outside reading post 5

the novel a thousand splendid suns , like in many pieces of literature, the themes of stuggle and conflict are presented throughout the story. Towards the end of the Book, Rasheed, has now married Laila, because she thinks her love, Tariq is dead. Mariam is greatful to have another person to talk to, but Rasheed doesn't treat either of them well. He frequently beats them both and criticizes them constantly. And in this time periode woman had barly any rights. They were basically proporty of their husband. They were not allowed to have any contact at all with the opposite gender. In public, they had to wear veils so no other man could look at them . Rasheed was very stricked about these policies, so when Tariq shows up at Laila's door, Rasheed does not take that too well. After hearing that Laila talked with Tariq, he starts brutally beating her. Laila is near death, when Mariam steps in and hits rasheed over the head with a shovel, and kills him. In this time periode, even diobeying your husband is unheard of, so killing him is beyond belife. Mariam went against the rules of society to save both her and Laila's life. And although Rasheed had never suffered any consiquences for beating his wives, becasue of this societies unjust rules and beliefs, Mariam will suffer execution for merly defending herself and Laila.
This novel I feel is similar the the film we watched in class called, On the Waterfront. In this film, the main character Terry goes against societies better judgment and stands up to the mob of his community, Just like Maiam stood up the beating of her husband. They both followed their own instincts instead of those of their society, and although they both sufferred major consiquenses, they also both saved lives as well.