg was blown off by a landmine. Tariq and Laila were best friends, and although she had Hasina and Giti, they couldn't come close to what she had with Tariq. The day before Tariq left for Pakistan, they had sex, and Aziza was the reminder of their actions. During his time in Pakistan, there weren't a lot of supplies to go around, and he threatened a man with a glass shard to the throat for a blanket, and was arrested. He returned to Kabul many years later, and his visit was what sparked the fight where Mariam killed Rasheed. Laila, Aziza, and Zalmai moved to Pakistan with Tariq to get out of the warzone, but returned once there was peace in Kabul.
Mariam- Mariam had a hard childhood. She lived in poverty, almost exile due to her mother's sin, realizing her father's rejection, being given to Rasheed, and experiencing seven miscarriages. All of these hardships built up inside of her since Rasheed didn't let her show emotions because "[he didn't] have patience for it" (Hosseini 59) She released all of her built up frustations and anger by killing Rasheed. He threatened those that she loved, and she shattered at this breaking point, and released all of those emotions that had been cooped up for so long inside of her.
Laila- Laila was a young girl that was very involved with her schooling. Her dad used to be a teacher, until he got fired. She hung out with Giti, Hasina, and especially Tariq. As they grew up, Laila began to fall in love with Tariq. They had a "relationship", but he announced to her that his family was fleeing the country to Pakistan. Befure he left though, they had sex and concieved Aziza. Soon after Tariq's departure, her house was hit by a rocket, killing her parents, and making her hard of hearing in one ear. After her fling with Tariq, the "news" of his death, and the death of one friend and the moving away of another, and the death of her parents, her daughter, Aziza, was what kept her going. Aziza was her beacon shining in her dark world. After a while living together, Laila and Mariam became friends, and it was them against Rasheed. He overpowered them, until Mariam reached her breaking point and killed him. She recently learned that Tariq wasn't dead, and Rasheed's death allowed Laila, Aziza, and Zalmai to go live with Tariq in Pakistan and live a better temporary life there.
Rasheed- After the death of his first wife and son, he was devastated. He tried to replace them with Mariam, but she was unable to bear him a child. After seven miscarriages, he gave up trying to have a kid, because it was useless. He started taking his anger and frustrations out on Mariam because she wasn't good enough for him. Then Laila came along and gave birth to a daughter and then a son. He found out that Aziza was Tariq's daughter, and he started to beat Laila too. He despised Aziza, hence sending her to the orphanage, but he adored Zalmai. This split his family apart. His anger was his demise, and he had it coming.
Tariq- As a little boy, his leg was blown off by a landmine. Tariq and Laila were best friends, and although she had Hasina and Giti, they couldn't come close to what she had with Tariq. The day before Tariq left for Pakistan, they had sex, and Aziza was the reminder of their actions. During his time in Pakistan, there weren't a lot of supplies to go around, and he threatened a man with a glass shard to the throat for a blanket, and was arrested. He returned to Kabul many years later, and his visit was what sparked the fight where Mariam killed Rasheed. Laila, Aziza, and Zalmai moved to Pakistan with Tariq to get out of the warzone, but returned once there was peace in Kabul.