For starters, Hosseini’s decision to transition from Mariam’s point of view to Laila’s at first was difficult to adjust to. It felt like reading Laila’s experiences and problems were just foreshadowing that she was going to be just like Mariam ; helpless little girl, mean, emotionless mother, tough life, same story. It quickly became clear, however, that the two had incredibly different lives, and the main points and main ideas of the two varied greatly. Laila’s problems seemed more juvenile than Mariam’s, for example Mariam was dealing with moving hundreds of miles and living with a complete stranger, while Laila was being bullied by some ten year old punks. But it did become clear that Laila did in fact have a very tough life, as she had a constant struggle for controlling her emotions towards Tariq, and she also had to compete with her brothers, even after their passing, to get any sort of affection from Mammy. Another thing that stood out to me in the reading was that attitude of Babi, Laila’s father. Babi, unlike most men in Kabul at the time, was not a man of confrontation, and did not love the thrill of violence. For example, when there was a fight between two men, a few bystanders jumped in in an attempt to break up the fight, while “Babi wasn’t among them.” Instead, “he stook by the wall at a safe distance from the fight.” Babi also scrutinized the war at several times throughout the book, giving his thoughts on how the communists were savage, and the fighting was useless. What Babi lacked in aggression and passion of war, he more than made up for in intellect and creative thought. Babi was a scholar, and a teacher, and would constantly help Laila with her homework, and while the family was getting all of their belongings and thoughts together as they were getting ready to leave for Pakistan, Babi was dealing with the dilemma of which 5 books he would take with him, showing his passion for literature and education, something much different than most people around him. One thing that made me dislike mammy at several points throughout the book was her constant resentment for Babi’s laid back, easy going attitude. At one point in particular, while Babi and Mammy were arguing about the war, Mammy made a hurtful, ruthless comment, saying “Who are you to say?... Did you fight Jihad? If it was not for the Mujahideen, we’d still be the Soviet’s servants, and now you’d have us betray them!” This made Mammy look outright evil to me, as she was putting down her husband, and almost blaming him for her son’s deaths, just because he is not like other Kabul men, and does not want to fight. Another point of interest for me throughout the reading was the relationship between Laila and Tariq. From the start, when Laila was going berserk with worry after Tariq did not come home at the expected time, it was clear that she was infatuated with him, and could not survive without him. One part that sparked my memory was when Tariq went after Laila’s bullies with his prosthetic leg. This simple act, along with some other acts of kindness/passion (if you catch my drift) was enough to distinguish Tariq as a special person in Laila’s life. Towards the end of the book, there was some discussion amongst the family about moving to Pakistan. Laila became enthralled at the idea of being united with Tariq again. After seeing how excited Laila got, barely being able to “keep from shouting out of joy,” it made me think that such a great thing would never be possible. The last few pages of the book where the missile struck the house was enough to solidify the fact that Laila was never going to make it to Pakistan and to Tariq.
I was kind of upset that part 2 didn't start off with Miriam. It was interesting to finally see Laila a little grown up though. I think in the beginning of this part, when Laila sees the blue Mercedes Benz from Herat it brings back the previous parts because it suggests that the reader can assume that it is Jalil's Benz and he is visiting Mariam and Rasheed for some reason.
I'd really like to say I dislike Mammy so much. She reminds me of Miriam's mother. Mammy doesn't appreciate Laila and I don't think she really cares about her. Mammy cares about her sons and when they die, she just shuts down and shuts out the whole world.
Going back to Rasheed, the interaction between Laila and Rasheed's house provides the reader with a sense of proximity between Laila's world and Mariam's world, even though they are distant, they are actually physically very close together. I think that this part has shown me that Laila is sort of a foil to Miriam. Everything that Laila has experienced so far in this part, Miriam went through something similar. The relationship that exists between Laila and Tariq is a contrast to the harsh reality faced by Mariam and Rasheed. Though they are not bound by the confines of marriage as Mariam and Rasheed are, their bond with one another seems much more legitimate, and its more like true love.
I think the part when Laila and Tariq have sex is much more closely related to making love than the harsh and forced sex by Mariam and Rasheed. Though the act is forbidden, and considered illegitimate in the Afghan society, it seems to the reader as a genuine act of love.
This part was definitely one of the more dramatic parts that I have read. I really liked seeing how Laila grew up a bit, but I really want to see what has become of Miriam and Rasheed.
