Week 7 Post B

Overall, I thought this was a great book. It was very sad, but one of the most powerful books I have ever read. The ending I believe was extremely emotional. Not only does Mariam get put to death, having live an unfair life, but also Laila and Tariq, when they move to Herat discovera a package from Jalil. The package contains a Pinnochio tape, which is what Jalil had promised to take Mariam to see, but never did, her family inheritance and a note saying how sorry he is for marrying her off just to make himself look better. This is so depressing, because as the reader you wish Mariam had found a way to return to Herat, early in her marriage and everything would have been alright. But then you realize that if that was to happen, then the story would have been quite cheesy and the whole point of the story was to show the hard life that some unfortunate women if Afghanistan have to live.

I liked Khaled Hosseini's writing style, since it was very easy for me to follow along with and understand, yet the story was still strong and fascinating. I thought he did a great job writing this book, and thought it was neat how he described Mariam and Laila's lives separately before they lived together with Rasheed. That opened the door for the suprise when Laila gets married to Rasheed as well, so Mariam and Laila live together with Rasheed.

I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend this book to anyone looking for a fascinating book, but doesn't mind reading about tragedy.

Week 7 Post A

Vocab:

permeated: to pass into or through every part of.

rife: abundant, plentiful, or numerous.

Figurative Language:

1. "Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. You remember that, Mariam"(323). This is a quote that Mariam remembers Nana once told her. Nana uses a similie to say how men always blame their misfortunes or troubles on woman, which is true of Rasheed.
2. "His smile was patient"(324). This is a personification in which Mariam personifies the judges smile, to describe it as sympathetic.
3. "Only at dusk did the winds die down. And then if a night breeze blew, it did so timidly, as if to atone for the excesses of its daytime siblling"(326). Mariam personifies the wind, by saying that it is "timid" as in it blows lightly, not aggresively.

Quote:

"Though there had been moments of beauty in it, Mariam knew that life for the most part had been unkind to her. But as she walked the final twenty paces, she could not help but wish for more of it"(328).

To me this quote struck me hard, because it makes you feel for Mariam a lot. She sacrificed her life for the well being of others, but the thing is she doesn't deserve to be punished at all for her actions, and her whole life was unfair.

Theme:

A final theme for this book is how unfair life can be. Clearly, this is shown by Mariam being sentenced to death, having live a completely "unfair" life.

Week 6 Post B

This book is such a great book, but the tragedy is so sad. This book has just been getting more and more depressing. I find myself getting my hopes up for Laila and Mariam, but always something terrible follows. This section of reading started off happy with Laila meeting Tariq, who she thought was dead. She meets with him, but Zalmai lets word slip to Rasheed, when he is questioned by him. Rasheed asks Zalmai to go upstairs and gets out his belt and more violently than ever starts beating Laila. Mariam is constantly trying to fend Rasheed off but fails. And then all of a sudden Laila is gushing blood and Rasheed has his hand wrapped around her throat, and is definetly going to kill her, unless Mariam is able to stop him. Mariam runs to the garage and returns with a shovel. She strikes Rasheed with the shovel and he is knocked out. However, she knows that if she lets him live he could easily go upstairs and get his gun and shoot her, Laila and Zaila, so she does what she has to and kills him.

"I meant it. I meant it for you, Laila jo"(318).

This quote shows how unselfish Mariam is. She killed Rasheed so Laila could go on to live a happy life. She sacrificed her life and Rasheed's so for Laila. She is most definetly a hero. This is also shown by her turning herself into the police and being executed, unfairly. Laila can now go on to live her life with Tariq and reunite her children, by rescuing Aziza from the orphanage.

Week 6 Post A

Vocab:



abasement: to humiliate or dishonor.



degradation: the act of degrading.



Figurative Language:

1. "Meet our real masters, Pakistan and Arab Islamists. The Taliban are puppets. These are the big players and Afghanistan is their playground"(274). This is a metaphor that portrays the Taliban as not a threat, but the Pakistan and Arab Islamists as the "real deal."


2. "How could she care about the statues when her own life was crumbling dust"(279). This is another metaphor that just simply implies that Laila doesn't have to feel bad for artifacts being destroyed, when her own life is being "destroyed."


