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In the begining of the novel Mariam is outside on the edge of a clearing playing a child's board game where you arrange the pebbles vertically in three columns. The pebbles symbolizes love and the desire to have a family. One example is, "She put four pebbles in the first column, for Khadija's children, three for Afsoon's, and three in the third column for Nargis's children. Then she added a four column. A solitary, eleventh pebble."

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In the begining of the novel Jalil would visit Mariam every Thursday and Mariam would wait for him. Jalil would bring her gifts that gave her a lot of joy even when Nana told her how he really was. Then Jalil promised to take her to the movies and when he didn't show up she went to his house after Nana told her that she would die if Mariam left, and Mariam did. An example of this is, "For my birthday...I want you to take me to your cinema."

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Right when Mariam finds out that she is pregnant she instancely loves it. All Rasheed cares about is having a boy to replace the son he lost. Rasheed wants Mariam to have a boy because men are more dominant in their society. Mariam also thinks that the baby could bring them toegther like a family which would give her what she has always wanted. One example of this is, "I think it's a boy. Yes. A boy." Also, "If it's a girl, and it isn't, but if it's a girl, then you can choose whatever name you want."

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Laila's relationship with her family starts out with her not seeing her brothers since the war. The last time she saw them was when she was really young. Also this affects her relationship with Mammy because all Mammy seems to care about is her sons making in home. Mammy was mad at Hakim because he let her sons go to war, But all he woories about is his job and Laila's education. An example is, "You were supposed to pick me up." Mammy said, "I was."

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Laila often would spend most of her time with Tariq and as the story goes on she comes to realize that she is in love with him. Tariq motioned for Laila to follow him after dinner and they ran down the street and talked and made jokes with each other. They started off as close friends but then realized that it was soon to be more than just friends. "She had fallen for Tariq. Hopelessly and desperately." Is an example.

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Many people that Laila was close with have died in the war or left and she no longer has a family because they died in either the war or killed by a bomb, and she also found out that her friend got blown up as well. The war has taken so many things that Laila will never get back. One quote from the novel to support this theme is, "Everyone is leaving. And now Tariq too."

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When Sharif told Laila that Tariq had died it really devastated her. Laila for an example said that she was "paralyzed from grief". Laila truly loved Tariq and the fact that she would never be able to see him again really bothered her and she would never be the same without him. The quote "All I remeber is, doctors huddled around the bed...and in the morning, the bed was empty." supports the theme.

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Mariam and Laila hated each other and Rasheed would always favor Laila and he would barley give Mariam any attention. Mariam has always considered Rasheed to be hers and the fact that Laila gets more attention really bothers Mariam and she feels like the one thing that she always considered to be hers might be taken away from her. One supporting quote is, "I...I don't want this," Mariam said. "It's not your decision. It's hers and mine."

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Laila knew she was pregnant with Aziza before Rasheed asked her to marry him. Laila loves Aziza because she thinks that Aziza is the last part of Tariq she has left. So she decides to marry Rasheed so she could care for Aziza. Right when Aziza was born Rasheed gave Laila less attention because Laila had a girl and Rasheed wanted a boy. "Mariam saw Rasheed enter the yard first. He let the gate go prematurely, and it almost hit the girl in the face."

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At the end of Mariam's life she finds out where she belongs and what she loves. Mariam wanted a family her whole life and now that Laila and Laila's kids are in her life she finally feels like a family. So when Rasheed tried to take that away she killed him and turned herself in so that Laila and her kids could be safe. "Mariam brought down the shovel. This time, she gave it everything she had."

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One real life connection is the treatment of women before the 19th amendment. The 19th amendment gives women the right to vote. Before this amendment passed only white men who owned property could vote. This mistreatment isn't as bad as how women were treated in Afghanistan but it's still a mistreatment. Another connection is that there are wars that are still going on like in Afghanistan.

The novel "A Thousand Splendid Suns" wasn't the best. One reason is that the novel was boring until certain times because most of it was just details explaining what everything either looked like or was. Another reason is that the novel switches point of views from two characters Mariam and Laila which changed the mood in some of the chapters. So the novel ranks at a 2/5 stars.