To start, I would like to agree with Kristina about being a bit upset that the book was not going to continue along with the story of Mariam. The first section ended with the lines “Then he was gone, leaving Mariam to spit out pebbles, blood, and fragments of two broken molars.” In this one sentence, I immediately began to develop a new found hatred for Rasheed, as he would do such a mean thing to Mariam when she was just trying to please him. I was eager to keep reading, and maybe find Rasheed apologizing to Mariam, or to find Mariam actually taking a stand against him, and to my surprise and disappointment, section two started off talking about Laila, meaning that I would have to wait to find out what was going to unfold between Mariam and Rasheed. However, I quickly began to forget about the problems of Mariam and Rasheed as I began to become consumed by Laila’s story. Again going off of what Kristina said, one of my initial reactions was one of hatred and disgust for Laila’s mother, Mammy. One major reason Mammy lost major credit for me was her attitude towards Laila’s father, Babi. From the start of the section, just two pages in, it became evident that Mammy resented Babi. On page 99, there is a quote “Before Ahmad and Noor had gone to war against the Soviets- before Babi had Let them go to war, Mammy too had thought Babi’s bookishness and his forgetfulness and ineptitude charming.” With the emphasis on “Let” it makes it seem as though Mammy is resentful towards Babi for his actions of letting the boys go into the war, as he was too much of a coward, or had too much “bookishness,” to do it himself. As the section goes on, Mammy continues to attack Babi for his intellect and non conforming ways every possible chance she can get. Another thing that also causes me to resent mammy at first, as Kristina said, is her favoring of Ahmad and Noor over poor little Laila. At one point, Laila addresses the fact that she is not as liked as her brothers, as she said that it should not be allowed or legal for a mother to have a child after all of the mothers love is already gone and distributed to the previous children. This made me feel terrible for Laila, because Laila feels like she lives in a world where her mother constantly sees her as just a nuisance, and a person that could never compete to the two wonderful sons. Both Laila and Mammy definitely show a few similarities to Mariam and Nana. Both Laila and Mariam are portrayed as lost souls with very tough lives, with fathers that are underappreciated (at first anyway) and mothers that are bitter and resentful. For example, as I have mentioned, Mammy harasses Babi on the daily, while Nana puts down Mariam’s father, calling him a liar, a cheater, and an all around low human being. Although Mammy and Nana are very similar in a number of regards, I think that they also have their differences. Nana had reason to hate her husband, as he left her and basically put her as far away from the city and people as he could, out of embarrassment of her. This results in the natural hatred that Nana has for Mariam’s father. On the other hand, even though Mammy ridicules Babi, Mammy and Babi are still together, and at times, Mammy even tells her friends about how smart Babi is, meaning Mammy does not genuinely hate Babi. Also, unlike Nana, Mammy seems more mentally stable and aware, as she confesses to Laila that she has not been a great mother to her, and apologized. Having said this, I do not think that Mammy is going to do something as drastic as kill herself, but with all of the twists and turns that are taking place anything seems to be possible.
As Alfonse and I have been talking about disliking/liking some characters, I think it's because Khaled has this uncanny way of making you feel a part of the story. You become so entrenched in the plot that you develop feelings for some characters – some you pity or love, some fill you with such disgust, you feel like blowing them out of the book. Of course, Hosseini made us loathe the male figures in the story. He wanted us to condemn their authority and violence, not only in their families, but in their politics. They were as hard and horrifying as the guns, rockets and bombs which rained kabul and Afghanistan, sending millions or more refugees scurrying across the borders into Pakistan and Iran. Hosseini wants us to sympathize with the female figures of the novel. It is what makes us so enveloped in the book.
Switching the subject a bit, what I have just kind of notice throughout the book is the simplicity of the language. I admire Hosseini’s courage for writing in English, because I am almost positive it is not his first language, but the simple sentences and preponderance of one-syllable words hardly constitute a prose style likely to capture the interest of an adult reader. While appropriate for the sections of the book about the women’s childhoods, the use of such language to describe their lives as adults further infantilises them. Perhaps this is part of Hosseini’s intent.
What I have learned so far in parts 1 and 2 and reading Alfonse's comments about part two is that the message is that hope is elusive, but necessary, and love can be redemptive, but sometimes at a great cost. I think it means that most of the characters survive merely through hope. If they didn't have hope then there would be nothing saving them. And as for love, it can sometimes be the answer to some unsolvable problems within the characters.
I was a bit disappointed because Miriam and Laila are a bit too… passive. They’ve both been through a lot of hardships and their lives have been so unfair to them (especially with Mariam) but – I don’t know, I kept waiting for them to do something to make their life better (I have no idea what, perhaps flee to Pakistan – easier said than done though, isn’t it?). I think Alfonse was getting at this idea of it being a story about hopelessness too, about being trapped, about having no one to turn to.
Again, I love this book! In part 2, it starts off with Laila as she is older. I think Hosseini does this to now show the life of an Afghan woman in a different setting. Laila's life is not as restricted as Mariams, however she still faces challenges.
With Laila's life, we see how dedicated her father is to her, but not her mother. Her mother is too upset that her sons are off to war to appreciate Laila's presence. Also, we see how devoted Babi is to Mammy, even though she is always fighting with him. Laila's childhood is opposite Mariams.
At some points, Mariam is brought back into the story. When she is referred to, however, it is always mentioning something about her appearence, how she is always covered, or how she does not seem happy. BY doing this, Hosseini is updating us on Mariam, but still focusing on Laila's life.
In this part, I enjoyed how Hosseini added a romance to the story through Laila and Tariq. This gave me hope that I didn't have when reading Mariam's story. Although the two grew up in complete different times, things have somewhat changed. Mariam was forced to love Rasheed and be with him, Laila and Tariq had a romantic bond that they chose to have. And when he asked her to marry him, it broke my heart that Laila wouldn't do it; for her family. I thought Hosseini was making a point that if you give someone their rights and are fair to them, they will appreciate it and be loyal. For example, Babi let Laila love Tariq and have the relationship she had with him, and because of that when Babi needed her most, Laila stayed. However, if Laila had to keep her relationship with Tariq a secret and was forbidden to see him, she would have betrayed her family and left with Tariq just to get away.
I was never aware of the immense amount of violence that was present in Afghanistan before. As one war ended, another began. And there is still one going on now. It is almost like they are just under a big war. This may be because of all the different views and values Afghans can have.
I would have to agree with both ALfonse and Kristina about my dislike towards Mammy. She is not a mother in any way towards Laila. She is letting her daughter grow up without a motherly figure, but thankfully, Laila has Babi and Tariq's mother who gives affection to Laila. It got me very angry when Mammy tries to speak to Laila about her "reputation." For so long, Mammy has been couped up in her room depressed of her sons' absences that she has neglected her daughter. She is in no postion to be speaking of reputations, she is the mother, she should be caring for her children, her house and her husband. But instead, she lays in her bed and cries of her terrible life.
I would also like to agree with Kristina about the difference between how Hosseini writes about the sexual interactions between Mariam and Rasheed and Tariq and Laila. Although it is expected in Mariam and Rasheed's relationship, the act is described as almost torture. Mariam did not want this, and although they were married and it was not a sin, it was a sin to her, because she did not love Rasheed. However, Laila and Tariq were not married, they were not even going to be married. And although it was quite a sin for them, it was more romantic. This being because they loved and cared for eachother. And sadly, this moment may be the last they ever shared together.
I was kind of upset that Hosseini decided to introduce a viewpoint of a different character because I became so emotionally attached to Mariam’s story that I just wanted to see what god-awful thing was going to happen next. However, I knew that somehow Laila’s story and Mariam’s story would intertwine at the end, and sure enough, they did! As I read part 2, I found myself comparing Laila’s story to Mariam’s story and noticed how different but also similar they were at the same time. For example, Laila got a chance to have somewhat of a decent childhood, with a mother and a father, and a boy to fall in love with; when Mariam had only Nana and was forced into a cruel relationship without ever experiencing anything else. The stark similarity was how abruptly both of the girls’ lives changed: Laila’s life being bombarded by a rocket and Mariam’s life altered by a tragic suicide. The romance between Tariq and Laila was so pure that you couldn’t help but marvel at the way Hosseini described it, carefully and deliberately choosing the appropriate words to fit each gesture. When Tariq was gone for a couple of months, you could feel Laila’s agony because of phrases Hosseini used such as “hungry for the sight of her friend Tariq(97)” and “time stretched and contracted depending on Tariq’s absence or presence(97).” It’s easy to conclude that Tariq was Leila’s everything which explains the inevitable attachment they both felt for each other. It was like you could feel their pain when they realized that they would no longer be together because of all the war going on. Whenever Mariam was mentioned in Laila’s part, I would get excited to see how their stories would tie in together but it never happened until in the end. Laila’s story is told through an innocent girl’s eyes and it’s almost comical to read, especially the part when the neighborhood boy, Khadim, squirts a water gun filled with pee at Laila and Tariq stands up for her more like a man than a boy. It’s heart-warming to watch their childhood friendship develop into something more serious as they grow up together in the midst of political aggression and oppression. I think the main reason why Hosseini decides to introduce both of Laila’s and Mariam’s viewpoints is to show that many women, not just a few, are dealt with the same grueling circumstances in different parts of Afghanistan. Their lives are pretty much determined by the government or the men the very moment their born and they don’t have a chance to hope or dream or act the way women in Europe or the U.S. might.
I agree with Francesca, Alfonse, and Kristina when they say that "Mammy isn't much of a motherly figure to Laila" but only to a certain extent. Before making such bold accusations of Mammy's character, you have to consider that this woman lost two of her sons in war, and that alone is some sort of justification for her treatment towards Laila. Yes, she should cherish Laila because she still has her but it's easy to understand why she doesn't do it automatically. It takes years for Mammy to overcome the grief and sorrow of her sons' deaths. Laila has Babi and Tariq to depend in which is the opposite of what Mariam had growing up. Instead of two dominant male figures, Mariam had Nana and Mullah, but Mariam's idea of an honorable man was tainted by her father and her husband.
