ATSS analysis

How is Mariam’s story introduced in parallel with the introduction of Heathcliff and Hareton?

introduced with the theme of shame and demonisation

How does Hosseini challenge our notion of female solidarity in chapter 2?

Mariam has an unceasing loyalty to her father, which interrupts our expectation of female solidarity

why does Mariam feel loyalty to her father in the beginning?

she cannot see past pure love to the messier social relations behind it

how does Mariam’s interaction with political events change?

we see how Mariam’s oppression changes from her being distanced from social upheaval, to bearing the absolute brunt of it

how do Mariam’s demands of Jalil change in chapter 5?

we see how Mariam’s oppression changes from her being distanced from social upheaval, to bearing the absolute brunt of it

what do Nana and Jalil agree on in chapter 5?

that Mariam must be othered and kept at a distance from Herat, being a Harami

what leads to Mariam’s misunderstanding in chapter 5?

Mariam cannot understand that invisible social boundaries which prevent her life in Herat, she believes the physical boundaries are the only ones

what is the significance of Niloufar’s character?

her innocent babbling reveals the power of notions of sisterhood, family and guilt. Mariam cannot bear her innocent talk - she sees the evil in everything

what do Jalil’s three wives parallel?

the three wives parallel the three judges who rule on Mariam’s trial - her fate is in the hands of those with status

how are we introduced to Rasheed?

Rasheed is described through sensory clues - as if a force to be felt, rather than an emotional being

what is the significance of Mariam’s signature?

the first time Mariam signs her name - the only other time being at her trial.

there is a continuity and thematic resonance even in the midst of overwhelming social change

what is the double meaning of Afghanistan’s multilingualism?

1st = sign of cultural vibrance

2nd = another symbol of Mariam’s offering

what is the tragedy of Mariam’s interaction with the tandoor women in Kabul?

she is scared of them as she is Rasheed - this panic is the source of her isolation, her suffering is confined

how is Rasheed’s generosity repeatedly corrupted?

he is generous for his own benefit - his trip out with Mariam ends in sex, and his generosity to Laila ends in marriage

how does Mariam experience Ramadan?

Ramadan brings a sense of communal belonging that she didn’t have at the Kolba - this community feeling is not reflected in her relationship with Rasheed

what is the significance of the snowfall?

the scene features two snowfalls - her description of the snow grows cold following her miscarriage

in what two different ways do Mariam and Rasheed experience suffering?

Rasheed exacts his suffering on Mariam, whereas Mariam exacts hers on herself, in a profound struggle with God and fate

what is the significance of the window in both novels?

Mariam is kept at home and isolated by Rasheed - her window (note, a motif in both) serving as a figurative connection to the world - through the window she sees a prophetic vision of her future life and relationships

how does the introduction of the Fariba increase the sadness of Mariam?

contrast between the joy of the new birth and the sadness of Mariam’s suffering displays the variety of experiences in Afghanistan, even on the same street

how do Laila’s parents change across part 1 and part 2?

at the end of part 1, Laila’s parents seem happy and in love - things have changed over the 9 years

how does Fariba’s perception of Babi’s bookishness change?

love has allowed to see Babi’s bookishness as endearing - but through grief, anger, and desperation, these qualities become irritating. here, education/literature is the first thing to go

what does Laila’s flashback in chapter 17 display?

Laila’s flashback to her mothers’ previous self displays how her true nature has been warped by war and suffering

how are Mammy and Mariam contrasted?

Mariam makes the ultimate act of sacrifice - Mammy wallows in her sadness

what is the significance of Panjshir?

where Tariq is supposedly killed - Panjshir is an intentionally unknown place for the reader - because it is for Laila too

what do the Bamiyan Buddhas symbolise?

Afghanistan’s vibrant cultural heritage and storied path. the diversity of experiences, ethnic and otherwise, remained constant from this constant 9th-century historical period to the ethnic diversity of contemporary Afghanistan

how are Babi’s dreams materialised after his death?

Babi talks about leaving Pakistan and supporting other Afghan’s fleeing war - this is materialised for Laila at the end

how do Laila and Tariq and Mammy all feel the Soviet withdrawal differently?

Soviet’s withdrawal is intimately personal for Mammy - but Laila and Tariq are insulated from the political turmoil - together they’re immune

how is Fariba’s motherly responsibility restored and how is it imperfect?

in urging Laila to protect her reputation, Fariba adopts a renewed sense of motherly responsibility, but it is linked closely to the gender norms which regulate relationships

what ethnic groups to Laila and Tariq belong to?

Laila is a Tajik, Tariq a Pashtun

How and why does the narrator intercede in chapter 26?

narrator describes how Laila will eventually miss Tariq, and memories of the night will reawaken her longing - signals the broader arc of the story - we know that Tariq’s absence will be a constant, though dull, source of grief for Laila

what does Saib E Tabrizi’s poem suggest?

suggests that there is a true Kabul beneath all the violence and destruction - a real Afghanistan hidden behind the walls of fighting

how do Mariam and Laila respond to the burqa?

just as Mariam had felt a certain sense of security in the anonymity of the burqa, Laila takes refuge in this physical covering, even as she fears that Rasheed will uncover her secret

what changes for Laila and Mariam to unite?

their alienation from Rasheed no longer fuels their discontent but unites them. thus, Rasheed’s hegemonic masculinity thwarts the goal he had

what is the significance of the healing qualities of Laila and Mariam?

the healing qualities are in contrast to Rasheed’s cruelty, as well as to the war waged between men in the city

what is the turning point for Laila’s and Mariam’s relationship with Rasheed?

he shoots his gun into the street and nearly steps on the crawling Aziza. his presence undermines their motherhood

what unites all three characters in chapter 37?

all three characters experience a level of hopefulness when the Taliban arrive

when does Mariam become an effective motherly figure for Laila?

Mariam emerges as a true mother figure, calling her her daughter to the doctor

how is Laila’s deepest dear revealed?

through the dream where she lowers Aziza into the hole in the backyard - she’ll be forced to sacrifice even her own child in order to survive

how are the Taliban displayed as the figurative and literal obstacles to motherhood?

Laila suffers abuse and beating from the Taliban soldiers when she visits Aziza at the orphanage

give an early example of a challenging circumstance which force women’s sacrifice

mothers are often forced into difficult relationships with their children in order to do what they think is best. recall that Nana tried to stifle Mariam’s dreams because she didn’t want her to face later disappointment and that Fariba could only care for Laila at a distance

what does Laila’s acceptance of Mariam’s sacrifice represent?

her own adherence to motherly ideals and her willingness to put her children ahead of her own concerns

what is an important element of Mariam’s thought process before her death?

her view on life has changed; where she previously thought the future has no meaning, she now wishes for a longer life, wishing to see how Aziza grows up

what literary shift does Hosseini use in chapter 48 and what does it reflect about Tariq and Rasheed?

he shifts to present tense - present tense highlights the changes the children are going through - the ‘present-ness’ of Tariq replaces the ‘past-ness’ of Rasheed, who only ‘was’ her father

what is the narrative significance of Laila visiting the Kolba?

Laila becomes the only character to understand her completely

what theme centralised in the penultimate chapter?

fatherhood

what theme centralised in the final chapter?

motherhood

what is the slight discomfort in the final chapter’s future foretelling?

the existence of a new ‘Mariam’ relies on Laila’s child being a girl