He describes how the only person whom is interested in Mariam should be himself and she should not be attracted to anyone else except him. Rasheed explains how serious and strict he is about Mariam and his relationship to her. This quote is from A Thousand Splendid Suns is a response from Rasheed, Mariam’s husband, to Mariam. “Where I come from, a woman’s face is her husband’s business only.” (p70) The trend of treating women with no respect continues by the actions of Jalil. By being sold by her father, Mariam does not know where to go now or how to face adversary because her father figure has abandoned her. She is considered an illegitimate child and is seen as very different and worse to all of the other citizens.

The quote describes how Mariam has accepted her fate and been seen as an outcast from the village by her father. This quote is from A Thousand Splendid Suns about describing a situation in which Mariam was went through. “She was being sent away because she was the walking, breathing embodiment of their shame.” (p48) By selling Mariam, Jalil is exemplifying his aversion of her in general and how ashamed he is to be the father of her. Mariam did look up to her father very much so, however, now she is disgusted by plans to sell her. However, Mariam says this when Jalil is meeting with Rasheed and planning to sell her. Mariam looked up to Jalil as a father figure for hope, encouragement, and to be a leader so when she is lost or confused in her train of thought, Jalil with always be for there for her whenever she needs him. This quote is from A Thousand Splendid Suns is a response from Mariam to her father, Jalil. I used to pray that you’d live to be a hundred years old…I didn’t know that you were ashamed of me.” (p55)

A hundred splendid suns