I also think that when Laila, Babi, Tariq and Hazima climb to the very top of the buddha statues, it's a symbolic act. It's almost as if they're overlooking this life that they have to deal with everyday and choosing to overcome the daily obstacles that their faced with. The way that Hosseini chose to show this idea was interesting as well.
Also, I have to agree with Kristina about Tariq's and Laila's sacred act and how Hosseini describes it in the novel. Although it was considered a sin, Hosseini makes it seem genuine and passionate as opposed to vulgar and disapproving, such as Rasheed and Mariam's relationship. Maybe the reason for that was to show that Tariq and Laila were very much in love with eachother unlike Rasheed and Mariam who were forced into the marriage.
To begin with in part 2, I noticed that the character Khala Rangmaal talks about equality, the Afghanistan community, and America. She seems very different from how the other Islamic people live, "Khala Rangmaal did not wear make up or jewelry. She did not cover up and forbade the female students from doing it. She said women and men are equal in every way and there is no reason women should cover if men didn't." (p. 101) Everything Rangmaal stands for is everything us Americans have which is the contrast between the two cultures. Americans have freedom of speech, freedom to wear what we want, freedom of religion, etc. Rangmaal is depicting that the Afghanistan community is so subjugated to rules and limits that the society easily conforms to those "rules" yet she does not because she stands for what she believes in, which is equality among ALL humans. She reminds me of Azar Nafisi in "Reading Lolita in Tehran" because just like Nafisi, Rangmaal allows her students to feel free and express themselves without covering up completely in a way they wouldn't want to. These two are very different from the rest of the Islamic society.
There is a major shift in the story as we start to learn about the character Laila. Her life is so different from Mariam’s. Jalil sent Mariam off to marry and live with a 43 year old man at the age of 12 years old. He was a crucial, unloving father to Mariam and her mother; Nana did not support Mariam’s desires of going to school for an education. There is a discrepancy of how Babi treats Laila. As her father, he wants her to get an education and he supports her 100%. Laila goes on articulating how lucky she is to have a father like Babi because he wants the best for her future.
Also I found the friendship between Laila and Tariq sort of astonishing. Their ethnic groups are different, Tariq’s being portrayed as superior to Laila’s, does not separate them and make them anymore less of friends than they happen to be. I feel like Laila can look up to and turn to Tariq which is great because this represents that two different people can still be treated the same way no matter what their differences are, as long as they accept one another’s life style. Tariq is almost like a brother to Laila because she feels like he was there for her more than any other members of her distant family. It may be that Tariq is a symbol to Laila’s part of the story since he is brought up many times and the way Laila expresses her thoughts and feelings about him makes it seem like in the future of the book, there will be a further more symbolic representation to Tariq’s character. I feel like Laila is scared to show her love towards Tariq maybe because her father said education is more important, worry about marriage and love later on.
I also noticed how at one point Hosseini brings up the education of women. I find it very interesting how Babi lectures Laila about her education and her position in society as a woman so many times in part 2. I feel like Babi plays the fatherly and motherly role to Laila because he is a man, but he is defending women in society which is something we hardly see in literature or the real world; men who want the roles of women in society and the work fields to prosper.And I wonder why Laila's mother is never really around...She is physically present in Laila's life but not emotinally, why?
I would also like to agree on the idea that Mammy is not really there for Laila. I agree with Kisla, she did just suffer from losing her sons in war so it takes a lot of time to get oneself back together. I did like the fact that Mammy admitted it to Laila though. She was strong enough to admitt that she felt like she wasn't being a good mother to her, when no mother ever wants to believe that. Laila evidently has a closer realtionship with her father, but I like the fact also that Laila is very understanding. She understood that the death of her brothers has affected her mother the most and she is able to state that her brothers' deaths will always leave a bigger mark on her mother's heart than Laila, herself would because the deaths were tragic and Laila is still alive. The sorrow will always overcome the things that are still present in Mammy's life. I would like to get a better understanding as to when before Mammy's sons died, why she was still less affectionate to Laila?
I think Laila's life style is not as restricted as Mariam's is. We already discussed the life and rules Mariam had to live under, but as for Laila she is more free.
Laila and Tariq's relationship turns into more than a friendship throughout part 2. Laila starts having thoughts about being with Tariq. There is a tremendous difference between how Mariam was forced into a marriage with a man she does not love where as Laila's emotions for Tariq grew because she knew him for so long and they understood eachother. Tariq and Laila's love for each other was something that was built up over the years they spent together when they finally matured and realized they wanted to be with one another.
As I read, I was kind of upset that Laila refused to marry or be with Tariq after their experience together because that is all she wanted all along. Laila wanted to be with Tariq, but she is being held back by leaving her parents which I find sad and difficult.
