15 Lessons from “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini:

A thousand Splendid Suns teach several moral lessons enticingly. Below, I summarize my quick answer; 

Khaled Hosseini prominent message in the novel is the power of sacrifice. Sacrifice raise your worth. Courageous to be on right time. 

Everyone faces adversity due to limitations. Oppression doesn’t devalue women. 

Life is more painful than your current pain. Strong relationship yields sacrifice courage. Your Hope values the opportunity. 

No one can seize your Opportunity. Forgiveness opens up new doors. 

Forgiveness leads to hope:

Most of the time, we waste our time without hoping. We don’t trust ourselves or others. It ends all doors to hope. The situation is out of our favour. We get the courage of positive action through forgiving. You deserve your chances to move forward.

In the novel, Mariam’s mother suicide because she loses hope in her young daughter, Mariam. 

Later, Mariam considers herself the reason for her mother’s death. Eventually, she forgives herself and moves on in her life. 

Situation enforces you:

Everyone is under the situation. No one is free to choose everything. The conditions put us in a specific role. 

We are all bound to follow our roles. We lose respect even identity without that role. The absence of a role puts us at threat. Always value your role. If you don’t like it, try your best to shift it. Read Khaled Hosseini reasons behind writing The kite runner

Mariam faces several roles in the novel. She is a daughter and values her father and mother. As a wife, she does her best to understand Rasheed. In the end, she killed Rasheed to save Laila. 

Be courageous at the right time:

The opportunity does not come every time. We should look for it. It’s normal to fail or lose it. Not every time is suitable for courage. Sometimes, waiting and bearing is part of waiting. Life opportunity shifts as the situation change. The desires and wants to come or evaporate through time. Stand with courage about your mean purpose. 

Mariam killed Rasheed by taking courage. It’s the right time to kill Rasheed and save Laila. Laila considers Mariam advice and leaves with Tariq on time. Laila and show courage to encounter their husband, Rasheed. 

Unexpected death doesn’t stop tragedy:

Sometimes, we are all stuck in the unwanted coming of disasters. We consider that last bad thing over, but the bigger one is coming. Tragedies are another life face. It never stops life. The death of a loved one put us in an inconsistent shock. We should never run from tragedy. Know your part and stand courageous. Try your best to bring others out of trouble pain. 

Mother’s death and Father’s values break Mariam completely. She gets married to Rasheed. She got a happier moment with Rasheed. 

Laila also encounters the death of her parents in a sudden bomb blast. She moves through by marrying Rasheed. 

Sacrifice should be meaningful:

Khaled Hosseini explains sacrificing for improvement throughout the novel. The incoming problem can be big enough to be unchangeable. Sacrifice is essential in every life. Hurting or blaming others isn’t the choice. A Thousand Splendid Suns explains sacrificing lessons.

Accepting your mistakes and saving other maximum impacts situations. It’s not about relying on others. Sacrifice demands take charge situation. 

Mariam sacrifce her life to save Laila, Aziza and Zalmai. Mariam kills Rasheed to save Laila. 

Never hurt yourself:

Some people blame themselves for the drastic change in the situation. 

It hurts them. The situation becomes worse. 

The coming adversity becomes worse by hurting yourself.  

The situational pain is going to challenge you. Accept the challenge and never regret your wrong choices. 

Mariam blames herself a lot for her mother’s death. She blames herself for trusting her father. 

Laila feels bad about her parent’s death and desire to die with them. Laila accepts the proposal of Khaleed by accepting the new challenge of life. 

Hopelessness seizes opportunity:

Always hope better for the future. It allows finding the bright side of the challenge. As we lose hope, the misery grows inside. Never feed the pain. 

In the novel, Mariam stays hopeful about getting love in her life. She gets it through Aziza and Laila. Mariam feels love in her life. 

 She proves her depressed mother wrong about life pain. 

Welcome unexpected relationships:

In some situations, people force us into some relationship. Always welcome a new relationship after showing your maximum will. Unexpected people seems irrelevant. It may be best for the future.

Mariam accepts the proposal of Rasheed. She has no choice. 

Her father forces her to do it. She resists but over time, Mariam accepts Rasheed. 

Connection strengths you:

Fighting, blame or hurt don’t create relationship strength. Strength multiplies our courage. It boosts stamina to move forward consistent and fast. 

Mariam and Laila don’t have a friendship after Laila get married. Later, after Aziza’s birth, Mariam and Laila become strong friends. Their strong friendship is the reason Mariam saves Laila by killing Rasheed. 

Sacrificing gives you owner:

Sacrifice makes you valuable in your and other’s eye. Naver devalues sacrifice. Be Prefer sacrifice in the absence of other choices. 

Never degrade yourself through stocking in the adversity. Raise or maintain your worth through sacrifice acts. 

Mariam becomes worthy after sacrificing herself. 

Laila and Tariq remind Mariam forever. 

They visit Mariam’s hometown. They remind the greatness of her. 

Lies and betrayal never end opportunity:

We consider that other’s seize our opportunities. It’s not happening. Your opportunity never depends on others’ actions. 

It comes towards you without your knowledge. 

Rasheed creates a lie about Tariq’s death. Later, Tariq comes to see Laila. Laila was surprised and happy about him. 

Women as impactful as men:

Khaled highlights the educational value for women. The worse case situation doesn’t stop women become great. The wise and courageous women break the oppression. 

In the novel, Mariam never faces the oppression of Tariq on Laila. She killed him at the right time. Tariq’s death saves Laila life. 

Courage surpasses abuse:

Several fits of abuse come throughout our life. Most people blame or hide to run through the abuse. The courage towards understanding the situation ends abuse. A Thousand Splendid Suns expose survival lessons from Abuse.

In the novel, Mariam and Laila face the abuse of Rasheed. They bear his beating bravely. Both try to leave Kabul but fail. Mariam kills Rasheed by the courageous act. 

Never let abuse shapes you:

Most of the time, we lose our identity through abuse. We allow abuse to shape our personality. It’s quite hurting in the long run. It yields wrong choices. 

Be determined under limited choices:

We lose the courage to act because of limiting choice. We all wait for more choices. A Thousand Splendid Suns enlight determination lessons for fear.

No more choices or right conditions are coming. 

No perfect thing outside awaits you. Be determined through your action. Take charge of your situation. Limited includes Accept what you don’t like.

Mariam, Laila stay determined in the cruelty of Rasheed. Both stayed determined to leave Kabul(Occupied by Taliban).  

References:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *