A Thousand Splendid Suns

Main Characters and Their Development

• Mariam - the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman and his maid. At a young age, she is forced to marry the cruel widower Rasheed, living in Kabul. Throughout her life, Mariam faces societal disdain but eventually finds the strength to withstand adversity and discovers meaning in life through caring for Laila's daughter.
• Laila - a beautiful and intelligent girl from Kabul who loses her family in a rocket attack. Left alone, she agrees to marry Rasheed to save herself and her child from death. In her marriage to Rasheed, Laila suffers from domestic violence, but her encounter with Mariam changes her life, and together they find the strength to fight for shared happiness and freedom.
• Rasheed - the cruel and tyrannical husband of Mariam and Laila. Initially portrayed as a man desiring a son, he becomes increasingly brutal and demanding over time. Through him, the author depicts the typical man claiming complete dominance in the family due to Afghanistan's cultural and religious traditions.