A Thousand Splendid Suns Chapters 1 5 Class

A Thousand Splendid Suns Chapters 1 -5 Class Discussion

Harami �What does this word mean? Who uses it? ◦ Let’s examine a passage together: pages 4 and 5 �How does Hosseini convey the connotations of the word harami and its impact on Mariam’s life? �What literary techniques does he use?

Jalil �Where does he live? What does he own? �Why doesn’t Mariam live with him? �Why does she love him so much?

Nana �How does Hosseini characterize her as a mother? she treat Mariam? �What does she say about women in society? How does ◦ “’You know what he told his wives by way of defense? That I forced myself on him. That it was my fault…. You see? This is what it means to be a woman in this world’” (7). ◦ “’Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam’” (7). �Why does she have this attitude?

Nana, continued �What is a jinn? What would we call this? �What story does she tell about Mariam’s birth? How does this contradict Jalil’s version? Whom should we believe? �At whom does Nana throw rocks? Why?

Visitors �Habib Khan �Bibi jo �Mullah Faizullah ◦ Why is he her favorite visitor? What does he do to support and help her?

An Education �Mariam wants to go to school. Why does Nana forbid it? See pages 18 and 19. ◦ “’What’s the sense schooling a girl like you? It’s like shining a spittoon. And you’ll learn nothing of value in those schools. There is only one, only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life, and they don’t teach it in school’” (18) �What SKILL is she talking about? This is IMPORTANT.

“What I Want” � For her fifteenth birthday, Mariam wants Jalil to take her to his cinema. What movie does she long to see? �What does she really want? �See page 28. What does Mariam think Nana is afraid of? At that point in the story, did you agree or disagree?

Herat �When Mariam arrives in Herat, how is it different from the description her Mother gave? How does Mariam feel when she first arrives? �Where does she spend the night? Why? �What do you think is the significance of the pebbles spilling from her pocket on page 35?

A Changed Girl �What does Mariam realize as Jalil’s driver takes her away from her father’s house? �What does she find when she returns home? Did you see this coming? �What has happened to Mariam’s character in the first five chapters? ◦ Loss of innocence