For starters, Hosseini’s decision to transition from Mariam’s point of view to Laila’s at first was difficult to adjust to. It felt like reading Laila’s experiences and problems were just foreshadowing that she was going to be just like Mariam ; helpless little girl, mean, emotionless mother, tough life, same story. It quickly became clear, however, that the two had incredibly different lives, and the main points and main ideas of the two varied greatly. Laila’s problems seemed more juvenile than Mariam’s, for example Mariam was dealing with moving hundreds of miles and living with a complete stranger, while Laila was being bullied by some ten year old punks. But it did become clear that Laila did in fact have a very tough life, as she had a constant struggle for controlling her emotions towards Tariq, and she also had to compete with her brothers, even after their passing, to get any sort of affection from Mammy.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that stood out to me in the reading was that attitude of Babi, Laila’s father. Babi, unlike most men in Kabul at the time, was not a man of confrontation, and did not love the thrill of violence. For example, when there was a fight between two men, a few bystanders jumped in in an attempt to break up the fight, while “Babi wasn’t among them.” Instead, “he stook by the wall at a safe distance from the fight.” Babi also scrutinized the war at several times throughout the book, giving his thoughts on how the communists were savage, and the fighting was useless. What Babi lacked in aggression and passion of war, he more than made up for in intellect and creative thought. Babi was a scholar, and a teacher, and would constantly help Laila with her homework, and while the family was getting all of their belongings and thoughts together as they were getting ready to leave for Pakistan, Babi was dealing with the dilemma of which 5 books he would take with him, showing his passion for literature and education, something much different than most people around him.
One thing that made me dislike mammy at several points throughout the book was her constant resentment for Babi’s laid back, easy going attitude. At one point in particular, while Babi and Mammy were arguing about the war, Mammy made a hurtful, ruthless comment, saying “Who are you to say?... Did you fight Jihad? If it was not for the Mujahideen, we’d still be the Soviet’s servants, and now you’d have us betray them!” This made Mammy look outright evil to me, as she was putting down her husband, and almost blaming him for her son’s deaths, just because he is not like other Kabul men, and does not want to fight.
Another point of interest for me throughout the reading was the relationship between Laila and Tariq. From the start, when Laila was going berserk with worry after Tariq did not come home at the expected time, it was clear that she was infatuated with him, and could not survive without him. One part that sparked my memory was when Tariq went after Laila’s bullies with his prosthetic leg. This simple act, along with some other acts of kindness/passion (if you catch my drift) was enough to distinguish Tariq as a special person in Laila’s life.
Towards the end of the book, there was some discussion amongst the family about moving to Pakistan. Laila became enthralled at the idea of being united with Tariq again. After seeing how excited Laila got, barely being able to “keep from shouting out of joy,” it made me think that such a great thing would never be possible. The last few pages of the book where the missile struck the house was enough to solidify the fact that Laila was never going to make it to Pakistan and to Tariq.
I was kind of upset that part 2 didn't start off with Miriam. It was interesting to finally see Laila a little grown up though. I think in the beginning of this part, when Laila sees the blue Mercedes Benz from Herat it brings back the previous parts because it suggests that the reader can assume that it is Jalil's Benz and he is visiting Mariam and Rasheed for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI'd really like to say I dislike Mammy so much. She reminds me of Miriam's mother. Mammy doesn't appreciate Laila and I don't think she really cares about her. Mammy cares about her sons and when they die, she just shuts down and shuts out the whole world.
Going back to Rasheed, the interaction between Laila and Rasheed's house provides the reader with a sense of proximity between Laila's world and Mariam's world, even though they are distant, they are actually physically very close together. I think that this part has shown me that Laila is sort of a foil to Miriam. Everything that Laila has experienced so far in this part, Miriam went through something similar. The relationship that exists between Laila and Tariq is a contrast to the harsh reality faced by Mariam and Rasheed. Though they are not bound by the confines of marriage as Mariam and Rasheed are, their bond with one another seems much more legitimate, and its more like true love.
I think the part when Laila and Tariq have sex is much more closely related to making love than the harsh and forced sex by Mariam and Rasheed. Though the act is forbidden, and considered illegitimate in the Afghan society, it seems to the reader as a genuine act of love.
This part was definitely one of the more dramatic parts that I have read. I really liked seeing how Laila grew up a bit, but I really want to see what has become of Miriam and Rasheed.
To start, I would like to agree with Kristina about being a bit upset that the book was not going to continue along with the story of Mariam. The first section ended with the lines “Then he was gone, leaving Mariam to spit out pebbles, blood, and fragments of two broken molars.” In this one sentence, I immediately began to develop a new found hatred for Rasheed, as he would do such a mean thing to Mariam when she was just trying to please him. I was eager to keep reading, and maybe find Rasheed apologizing to Mariam, or to find Mariam actually taking a stand against him, and to my surprise and disappointment, section two started off talking about Laila, meaning that I would have to wait to find out what was going to unfold between Mariam and Rasheed. However, I quickly began to forget about the problems of Mariam and Rasheed as I began to become consumed by Laila’s story.
