A Thousand Splendid Suns

Part two of A Thousand Splendid Suns is about a little girl Laila and the events in her childhood. The section ends with her on the floor unconscious and unaware of what had just occurred. Her house had been bombed and her mother and father died.
In the first passage, Laila sees that “a fluorescent light shines from the ceiling above. “A woman’s face appears, hovers over hers” (174). The figure staring down at her is Merriam. The way in which Hosseini describes Merriam is almost as she were an angle; an angle with glowing light all around her. This is very significant because once Laila marries Rasheed and they all live together, Merriam is Lailla’s Angel. She protects her and looks after her as is she her mother. Towards the end of the book, Merriam even sacrifices her life for Laila. She kills Rasheed and turns her-self in to be executed.

The next passage describes a man looking down at Lila. This man is Rasheed. Hosseini writes that “his lips move but make no sound. All Laila hears is ringing.” (174). This is very important because once they get married, Rasheed’s comments are nothing but sound to Laila. He does not believe in women rights or education, therefore goes against all the Babi taught Laila when she was growing up. She thinks Rasheed is ignorant when he says that she should always be covered when in public and stop speaking with big words.

The third passage brings Merriam back in the picture. But this time, Merriam’s words are also just sound because “Laila can’t hear anything but the ringing” (174). Hosseini shows that there is a different side of Merriam. Since the ringing, which is associated with Rasheed’s mean character, is transported to Merriam, it is suggested that she has a mean character as well. This other side of hers’ is revealed when Leila marries Rasheed, even though considering Merriam’s disapproval. When Leila finally moves in Merriam snaps at her saying that she “won’t be [her] servant..[that] she won’t take orders from [her]” (702). This ringing that comes from Merriam is foreshadowing her future attitude towards Lila.

Finally the last passage begins with Leila remembering her father. Eventually she sees Merriam’s face again. Then, “mercifully, the pink pill again. Then, a deep hush. A deep hush falls over everything.” The order in which Hosseini writes the events in this passage foreshadows Leilla’s life. Her father Babi and everything he has taught her will no longer be. The “pink pill” will change everything and Leilla’s laughter and freedom will soon be “hushed” by her marriage with Rasheed.