This is where the gentleman reading Thousand Splendid Suns will discuss the book. You should post a minimum of twice per week (I don't care if it's in response to someone or initiating a line of thought). Responses need to be a minimum of 3 sentences for credit. Good Luck and have fun!!!
58 Comments
Harley Aldridge
11/8/2013 01:35:43 am
I think it's very weird how some people believe that the wife should cover their face with a hijab. I believe that every woman has her beauty to show the rest of the world. Also why is the age of consent lowered to 14 there? That's just disgusting and they forced Mariam to marry someone she didn't even know and he's 45 at least. Marriage is based on love, not chores and duties.
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Kale Walker
11/17/2013 01:44:08 am
I agree. No woman deserves to have their face covered. Everyone deserves to be seen no matter what they look like. I also agree that people should be able to choose who they marry. No one should be forced to marry someone, especially if they are 30 years older than you.
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Carter Skipworth
11/17/2013 10:52:09 am
I agree with both of you. A woman shouldn't have to cover herself up like that just so a man can have her "all to himself". Also, I agree about the marriage thing, but in the past and even in other cultures today, marriage is not based on
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Carter Skipworth
11/17/2013 10:52:34 am
Love*
Harley Aldridge
11/17/2013 10:47:45 pm
Yeah the "all to himself" business is only a big surge of jealousy but it shouldn't be a law. It should only be someone's found beliefs. It's awesome that in America if you beat your wife or your kids you can go to jail. But on the other hand in the Middle East it's more encouraged than anything.
Jordan Adams
11/18/2013 09:28:35 am
I also concur. It is pretty selfish that man will hide the beauty of a woman. Any woman should be free to express her looks or emotions. It is kind of odd to be marrying women of such young age also. Especially being forced.
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Kameron Presnell
11/25/2013 09:49:52 pm
Afghanistan has some weird cultural beliefs I can say. But I can kinda agree with the fact that they make their wives where a burqa. Men believe that their wife's face is all the men's business and that no other men should be able to see them. But I think there should be some kind of like difference law. Where a man and women have to be in some type of range of age before they can be married. Because a 14 year old girl and a 45 year old man should not be married. That's just a little strange.
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Jared Lunsford
11/8/2013 05:59:19 am
Why do you think Jalil would go 15 years without letting Mariam know how he really felt about her and the "mistake" he made? If he was that ashamed I don't think he would have even bothered coming to see her on a weekly basis. Or did he feel like he was obligated to do so?
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Joseph Holbrook
11/10/2013 04:23:17 am
I Don't agree with how jalil holds off not telling Mariam how he feels about her. Like how he doesn't really want her in his life because it was a mistake what he and Mariam's mother did. I feel it's terrible that they just send her away with some strange man to marry. I feel bad about it because she is at a very fragile state with her mother dieing not to long ago. This just isn't right the way she is being treated. Does anyone else agree?
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Carter Skipworth
11/11/2013 01:35:33 am
I agree with this entirely. Jalil should have just been honest and straight with Mariam from the beginning. Not ever knowing him, and never having to see him at all would have been better than the admiration that she gained for him, only to be hurt later.
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Harley Aldridge
11/12/2013 05:47:39 am
Yeah Jalil sounds like today's average dead eat father. I guess they didn't have child support in that country or something cause she wouldn't be living in a shack if she did. Yeah Rasheed is a pretty bad husband. He's type is pretty well around this country also. I'd say this stuff in the story really relates to our country today but that's just me.
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Stuart Carter
11/17/2013 08:15:40 am
I halfheartedly agree, I guess. Honestly though, what else was he supposed to do? He got stuck in a big ol' mess with no real way out. There's not much else he could've done to save his own reputation, which was pretty important at that point.
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Jared Lunsford
11/25/2013 10:34:41 am
At the beginning of the book, Jalil comes off as a father who has a fond love for his daughter. But we soon find out that that is not the case. I would have rather him not made any contact with her to begin with that for her to go through the heartbreak that she did. Mariam didn't deserve to find out that way and he has been mistreating her this entire time.
