Discussion > Fall 2012- 1000 splendid suns

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Mariam refuses to see visitors while she is imprisoned, and she calls no witnesses at her trial. Why does she make these decisions? Sarah 3 11 Oct 03, 2012 03:38PM  
the story of our country, one invader after another... we’re like those walls up there. Battered, and nothing pretty to look at, but still standing.” Discuss the metaphorical import of this passage as it relates to Miriam and Laila. Sarah 1 2 Oct 01, 2012 06:41PM  
Why would people risk the Taliban’s violent reprisals for a taste of popcorn entertainment? What do the Taliban’s restrictions on such material say about the power of artistic expression and the threat it poses to repressive political regimes? Sarah 1 2 Oct 01, 2012 06:36PM  
While the first three parts of the novel are written in the past tense, the final part is written in present tense. What do you think was the author’s intent in making this shift? How does it change the effect of this final section? Sarah 1 1 Oct 01, 2012 06:35PM  
Laila’s father tells her, “You’re a very, very bright girl. Truly you are. You can be anything that you want.” Discuss Laila’s relationship with her father. What aspects of his character does she inherit? In what ways is she different? Sarah 1 2 Oct 01, 2012 06:33PM  
At several points in the story, Mariam and Laila pass themselves off as mother and daughter. What is the symbolic importance of this? In what ways is Mariam’s and Laila’s relationship with each other formed by their relationships with their own mothers? Sarah 1 1 Oct 01, 2012 06:31PM  
Laila’s friendship with Mariam begins when she defends Mariam from a beating by Rasheed. Why does Laila take this action, despite the contempt Mariam has consistently shown her? Sarah 1 2 Oct 01, 2012 06:27PM  
Mariam’s mother tells her: “Women like us. We endure. It’s all we have.” Discuss how this sentiment informs Mariam’s life and how it relates to the larger themes of the novel. Sarah 1 1 Oct 01, 2012 06:22PM