ReplyDeleteAgain going off of what Kristina said, one of my initial reactions was one of hatred and disgust for Laila’s mother, Mammy. One major reason Mammy lost major credit for me was her attitude towards Laila’s father, Babi. From the start of the section, just two pages in, it became evident that Mammy resented Babi. On page 99, there is a quote “Before Ahmad and Noor had gone to war against the Soviets- before Babi had Let them go to war, Mammy too had thought Babi’s bookishness and his forgetfulness and ineptitude charming.” With the emphasis on “Let” it makes it seem as though Mammy is resentful towards Babi for his actions of letting the boys go into the war, as he was too much of a coward, or had too much “bookishness,” to do it himself. As the section goes on, Mammy continues to attack Babi for his intellect and non conforming ways every possible chance she can get.
Another thing that also causes me to resent mammy at first, as Kristina said, is her favoring of Ahmad and Noor over poor little Laila. At one point, Laila addresses the fact that she is not as liked as her brothers, as she said that it should not be allowed or legal for a mother to have a child after all of the mothers love is already gone and distributed to the previous children. This made me feel terrible for Laila, because Laila feels like she lives in a world where her mother constantly sees her as just a nuisance, and a person that could never compete to the two wonderful sons.
Both Laila and Mammy definitely show a few similarities to Mariam and Nana. Both Laila and Mariam are portrayed as lost souls with very tough lives, with fathers that are underappreciated (at first anyway) and mothers that are bitter and resentful. For example, as I have mentioned, Mammy harasses Babi on the daily, while Nana puts down Mariam’s father, calling him a liar, a cheater, and an all around low human being.
Although Mammy and Nana are very similar in a number of regards, I think that they also have their differences. Nana had reason to hate her husband, as he left her and basically put her as far away from the city and people as he could, out of embarrassment of her. This results in the natural hatred that Nana has for Mariam’s father. On the other hand, even though Mammy ridicules Babi, Mammy and Babi are still together, and at times, Mammy even tells her friends about how smart Babi is, meaning Mammy does not genuinely hate Babi. Also, unlike Nana, Mammy seems more mentally stable and aware, as she confesses to Laila that she has not been a great mother to her, and apologized. Having said this, I do not think that Mammy is going to do something as drastic as kill herself, but with all of the twists and turns that are taking place anything seems to be possible.
As Alfonse and I have been talking about disliking/liking some characters, I think it's because Khaled has this uncanny way of making you feel a part of the story. You become so entrenched in the plot that you develop feelings for some characters – some you pity or love, some fill you with such disgust, you feel like blowing them out of the book. Of course, Hosseini made us loathe the male figures in the story. He wanted us to condemn their authority and violence, not only in their families, but in their politics. They were as hard and horrifying as the guns, rockets and bombs which rained kabul and Afghanistan, sending millions or more refugees scurrying across the borders into Pakistan and Iran. Hosseini wants us to sympathize with the female figures of the novel. It is what makes us so enveloped in the book.
ReplyDeleteSwitching the subject a bit, what I have just kind of notice throughout the book is the simplicity of the language. I admire Hosseini’s courage for writing in English, because I am almost positive it is not his first language, but the simple sentences and preponderance of one-syllable words hardly constitute a prose style likely to capture the interest of an adult reader. While appropriate for the sections of the book about the women’s childhoods, the use of such language to describe their lives as adults further infantilises them. Perhaps this is part of Hosseini’s intent.
What I have learned so far in parts 1 and 2 and reading Alfonse's comments about part two is that the message is that hope is elusive, but necessary, and love can be redemptive, but sometimes at a great cost. I think it means that most of the characters survive merely through hope. If they didn't have hope then there would be nothing saving them. And as for love, it can sometimes be the answer to some unsolvable problems within the characters.
I was a bit disappointed because Miriam and Laila are a bit too… passive. They’ve both been through a lot of hardships and their lives have been so unfair to them (especially with Mariam) but – I don’t know, I kept waiting for them to do something to make their life better (I have no idea what, perhaps flee to Pakistan – easier said than done though, isn’t it?). I think Alfonse was getting at this idea of it being a story about hopelessness too, about being trapped, about having no one to turn to.
I can't wait to see what's in store for Part 3!
Again, I love this book! In part 2, it starts off with Laila as she is older. I think Hosseini does this to now show the life of an Afghan woman in a different setting. Laila's life is not as restricted as Mariams, however she still faces challenges.
ReplyDeleteWith Laila's life, we see how dedicated her father is to her, but not her mother. Her mother is too upset that her sons are off to war to appreciate Laila's presence. Also, we see how devoted Babi is to Mammy, even though she is always fighting with him. Laila's childhood is opposite Mariams.