3. "He sat up straight, and, for a few brief moments, he appeared merely thoughtful, like a ship captain informed of imminent mutiny taking his time to ponder his next move"(307). This similie is used to compare Rasheed's suspicion and misgiving too a ship captain who is informed of a mutiny and needs time to plan. Rasheed is plotting yet another beating.

Quote:

"I know you're a married woman and a mother now. And here I am, after all these years, after all that's happened, showing up at your doorstep. Probably, it isn't proper, or fair, but I've come such a long way to see you, and . . . Oh, Laila, I wish I'd never left you"(305).

I like this quote, because finally Laila has a reason to live now that she found out Tariq is still alive. Without Tariq, she really doesn't have any thing to live for and through all this tragedy she has a reason to live.

Theme:

A theme for this section of reading is how unfair life can be. Mariam did the right thing by killing Rasheed, who was for sure going to kill Laila and probably herself and Zalmai. However, due to how corrupt Afghanistan was at the time of this book, she is sentenced to death.

Week 5 Post B

I read a lot in this section, since I simply could not put the book down and I had a bit of catching up to do in order to finish the book on time.


Many suprising things occured. First off Laila is separated from Tariq, after his family decides to leave Kabul, due to the war. This is hard enough on Laila, and later her family decides to leave Kabul as well. However, while they are packing up to leave a rocket smashes through their house, ruining everything, as well as killing both of Laila's parents. Laila is now left with nothing, not even Tariq, and yet conditions for her worsen when Rasheed takes her in and has her become his second wife along with Mariam. At first, just like with Mariam, he treats her fairly well, but later he begins beating her just like he does with Mariam. Mariam and Laila at first are "rivals," but they become best friends and help each other out when Rasheed goes into raids. Laila also goes on to have two children, Zalmai and Aziza. Zalmai actually happens to be Tariq's son, but she acts like it is Rasheed's, for obvious reasons. Rasheed beats them as well.

It seems like everyone in this story is falling in the clutches of Rasheed and must live through torture. Hopefully, Mariam, Laila and her children will find a way to escape from Rasheed and live happily for once.

Week 5 Post A

Vocab:

contentiousness: causing or involving in an argument or controversy.

conspiratorial: an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or a surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons.

Figurative Language:

1. "It made a sound like dropping a rice bag to the floor. She hit him hard"(267). This is a simlie since it compares Laila's punch to the sound of a rice bag drooping to the ground.
2. "What's happened to you? {...} I married a pari, and now I'm saddled with a hag"(271). This is a metaphor since Rasheed compares Laila to a "hag," without using like or as.
3. "His eyes glittering with murderous, kicking until he couldn't anymore"(272).

Quote:

"I swear you're going to make me kill you, Laila"(272).

This shows how absurd Rasheed is and what torture it would be to have to live with him. First Mariam had to deal with him, then Laila and now her children must deal with him as well.

Theme:

A theme that is obviously present in this book is tragedy.

Week 4 Post A

flaccid: soft and limp; weak.



protruding: thrusting forward; causing to project.



Figurative language:

1. "If I ever do get married they'll have to make room for three on the wedding stage. Me, the bride, and the guy holding the gun to my head"(141). The author uses a hyperbole here to show much Tariq dislikes weddings.
2. "She didn't understand that if she looked into a mirror, she would find the one unfailing convictionof his life looking right back at her"(136). This figurative language is used to show a misunderstanding between Mammy and her husband, Babi.
3. "Tariq gasped. Laila did too. And she knew then that she could live to be a hundred and she would never agains see a thing as magnificent"(132). A hyperbole is used here to exaggerate the beauty of the statue.

Quote:

"But I'm glad I have you. Every day, I thank God for you. Every single day. Sometimes, when your mother's having one of her really dark days, I feel like you're all I have, Laila"(134).

Significance:

This quote is a relief for Laila. She thought that her parents only loved her brother, who died in the war, so when her dad tells her how much he appreciates having her, she is relieved with happiness.

Theme:

This loss of a loved one is always tough to deal with.