A Thousand Splendid Suns Final Exam Study Guide 2023
with complete solution
What countries competed for the control of Afghanistan in the Anglo-Afghan
Wars in the seventeenth century.
Great Britain and Russia
Following WWI the United Kingdom ended its involvement with what country?
Afghanistan
When did Afghanistan establish a democracy?
1964
When did the communist party in Afghanistan overthrow and murder the Afghan
ruler?
1978
What happened because of the belief that the new communist government went
against the teachings of Islam?
Civil unrest and widespread rebellion
When did the soviet union lose control of Afghanistan?
1989
When did the rebels overthrow the Afghanistan government?
1992
T/F: The Taliban refused to cooperate with the United States after al-Qaeda was
blamed for 9/11.
T
What does the word Islam mean?
submission/submission to the will of God
Who was Islam founded by?
the Prophet Muhammad
What percentage of women are literate?
24%
Is Afghanistan more rural or urban?
rural
What is the dominating faction of Muslims in Afghanistan?
Islam
What's the population of Afghanistan?
Over 33 Million
Who is "she" in this sentence? "She noticed that every time she breathed out, the
surface fogged. And she disappeared from her father's table" (50).
Mariam
What does Nana mean when she says, "'I wish my father had had the stomach to
sharpen one of his knives and do the honorable thing. It might have been better
for me"? (6-7)
She learned that in society she has no choice, has sort of been forced to do things she
never wanted to through her life
The novel opens with a curse word, uttered in frustration by Mariam's mother,
when Mariam breaks a treasured heirloom. What does Mariam's memory of this
, suggest about herself and her relationship with her mother? How does this
opening set the tone for the novel?
Her mother wants Mariam to be miserable, where a normal mother loves their child. It
shows how sort of Mariam has felt growing up in a way
Does Jalil love his daughter? How does he show his love? How does he show
that he does not fully recognize her as his daughter? Why does he treat her as he
does?
It seems like he is just doing the bare minimum for his own good. He doesn't really show
his love, and he refuses to even accept her into her house and closes the blinds when
she sees him through the window
Why does Mariam ask her father to take her to the cinema for her fifteenth
birthday present? What does she want?
She wants to have a connection with her father
What happened to Mariam's mother?
She hung herself on a willow tree.
What is the motive of Jalil's wives in finding a suitor for Mariam? Why does Jalil
go along with them in this plan?
Jalil's wives want to find a suitor for Mariam because they want to get rid of their
husband's mistake. Jalil goes along with the plan because he doesn't want Mariam to
get hurt by the wives who may be cruel to her
Why does Mariam finally say "yes" in the marriage ceremony to Rasheed?
Mariam realizes it is what her father wants. Mariam feels unworthy and not wanted.
What are Rasheed's reasons for making Mariam wear a burqa and what do they
tell us about his ideas about his role as a husband and man and his expectations
for Mariam?
Rasheed made her wear the burqa so she would remain covered. This tells us that he
feels women do not have the same rights as men.
What does Mariam notice about the women of the city? How does this make her
feel?
She loves how brave they are, and thinks they are super cool, but they also make her
feel insecure
How does Rasheed feel about the westernization of Afghanistan? What shows his
ambivalence?
He thinks its completely inappropriate, and it shows how he wants everything "old
school"
Why does Mariam rationalize about what she sees In Rasheed's drawer?
She feels inadequate, and insecure, and also is manipulating herself
Why does Rasheed want a boy? How might life have been different for the family
if Mariam could have had a baby?
He wants to replace his family, if Mariam could have a baby maybe he might of shown
some care to her
Why does Rasheed become abusive?
Because Mariam can't have children, so he feels as if she is freeloading in his house
What were Laila's parents like when they were young? How have they changed?
What is undermining their relationship? How does their relationship affect Laila?
with complete solution
What countries competed for the control of Afghanistan in the Anglo-Afghan
Wars in the seventeenth century.
Great Britain and Russia
Following WWI the United Kingdom ended its involvement with what country?
Afghanistan
When did Afghanistan establish a democracy?
1964
When did the communist party in Afghanistan overthrow and murder the Afghan
ruler?
1978
What happened because of the belief that the new communist government went
against the teachings of Islam?
Civil unrest and widespread rebellion
When did the soviet union lose control of Afghanistan?
1989
When did the rebels overthrow the Afghanistan government?
1992
T/F: The Taliban refused to cooperate with the United States after al-Qaeda was
blamed for 9/11.
T
What does the word Islam mean?
submission/submission to the will of God
Who was Islam founded by?
the Prophet Muhammad
What percentage of women are literate?
24%
Is Afghanistan more rural or urban?
rural
What is the dominating faction of Muslims in Afghanistan?
Islam
What's the population of Afghanistan?
Over 33 Million
Who is "she" in this sentence? "She noticed that every time she breathed out, the
surface fogged. And she disappeared from her father's table" (50).
Mariam
What does Nana mean when she says, "'I wish my father had had the stomach to
sharpen one of his knives and do the honorable thing. It might have been better
for me"? (6-7)
She learned that in society she has no choice, has sort of been forced to do things she
never wanted to through her life
The novel opens with a curse word, uttered in frustration by Mariam's mother,
when Mariam breaks a treasured heirloom. What does Mariam's memory of this
, suggest about herself and her relationship with her mother? How does this
opening set the tone for the novel?
Her mother wants Mariam to be miserable, where a normal mother loves their child. It
shows how sort of Mariam has felt growing up in a way
Does Jalil love his daughter? How does he show his love? How does he show
that he does not fully recognize her as his daughter? Why does he treat her as he
does?
It seems like he is just doing the bare minimum for his own good. He doesn't really show
his love, and he refuses to even accept her into her house and closes the blinds when
she sees him through the window
Why does Mariam ask her father to take her to the cinema for her fifteenth
birthday present? What does she want?
She wants to have a connection with her father
What happened to Mariam's mother?
She hung herself on a willow tree.
What is the motive of Jalil's wives in finding a suitor for Mariam? Why does Jalil
go along with them in this plan?
Jalil's wives want to find a suitor for Mariam because they want to get rid of their
husband's mistake. Jalil goes along with the plan because he doesn't want Mariam to
get hurt by the wives who may be cruel to her
Why does Mariam finally say "yes" in the marriage ceremony to Rasheed?
Mariam realizes it is what her father wants. Mariam feels unworthy and not wanted.
What are Rasheed's reasons for making Mariam wear a burqa and what do they
tell us about his ideas about his role as a husband and man and his expectations
for Mariam?
Rasheed made her wear the burqa so she would remain covered. This tells us that he
feels women do not have the same rights as men.
What does Mariam notice about the women of the city? How does this make her
feel?
She loves how brave they are, and thinks they are super cool, but they also make her
feel insecure
How does Rasheed feel about the westernization of Afghanistan? What shows his
ambivalence?
He thinks its completely inappropriate, and it shows how he wants everything "old
school"
Why does Mariam rationalize about what she sees In Rasheed's drawer?
She feels inadequate, and insecure, and also is manipulating herself
Why does Rasheed want a boy? How might life have been different for the family
if Mariam could have had a baby?
He wants to replace his family, if Mariam could have a baby maybe he might of shown
some care to her
Why does Rasheed become abusive?
Because Mariam can't have children, so he feels as if she is freeloading in his house
What were Laila's parents like when they were young? How have they changed?
What is undermining their relationship? How does their relationship affect Laila?