At some points, Mariam is brought back into the story. When she is referred to, however, it is always mentioning something about her appearence, how she is always covered, or how she does not seem happy. BY doing this, Hosseini is updating us on Mariam, but still focusing on Laila's life.
In this part, I enjoyed how Hosseini added a romance to the story through Laila and Tariq. This gave me hope that I didn't have when reading Mariam's story. Although the two grew up in complete different times, things have somewhat changed. Mariam was forced to love Rasheed and be with him, Laila and Tariq had a romantic bond that they chose to have. And when he asked her to marry him, it broke my heart that Laila wouldn't do it; for her family. I thought Hosseini was making a point that if you give someone their rights and are fair to them, they will appreciate it and be loyal. For example, Babi let Laila love Tariq and have the relationship she had with him, and because of that when Babi needed her most, Laila stayed. However, if Laila had to keep her relationship with Tariq a secret and was forbidden to see him, she would have betrayed her family and left with Tariq just to get away.
I was never aware of the immense amount of violence that was present in Afghanistan before. As one war ended, another began. And there is still one going on now. It is almost like they are just under a big war. This may be because of all the different views and values Afghans can have.
I would have to agree with both ALfonse and Kristina about my dislike towards Mammy. She is not a mother in any way towards Laila. She is letting her daughter grow up without a motherly figure, but thankfully, Laila has Babi and Tariq's mother who gives affection to Laila. It got me very angry when Mammy tries to speak to Laila about her "reputation." For so long, Mammy has been couped up in her room depressed of her sons' absences that she has neglected her daughter. She is in no postion to be speaking of reputations, she is the mother, she should be caring for her children, her house and her husband. But instead, she lays in her bed and cries of her terrible life.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to agree with Kristina about the difference between how Hosseini writes about the sexual interactions between Mariam and Rasheed and Tariq and Laila. Although it is expected in Mariam and Rasheed's relationship, the act is described as almost torture. Mariam did not want this, and although they were married and it was not a sin, it was a sin to her, because she did not love Rasheed. However, Laila and Tariq were not married, they were not even going to be married. And although it was quite a sin for them, it was more romantic. This being because they loved and cared for eachother. And sadly, this moment may be the last they ever shared together.
I was kind of upset that Hosseini decided to introduce a viewpoint of a different character because I became so emotionally attached to Mariam’s story that I just wanted to see what god-awful thing was going to happen next. However, I knew that somehow Laila’s story and Mariam’s story would intertwine at the end, and sure enough, they did! As I read part 2, I found myself comparing Laila’s story to Mariam’s story and noticed how different but also similar they were at the same time. For example, Laila got a chance to have somewhat of a decent childhood, with a mother and a father, and a boy to fall in love with; when Mariam had only Nana and was forced into a cruel relationship without ever experiencing anything else. The stark similarity was how abruptly both of the girls’ lives changed: Laila’s life being bombarded by a rocket and Mariam’s life altered by a tragic suicide.
ReplyDeleteThe romance between Tariq and Laila was so pure that you couldn’t help but marvel at the way Hosseini described it, carefully and deliberately choosing the appropriate words to fit each gesture. When Tariq was gone for a couple of months, you could feel Laila’s agony because of phrases Hosseini used such as “hungry for the sight of her friend Tariq(97)” and “time stretched and contracted depending on Tariq’s absence or presence(97).” It’s easy to conclude that Tariq was Leila’s everything which explains the inevitable attachment they both felt for each other. It was like you could feel their pain when they realized that they would no longer be together because of all the war going on.
Whenever Mariam was mentioned in Laila’s part, I would get excited to see how their stories would tie in together but it never happened until in the end.
Laila’s story is told through an innocent girl’s eyes and it’s almost comical to read, especially the part when the neighborhood boy, Khadim, squirts a water gun filled with pee at Laila and Tariq stands up for her more like a man than a boy. It’s heart-warming to watch their childhood friendship develop into something more serious as they grow up together in the midst of political aggression and oppression.
I think the main reason why Hosseini decides to introduce both of Laila’s and Mariam’s viewpoints is to show that many women, not just a few, are dealt with the same grueling circumstances in different parts of Afghanistan. Their lives are pretty much determined by the government or the men the very moment their born and they don’t have a chance to hope or dream or act the way women in Europe or the U.S. might.
I agree with Francesca, Alfonse, and Kristina when they say that "Mammy isn't much of a motherly figure to Laila" but only to a certain extent. Before making such bold accusations of Mammy's character, you have to consider that this woman lost two of her sons in war, and that alone is some sort of justification for her treatment towards Laila. Yes, she should cherish Laila because she still has her but it's easy to understand why she doesn't do it automatically. It takes years for Mammy to overcome the grief and sorrow of her sons' deaths. Laila has Babi and Tariq to depend in which is the opposite of what Mariam had growing up. Instead of two dominant male figures, Mariam had Nana and Mullah, but Mariam's idea of an honorable man was tainted by her father and her husband.
