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Mariam And Laila's Character Analysis

Decent Essays

The novel revolves around two women, Mariam and Laila. The novel takes place during a terrible time to live in Afghanistan, but things were especially hard for women. Their lives brought together and are forced to live through unimaginable situations. At first, they didn’t get along, but then a beautiful friendship began. Their friendship would eventually be their salvation. They both experienced incredible character development. Mariam and Laila’s childhoods were very different, which is explains their characteristics in the novel. Laila’s modern upbringing gave her courage, which inspired Mariam to take action in both of their lives. Mariam lived with her mother outside of Herat and her father Jalil would visit her. She grew up called a harami – bastard, by her own mother. Mariam’s mother advised her to be wary of men, since Mariam’s mother didn’t have a good relationship with Mariam’s father. “It’s our lot in life, Mariam. Women like us. We endure. It’s all we have. Do you understand? Besides, they’ll laugh at you at school. They will. They’ll call you harami. …show more content…

This caused to become violent. He retaliated his anger towards Mariam. She had always had to endure emotional pain in her life, but Rasheed hurt her physically during their marriage. Rasheed from the beginning had a sexist and misogynistic view. He states, “ ‘I have customers, Mariam, men who bring their wives to my shop. The women come uncovered, they talk to me directly, look at me in the eye without shame. They wear makeup and skirts that show their knees. Sometimes they even put their feet in front of me, the women do, for measurements, and their husbands sit there and watch. They allow it. They think nothing of a stranger touching their wives’ bare feet! They think they’re being modern men, intellectuals, on account of their education, I suppose. They don’t see that they’re spoiling their own nang and namoos, their honor and pride.’ ” (Hosseini

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