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Brennan Fields
11/25/2013 09:51:21 pm
I agree with this too. I couldn't imagine the feeling of finding out any other way than from a completely honest truth. Jalil should not have kept Mariam away just because she was a mistake. Only because of who her mother was is why he never told the truth to her.
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Justin Ferris
11/10/2013 07:21:01 am
I feel that Mariam and her husband should have waited longer to have sex. I don't feel that it was rape because she didn't really try and resist it and she did say yes to the marriage. Although I feel her husband I forget his name should have asked her if she wanted to do it not just go lay on top of her and do it at least make her comfortable not awkward. He really did it wrong and I think they should have at least another week and 15 is pretty young so maybe even another year or so.
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Carter Skipworth
11/17/2013 10:49:37 am
I disagree with this entirely. She said yes to the marriage only because she had no where else to go. With her real mother being dead, she knew she couldn't make it on her own and knew she wasn't welcome where she was, so she really had no say in it. That being said, just because a man is married to a woman doesn't mean he can impose his will on her and have sex with her any time he wants. If he does this against her will, it is considered rape.
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Jared Lunsford
11/25/2013 10:32:25 am
I agree. Mariam had the option to say yes or no but chose to say yes because she could not have survived on her own. Rasheed was pretty much her only way of surviving. When they had sex, he pretty much raped her because she did want to be in that situation but she knew that that is the role of a wife. It was just culture to him.
Brennan Fields
11/25/2013 09:26:54 pm
I agree with this somewhat. Even though they were married I think that Mariam should have said something to Rasheed about what happened. Obviously she was young and not really sure what she was doing.
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Kameron Presnell
11/10/2013 12:18:13 pm
I don't like the way Mariam is treated by her husband. I know it's probably the way most woman are treated during that time but I don't like it. I believe in respecting women and treating them right. The way Mariam is treated just doesn't sit right with me. I don't like his attitude when he bosses her around. And I don't like how he bosses her around. It's like he treats her like a dog in my opinion.
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Harley Aldridge
11/17/2013 10:52:58 pm
Yeah it's awesome that its a crime in America but its always a crime that's very under looked. But those that are caught beating women and kids are given a short to moderate jail sentence. Which is complete crap. I believe it should be much longer.
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Jared Lunsford
11/25/2013 10:29:59 am
The treatment of women during this time period is definitely an issue with this book. This is one of the major things in the book that give each person their characteristics. Males are typically the stronger, women weaker and so forth. Rasheed and Mariam are good examples of this as their character develops throughout the book.
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Will Daniel
11/10/2013 09:13:26 pm
I think that it was rape. Even though they were married, she didn't want to do it and she didn't even want to get married. Her dad made her. So I think it's rape
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Joseph Holbrook
11/17/2013 01:44:46 am
I disagree with this statement above. I don't feel that rasheed raped mariam. yes i understand that she didnt really want to or approve of doing it but they are married. Things like this happen all the time in that country, its basically part of their culture. As you read on you find out that Mariam doesnt really mind it as much because she notices she does have some feelings fior Rasheed.
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Kale Walker
11/17/2013 11:06:43 am
I disagree with this. I don't think that Rasheed raped Mariam. It wasn't really forced, Mariam didn't do anything to really stop it. I do see why you would think this, because Mariam didn't really want to, but I don't think that Rasheed forced the sex.
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Joseph Holbrook
11/15/2013 01:36:08 am
What do you guys think about the change in perspective from Mariam to Laila? I feel I like Laila's side better because Mariam's side of te story started getting into a pattern of stressing over Rasheed and his wishes. This new perspective I feel allows me to grasp more information on exactly what is happening throughout the time period this book has taken place in.
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Carter Skipworth
11/22/2013 11:16:13 am
From the very beginning Mariam was the main part of the story, and I thought when Laila was introduced, it showed a great balance in their perspectives. Mariam grew very negative, and was always worrisome while Laila wasnt as much. However, looking back, not much later in the story Laila was the exact same as Mariam, and you could really tell how hard life was living as Rasheed's wife.