ReplyDeleteI also think that when Laila, Babi, Tariq and Hazima climb to the very top of the buddha statues, it's a symbolic act. It's almost as if they're overlooking this life that they have to deal with everyday and choosing to overcome the daily obstacles that their faced with. The way that Hosseini chose to show this idea was interesting as well.
Also, I have to agree with Kristina about Tariq's and Laila's sacred act and how Hosseini describes it in the novel. Although it was considered a sin, Hosseini makes it seem genuine and passionate as opposed to vulgar and disapproving, such as Rasheed and Mariam's relationship. Maybe the reason for that was to show that Tariq and Laila were very much in love with eachother unlike Rasheed and Mariam who were forced into the marriage.
ReplyDeleteTo begin with in part 2, I noticed that the character Khala Rangmaal talks about equality, the Afghanistan community, and America. She seems very different from how the other Islamic people live, "Khala Rangmaal did not wear make up or jewelry. She did not cover up and forbade the female students from doing it. She said women and men are equal in every way and there is no reason women should cover if men didn't." (p. 101) Everything Rangmaal stands for is everything us Americans have which is the contrast between the two cultures. Americans have freedom of speech, freedom to wear what we want, freedom of religion, etc. Rangmaal is depicting that the Afghanistan community is so subjugated to rules and limits that the society easily conforms to those "rules" yet she does not because she stands for what she believes in, which is equality among ALL humans. She reminds me of Azar Nafisi in "Reading Lolita in Tehran" because just like Nafisi, Rangmaal allows her students to feel free and express themselves without covering up completely in a way they wouldn't want to. These two are very different from the rest of the Islamic society.
ReplyDeleteThere is a major shift in the story as we start to learn about the character Laila. Her life is so different from Mariam’s. Jalil sent Mariam off to marry and live with a 43 year old man at the age of 12 years old. He was a crucial, unloving father to Mariam and her mother; Nana did not support Mariam’s desires of going to school for an education. There is a discrepancy of how Babi treats Laila. As her father, he wants her to get an education and he supports her 100%. Laila goes on articulating how lucky she is to have a father like Babi because he wants the best for her future.
Also I found the friendship between Laila and Tariq sort of astonishing. Their ethnic groups are different, Tariq’s being portrayed as superior to Laila’s, does not separate them and make them anymore less of friends than they happen to be. I feel like Laila can look up to and turn to Tariq which is great because this represents that two different people can still be treated the same way no matter what their differences are, as long as they accept one another’s life style. Tariq is almost like a brother to Laila because she feels like he was there for her more than any other members of her distant family. It may be that Tariq is a symbol to Laila’s part of the story since he is brought up many times and the way Laila expresses her thoughts and feelings about him makes it seem like in the future of the book, there will be a further more symbolic representation to Tariq’s character. I feel like Laila is scared to show her love towards Tariq maybe because her father said education is more important, worry about marriage and love later on.
I also noticed how at one point Hosseini brings up the education of women. I find it very interesting how Babi lectures Laila about her education and her position in society as a woman so many times in part 2. I feel like Babi plays the fatherly and motherly role to Laila because he is a man, but he is defending women in society which is something we hardly see in literature or the real world; men who want the roles of women in society and the work fields to prosper.And I wonder why Laila's mother is never really around...She is physically present in Laila's life but not emotinally, why?
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ReplyDeleteI would also like to agree on the idea that Mammy is not really there for Laila. I agree with Kisla, she did just suffer from losing her sons in war so it takes a lot of time to get oneself back together. I did like the fact that Mammy admitted it to Laila though. She was strong enough to admitt that she felt like she wasn't being a good mother to her, when no mother ever wants to believe that. Laila evidently has a closer realtionship with her father, but I like the fact also that Laila is very understanding. She understood that the death of her brothers has affected her mother the most and she is able to state that her brothers' deaths will always leave a bigger mark on her mother's heart than Laila, herself would because the deaths were tragic and Laila is still alive. The sorrow will always overcome the things that are still present in Mammy's life. I would like to get a better understanding as to when before Mammy's sons died, why she was still less affectionate to Laila?
ReplyDeleteI think Laila's life style is not as restricted as Mariam's is. We already discussed the life and rules Mariam had to live under, but as for Laila she is more free.
Laila and Tariq's relationship turns into more than a friendship throughout part 2. Laila starts having thoughts about being with Tariq. There is a tremendous difference between how Mariam was forced into a marriage with a man she does not love where as Laila's emotions for Tariq grew because she knew him for so long and they understood eachother. Tariq and Laila's love for each other was something that was built up over the years they spent together when they finally matured and realized they wanted to be with one another.
As I read, I was kind of upset that Laila refused to marry or be with Tariq after their experience together because that is all she wanted all along. Laila wanted to be with Tariq, but she is being held back by leaving her parents which I find sad and difficult.