Mariam: Mariam is the main character of the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, and one of the most important characters in the novel. Mariam is a harami, a bastard child, the son of a rich man, Jalil, and his servant. She is fairly pretty and loving, and loves her father dearly, until he betrays her, as is shown when she see’ Jalil hiding, as is written “The face was there only for an instant, a flash, but long enough.” (Pg. 32). Her father’s betrayal, along with her lowly status as a harami, is the first in a long line of misfortunes, like when she is forced to marry Rasheed, a man three times her age. Mariam’s story is the first that we are told, and it introduces the theme of women’s degradation in Afghanistan society. Mariam is a key example of the bad treatment of women, and her character is almost entirely designed to do that. Mariam’s tale of woe begins as a child, and is epitomized by the quote: “Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman.” (Pg. 7). This quote shows Mariam’s importance in the book as it foreshadows a day when she will be free of that “man’s accusing finger”, through her own action. Mariam’s daring and resistant, yet hopeful nature allows the story of events to unfold. She befriends Laila, endures Rasheed, attempts to escape, is caught and almost killed, and then kills Rasheed and accepts death to make the world and Laila’s life better. Mariam is a brave and daring character, who just wants to be loved, and finally achieves this goal, as can be seen from the quote: “She was leaving the world as a person who had loved, and been loved back.” (Pg. 329). Mariam is an extremely important character in the novel and an amazing example of one who can distinguish between right and wrong.
Laila: Laila is the second most important character in the novel. She is smart and contemporary, and very pretty. Her family is very different than Mariam’s as can be seen by her father’s words: “a society has no chance of success if its women are uneducated” (Pg. 103). This shows that her father, a teacher, views women as important and does not hold the common belief that women are inferior. Laila is in love with Tariq, and when her parents die, she realizes that she is pregnant, so she takes up Rasheed’s offer to marry. This affects Laila by first providing her someone to take out her anger against, and next as an invaluable companion and friend. Laila’s daughter Aziza and son, Zalmai, area instrumental in helping Mariam feel loved. Laila is daring and brave, as can be shown when Rasheed locks her in a room without water for a long time. “Rasheed began nailing boards across the window” (Pg. 241) expresses her braveness and the cruelty she endured. Laila attemped to run away and was caught. She believes in education and after Mariam’s death, rebuilds a schoolhouse for small children. Laila is kind and compassionate and a very important character in the novel.
Rasheed: Rasheed is an important character who shows the troubled times in Afghanistan. He epitomizes the belief that women are less important. He is fat and lazy, and marries a girl, Mariam, who is three times younger than he is. Rasheed is cruel and coldhearted, and completely inconsiderate towards Mariam, as can be seen when it says: “You know nothing, do you? You’re like a child. Your brain is empty.” (Pg.89). Rasheed, after four years of marriage, still treats Mariam like a pinprick. He beats her, and later Laila, almost kills them multiple times, and is always there hanging over them, a cruel man and a cruel husband. Mariam eventually kills Rasheed for all he did to her and Laila, and pays for the act of defiance with her life. Rasheed provides an antagonist and sympathy for the main characters, making the novel much more interesting. Rasheed is very important to the plot and the novel because he epitomizes the point that Khaled Hosseini is trying to make, that in Afghanistan, women were treated awfully and were seen as less than human.
Tariq: Tariq is an important character in the novel even though he is not present for all of it. He is brave, and his story begins during Laila’s, with him as a young boy. He has one leg and is Laila’s best friend. Later, Laila fell in love with him and had his child under the cover of her marriage to Rasheed. His daughter’s name is Aziza. He and Laila were in love, and Rasheed had someone tell Laila that Tariq was dead. Tariq’s “death” was devastating to Laila, but helped her to become closer to Mariam, with no one else to go to. The book says, “That’s where I met your friend, Mohammad Tariq…” (pg. 185). This news of Tariq’s death was too much for Laila and she had to marry Rasheed to save her child. Tariq later returned and watched Laila, waiting for her to come back to him. When Mariam kills Rasheed, Tariq returns and marries Laila, reestablishing their love and improving their lives. Tariq is not like others and does not believe women are lesser, so he is a blessing for Laila. “Laila is happy here in Murre.” (Pg. 337). This quote shows the happiness Tariq brings to Laila, and that through him, at least one woman is happy and respected. Tariq is a character in the shadows for most of the novel, yet for all that, he is still important to the characters and the plot of the story.
