There are countless radiant moons atop her roof, and a thousand suns behind her walls. In 1627, a poet named Muhammad penned these words while passing through the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, admiring the beautiful Kabul girls.
Centuries later, born in Kabul, the American author Khaled Hosseini weaved this ancient city and its women into a story, naming it “A Thousand Splendid Suns.” Upon its release, the book sold 1.05 million copies within just four days, swiftly climbing to the top of the New York Times bestseller list and clinching the top spot in Amazon’s fiction category. The New York Times praised it, stating that it was more shocking and touching than Hosseini’s breakthrough novel “The Kite Runner.”
The protagonist of the story, Mariam, struggled throughout her life in a pit of despair, dealing with the harsh realities of war, societal oppression, cowardly parents, and a brutal, irritable husband. Abandoned and helpless, she once surrendered under the weight of life but eventually regained courage through endless tribulations, reclaiming control of her life in the end.
Life is a collection of hardships. Who doesn’t face numerous challenges on the path to happiness? Through the continuous breakouts from life’s predicaments, one might fall into an abyss, but enduring them may lead to a sunny day.
1. Bearing the wounds from parents
In a small city of Herat, atop a hill, lies a modest mud house, the dwelling of Mariam and her mother Nana. Nana was once a maid in a wealthy household and became pregnant with Mariam after an affair with the master, Jalil. The furious mistress threw Nana out, and Jalil had no choice but to shelter her in this mud house – a stay that lasted 15 years.
Aside from helping Nana with chores, Mariam endured endless complaints against Jalil and sudden scoldings from her mother. Nana always wanted to keep Mariam close, and when Mariam expressed a desire to go to school, she angrily retorted, “What’s the use of schooling? For women like us, there’s only one skill needed in life: endurance.”
Jalil had three wives and nine children. Being his illegitimate daughter, Mariam could only spend a few hours with him every Thursday. On those days, Jalil would take Mariam fishing by the stream, teach her how to draw an elephant with a single stroke, and share fascinating stories about the world beyond the mountains.
On her 15th birthday, Mariam made a wish: to watch a movie with her siblings. After her persistent requests, Jalil reluctantly agreed. The next day, against Nana’s wishes, Mariam sneaked out to the designated meeting spot to wait for her father. However, from dawn till dusk, Jalil never showed up. With some hesitation, Mariam mustered the courage and descended the hill for the first time. With the help of a kind-hearted stranger, she found Jalil’s home. Unexpectedly, she was ruthlessly turned away at the door. Jalil was at home but refused to meet her. He left Mariam to wait outside all night, only arranging for a driver to take her back the next day. The truth hit hard; her father never wished to see her, let alone welcome her into his home. The reality brought tears to Mariam’s eyes throughout the journey back.
When she returned, disheveled and heartbroken, she was met with another tragedy: Nana, unable to bear Mariam’s “betrayal,” ended her own life with a rope. Before Mariam could recover from her grief, Jalil’s wives hastily arranged her marriage. At only 15, she was wed to a 45-year-old man, marking an abrupt end to her girlhood.
Home is a channel for the transmission of love and warmth, but also hatred and harm. Many parents, unknowingly, become the “executioners” of love—either engrossed in advancing their careers, absent throughout the child’s growth, or caught in life’s predicaments, unknowingly channeling their negative energy onto their child. Unbeknownst to them, every word and action etches into the child’s soul, molding their life.
Those deprived of love from an early age are akin to unlucky gamblers, dealt a bad hand at the table of life. There’s no choice but to play the game. However, destiny only shuffles the cards; playing them is up to us. With perseverance in playing every hand well, even a poor hand can win the game of life.
2. Trials of Marriage
Mariam’s husband, Rashid, was a shoemaker. Once, he had a loving family until tragedy struck: his wife passed away during childbirth, and his son drowned.
When Mariam married him, she moved to Kabul, over 600 kilometers from her home. She learned to cook and clean, trying her best to be a good wife. In their free time, they explored the city’s wonders, eating at popular restaurants and discovering unique shops. With Rashid, Mariam tasted ice cream for the first time and received her first real gift. Soon after, Mariam was pregnant. Rashid was thrilled, preparing the home with joy. However, a slip in a public bath resulted in the loss of their baby.
Over the next four years, Mariam faced six more miscarriages. Rashid’s frustration grew, and he began to show his true colors, often taking out his anger on Mariam. An incident over some rice had Rashid force-feed Mariam stones, leaving her in pain and fear. She began to realize her wedded life might always be this way, reminding us that the gamble of marriage might not always pay off with happiness.
3. Unlocking the Heart
On the 18th year of their marriage, Rashid married another woman: Laila, a 14-year-old survivor of a bombardment that killed her family and boyfriend. Initially, Mariam was resentful of Laila, especially since Rashid treated her better. But things changed when Laila protected Mariam from Rashid’s anger one night. From then, the two formed a bond, sharing stories and moments. Laila had plans to escape Rashid’s tyranny, and Mariam decided to join her. But their plan was foiled by a deceitful man. Later, when Laila faced mortal danger at Rashid’s hands, Mariam intervened, saving Laila but sealing her own fate.
In that moment, Mariam made a decision she would never regret.
In Conclusion
Some say, after reading “A Thousand Splendid Suns”, “One should die like Mariam and live like Laila”.
In the story’s end, Mariam sacrificed herself for Laila’s hope. Laila, reborn in spirit, dedicated her life to her country’s orphans, carrying Mariam’s love. Their tale serves as a beacon, telling us that hardships can lead to hope. May you face challenges bravely, finding your triumphant story amidst life’s struggles.