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Justin Ferris
11/17/2013 07:03:05 am
I would have to agree with you Joseph. I like laila story better. It is more interesting than Mariams. I was getting really tired of Mariam complaining all the time.
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Dalton Abner
11/18/2013 11:01:33 pm
Mariam's was getting honestly boring to me. I
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Kameron Presnell
11/25/2013 09:32:44 pm
Yeah I agree that Laila's story is more interesting. Mariam's story got very repetitive to say the least. It was always about how she cooked, cleaned, went to the market, and got beat by Rahsead. Laila's story was more interesting probably because she was a child. You got to see the change of Kabul through a child's eyes as she was playing with her friends.
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Stuart Carter
11/17/2013 08:12:56 am
I don't know about you all, but I think all of these social norms are pretty interesting and give us an insight to how life is like in places like where Mariam is. Yeah, the marriage is a bit unfair, but honestly, it could be a lot worse. At least, that's what I think.
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Kale Walker
11/17/2013 11:20:42 am
I agree, it's pretty interesting seeing how their everyday life was. I also agree that it was unfair in ways that they were treated but I can see a lot more ways that it can get worse. I think it is interesting how they are in the transtion of how women are being treated. For example, how some women are allowed to show skin and where makeup while other women, like Mariam, are forced to cover their skin. It's just cool to see how they respond to it all and how what they think of it.
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Will Daniel
11/17/2013 09:37:46 pm
Women shouldn't have to have their face covered up. I think it would be hard to breathe. Women should be treated the same way that men are treated.
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Joseph Holbrrok
11/23/2013 04:00:17 am
You have to look at it in the eyes of people in that time period and in that location to really understand why they treat women the way they do. Back where the story starts off in that time period women simply dont have rights, this is because if you look even further back in the past women had no rights and if they did they were limited. The idea of all peopl yes men and women didnt fully come into affect till within the past 60 or so years in America, over in Afganhastan (spelled wrong) they are always fighting so there is simply no time to give women rights.
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Kameron Presnell
11/18/2013 08:41:39 am
So just a quick question for you guys. Would you leave the city where you were born and raised to be with your best friend who wants to marry you? Do you think Laila should have went with Tyrique? Honestly, if I was inner situation, I would have gotten out of there. But what are you guys thinking?
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Kale Walker
11/24/2013 05:55:26 am
I think that i would definitely leave my city where i was born if i really loved someone that much. I mean yeah, staying in your hometown is good and all but it is better in my opinion to go and be happy with someone you love. If it is your family making you want to stay, i think that they would want you to go so you can be happy the rest of your life.
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Dalton Abner
11/18/2013 11:00:12 pm
I don't think women should cover their face at all. Their entire image is them expressing theirselves, without expression what are you doing with your life your just living a lie. A lie no one wants to be part of, and I think they should say something about because I know it probably bothers them.
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Jared Lunsford
11/22/2013 05:12:59 am
1st Period:
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Carter Skipworth
11/22/2013 11:20:14 am
For me, the biggest takeaway from this story was the friendship that grew between Laila and Mariam. It was a friendship so strong that Mariam was willing to die to give Laila a better life with her kids and the man of her dreams. I think it is really cool how they became so close despite their rough start, and this goes to show you the comfort you can find in somebody that is going through the same hardships as you.
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Joseph Holbrook
11/23/2013 03:49:13 am
I completly agree with Carter. This story shows how two people despite their background can acctualy come together and become friends. Laila and Aziza was basically the only thing keeping Mariam alive and happy. Mariam was willing to die for Laila because they have stood up for eachother and protected eachother. This shows how in any situation be it good or bad people can stick up for eachother and become friends in the end.
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Brennan fields
11/24/2013 10:08:16 am
I agree with both of these guys, this just goes to show the strength in friendship and how it can get you through anything. The ways Mariam and Laila cared for each other was one of a kind. Mariam wanted t give thanks to Laila for the life she gave her. She gave her a new chance, she paid the ultimate price. Mariam gave her life for Laila. This is what every friendship should stnd for.
