Joseph Heyna

Mrs. Jankowski
English 12H
10/22/15
Double entry 1-Splendid Suns
Part one of the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns was very interesting. We as readers,
were introduced to Mariam and her family. Throughout the chapters, the readers find out that
the dad does not really want Mariam to be a part of his life. In fact, in chapter eight, he arranged
Mariam a marriage so she would not live in his house any more. I predict that sense he
arranged the marriage so he did not have to be with Mariam, Mariam and his relationship will no
longer be the same. She used to look up to him but now despises him. Throughout the novel
the author did an amazing job at showing us the situations and not just telling us what
happened. Khaled Hosseini wrote The sun caught the sparkle in the fishs scales when
describing a photograph of Jalil and three young boys holding a fish.The Novel was a little bit
confusing at first when I read the words that were in a different language. So far the novel was
overall easy to understand and interesting to read.
In America, children tend to fist rebel against their parents around their teenage years.
Teenagers start to get an attitude of their own. they believe that what they think is always right
and that they have to do what they want to do. So when their parents tell them that they have to
come home before a certain time or act a certain way, they rebel and do what they feel like
doing. Rebellion as a teen is not always a bad thing. Sometimes teenagers realize that what
their parents are doing is wrong and choose not to follow in their footsteps. Either way, children
do not start rebelling against their parent in the U.S until they are around their teen years.
In reality, if Mariam lived with her father and his children, she would feel like an outcast
and be waited on her whole life. Her fathers butler and chauffeur would provide her with her
every need and she would not be raised the same. She would be more spoiled and would not

be able to take care of herself as much. It was overall better off that she did not live with her
father and his children.
Double entry 2-Splendid Suns
Splendid suns- double entry 2
Analysis-

In part two, the readers are introduced to Laila. She faces the conflicts of parents

who fight a lot, because they no longer have the same interest in each other that they used to.
She also had two go weeks without seeing her best friend Tariq. I predict that because she
really likes Tariq and he seems to like her, they will soon get married to each other. Laila's mom
is really depressed since her sons were killed in war. I think that Lailas mom will not ever be the
same after their death and Laila will have to be the woman of the household. The book states
that If she didnt tend to the house, she was apt to find clothes, shoes, open rice bags, cans of
beans, and dirty dishes strewn about everywhere (Hosseini 142). The author continued to do
an amazing job showing the audience and not just telling. Just one example of showing and not
telling is Mommy sat on the couch all morning,her fingers working a handkerchief, her face
bloated (139).
prompt 1-America can conceptualize that other countries live with gender roles. Believe
it or not, America has and had small gender roles of its own. Back in the 1950s-1980s, woman
were largely responsible for dealing with home matters, while the male worked for the money to
support his family. Then as time went on, feminism was born and woman got more rights in the
workforce and other tasks that men usually did. Even today there are certain gender roles in the
United States. They arnt as big due to feminism.If a man or woman wanted to do the other
genders task, they could. A perfect example of this is volleyball and football. Usually volleyball is
for girls and football is for guys, but if a girl or guy wanted to participate in the other, they could.
Gender roles aren't as common or popular in the U.S., but they definitely exist.

prompt 2-

The book has some interesting lessons about parenting. The mom and dad of

Laila have some interesting parenting styles. I learned that you should keep your family close,
because they may not always be there. Her mom and dad allowed her brothers to join the soviet
army. They didn't think that they might die and never be seen again. When mamma found out
that her sons died in war, she was devastated. She was depressed for the longest time.
Through the fact that momma lost her sons,it made me consider how close I was to my family.
It made me think twice and realize that i'm not as close as i'd like to be and allowed me to
evaluate the situation. From here on out, i'm going to have a better relationship with my family
because before I know it, they might not be here anymore.