What was Nana's account of Mariam's birth?

Nana refers to Mariam as a “harami" (bastard or illegitimate child) in order to suggest that Mariam's birth was the consequence of an extra-marital affair.

How are Jalil and Nana's account of Mariam's birth different?

Mariam has been given two very different accounts of the day of her birth, in 1959. Nana says she was alone, gave birth to Mariam in their kolba, and that Jalil waited a month before visiting his new child. Jalil claims that he arranged for Nana to give birth in a hospital, and that he picked out Mariam's name.

Is Nana Mariam's mom?

Mariam's mother, once a maid in Jalil's household until she became pregnant with his child. Banished to the kolba (a hut on a hill) after her father disowned her, Nana is bitter and unhappy. She constantly complains about Jalil to Mariam and admonishes her not to trust any man.

Who is telling the truth about Mariam's birth?

Mariam's parents tell her conflicting stories of her birth. Nana tells Mariam that she was alone in the hut, lying on the floor for two days with a knife by her side to cut the umbilical cord; Jalil did not come to visit his daughter for over a month.

How was Mariam born in A Thousand Splendid Suns?

Mariam is born as a result of an affair between the two, and Jalil's favouritism towards his wives and legitimate children leaves her bitter towards Jalil.

Holy Saint Mary/Bibi Maryam and the Birth of Jesus/Issa (pbuh)

What is wrong with Laila's mother?

Laila's mother has fallen into manic depression over the loss of her sons to the war. She does not get out of bed every day. Good days are very rare for her. Laila's friend, Tariq, lost one leg to a land mine explosion when he was five.

When did Mariam get pregnant?

Summary and Analysis Part 1: Chapter 13. As the first snow drapes Kabul, Mariam and Rasheed ride the bus home from the doctor, both elated with the news they're going to be parents. Rasheed insists the baby will be a boy, but Mariam's just happy to be pregnant.

What is a jinn how does it affect Nana?

It's notable that Nana refers to her medical condition as a jinn (which can be roughly translated as "genie" or "spirit") because it shows how limited her own education has been. She's obviously a perceptive woman, but she lacks the education to truly make sense of the things that happen to her.

What happens on Mariam's 15th birthday?

For Mariam's fifteenth birthday, she asks Jalil to take her to see the American film that is playing at his cinema—a cartoon about a childless toymaker who carves a puppet that comes to life and has lots of adventures.

Is A Thousand Splendid Suns a movie?

A Thousand Splendid Suns was previously adapted into a 2017 stage play that premiered in San Francisco. The Kite Runner was also adapted into a play that premiered in 2009, and into a 2007 movie directed by Marc Forster and starring Khalid Abdalla and Zekeria Ebrahimi.

Does Jalil love his daughter?

Jalil loves his daughter but can't express his feelings because of what society, and his three wives, say and feel about him having a daughter out of wedlock. He visits Mariam every week and brings her gifts. He never calls her a Harami and is always kind and loving to her.

Who is Laila's mother?

Laila's mother. She was originally a curious, joyful woman but, by the time Laila is growing up, she is increasingly depressed at the departure of her two sons to fight in the Mujahideen.

What is the relationship between Mariam and Nana?

Nana (Mariam's mother) used to be Jalil's housekeeper and they had an affair that resulted in Mariam. His family shamed him and he now provides housing for Nana and Mariam in the village.

How old is Laila in A Thousand Splendid Suns?

Years later, when bomb explosions kill the parents of fourteen-year-old Laila, Rasheed brings the wounded girl to his home and Mariam nurses her back to health. Laila is a ravishing beauty and Rasheed schemes to get her to marry him by concocting a story that her beloved fiancée, Tariq, has been killed.

What did Jalil lie to Mariam about?

1) Jalil lies to Miriam when portrays himself as a wonderful father, and then makes her sleep on the street when he refuses to see her and makes her marry Rasheed.

How is Aziza changing in the orphanage?

How is Aziza changing in the orphanage? Aziza seems well cared for but she develops a stutter when she talks which suggests she is dealing with insecurities over how she views her worth. She is becoming more submissive.

What happens to Nana at the end of chapter 5?

Crushed, Mariam allows the chauffeur to drive her home. She weeps the entire time, feeling betrayed and foolish for not listening to her mother's warnings. Once they arrive at the kolba, Mariam and Jalil's chauffeur are shocked to see Nana has hung herself from the willow tree in the yard.

What is the last threat that Mariam's mother says to her in order to convince her to stay?

Q. What is the last threat that Mariam's mother says to her in order to convince her to stay? She says that she will never forgive her.

Why does Nana throw rocks at the boys?

On these days, Nana throws stones at the boys as they wait for the women to unload the wheelbarrow. Mariam usually feels bad about her mother's behavior, but once she joins in and calls her half-brothers names.

Why did Nana not get married?

Nana and Jalil were not married when Nana became pregnant with Mariam, and Nana often reminds Mariam that she is a harami, an illegitimate child. Jalil visits Mariam weekly, and Mariam longs to be accepted by her father as his other children are.

What does Kinchini mean?

kinchini: A derogatory term meaning 'whore.'

Who was Zakariya to Maryam?

According to the Qur'an, Zakariya was the guardian of Maryam . The Qur'an states: (Remember) when the wife of 'Imran said: My Lord! I have vowed unto Thee that which is in my belly as a consecrated (offering).

How long is a pregnancy in Islam?

In the Islamic tradition, this point is generally recognized as 120 days after conception, at which time, according to the Hadith, the process of “ensoulment” occurs; that is, the time in which the soul (rūḥ) enters the fetus post-conception.

How many miscarriages did Mariam have in A Thousand Splendid Suns?

Summary and Analysis Part 1: Chapter 15. Four years pass between chapters 14 and 15; it is now April 1978. Mariam is 19 years old and has been married to Rasheed for four years, during which time she's suffered six more miscarriages.