Stuart Carter
11/25/2013 09:30:22 am
Yeah, I agree. Finding someone who has the same problems as you is one of the best ways for you to push through said problems. The way the author wrote the two separate storylines so that they could illustrate this is borderline genius.
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Kameron Presnell
11/25/2013 09:57:06 pm
Hey nice job Carter. I agree. It's pretty great how those two can start off hating each other so much. And then become great friends by the end. I have to ask though. Why was Mariam so upset in the beginning when Laila agreed to marry RasheedAfter she gets beat every day and has to take care of the house all by herself.
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Justin Ferris
11/24/2013 11:17:31 am
I was so happy when they killed Rasheed. He was kissing me off. No woman no matter what they do deserves to be beat like he beat those two. They never did wrong to him except for running away and even that was smart of them.
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Brennan Fields
11/25/2013 09:31:44 pm
I agree when they killed Rasheed it was one of the most intense scenes in the book. I really didn't like the way he was treating the women.
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Justin Ferris
11/24/2013 11:19:40 am
I was so happy when Tariq came to the door. I was like the beck is going on here. Don't want to sound stupid but I was excited for Liala
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Kale Walker
11/24/2013 11:23:20 am
I think a major theme of this book is loyalty and devotion. I think this is applied mostly between Mariam and Laila. Both Mariam and Laila face the problem of having an abusive husband and they go through this together. I think that if Laila hadn't come into Mariam's life, she would've have lived as long as she had. It was sad and all how she died, but I think she wouldn't have got as far as she did without Laila.
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Will Daniel
11/24/2013 11:26:12 am
I can't believe Rasheed lied to Laila about tariq. That was an absolute terrible thing to do. She should cut his younger out for that one.
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Will Daniel
11/24/2013 11:28:22 am
I hope that Tariq comes back to get Laila. They need to go get aziza and get the heck out of there. They need to also get Mariam and the little boy and just be gone.
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Will Daniel
11/24/2013 09:18:59 pm
I hate that Laila put aziza in an orphanage. It makes me so MAD. She got rid of her child she had with he love
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Will daniel
11/24/2013 10:02:24 pm
I love that Laila ran off with Tariq. I also hate how Mariam got killed. I hope Laila and Tariq and their children live a happy life.
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Wyatt LaFever
11/25/2013 08:58:31 am
I honestly felt bad for Nana more than I think most people would. Many may see her just as some bitter old woman, but there's more to her. She had been wronged by Jalil and to see her daughter choose her over him must have been heartbreaking. Nana knew Jalil did not care for her like she did. So when she lost Marium she had nothing us to left to lose.
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Wyatt LaFever
11/25/2013 09:03:02 am
Jalil was too ashamed of his daughter to do what was right for her. He should've kept her and sheltered. Instead he gave her away because his ego and image was more important.
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Wyatt LaFever
11/25/2013 09:05:53 am
Rasheed did not seem like the person he started out to be. I honestly thought the relationship was going to work. His true colors shown through eventually though.
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Stuart Carter
11/25/2013 09:09:30 am
Yeah, I agree. The move with the pebbles was cold. I thought he would be better. That was a bit hard to read on my side.
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Wyatt LaFever
11/25/2013 09:08:13 am
If Marium hadn't had the miscarriage, I wonder how Rasheed would've treated the child. Maybe just as bad as Marium. Maybe he would've not taken such a change in personality.
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Justin Ferris
11/25/2013 10:03:48 am
So this is my last post for this book I hope. Overall I thought is was an ok book. I would give it a 4 out of 10. I might have given higher if I liked to read. The only time I liked to read is when it is a sports book or something like that. I liked the hunger games also. I think you should give the boys a book more about something what they would like not a book about a hepless two girls.
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Brennan Fields
11/25/2013 09:47:50 pm
This book was alright. I'd give it a higher rating than Justin, it's not a first choice book but I didn't mind reading it. I liked how the book was split into the different parts. It really gave a different perspective on the book while reading.
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Jared Lunsford
11/25/2013 10:27:36 am
I personally enjoyed the book. The ending was good, but it was definitely not what I or anyone else probably expected it to be. The author did a good job with the plot and character development throughout the book.
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