<p>A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS HQ1</p><p>Heavy Questions: Chap. 1-5</p><p>Whited</p><p>British Lit/Comp</p><p>Directions: Answer the following questions as thoroughly and thoughtfully as you can. Few questions, if any at all, can be answered adequately in less than one solid paragraph (6-8 sent). For Response questions, provide the context of the quote (who, what, when, why, etc.) and then offer your response to the quote. </p><p>1. "Later, when she was older, Mariam did understand. It was the way Nana uttered the word--not so much saying it as spitting it at her--that made Mariam feel the full sting of it. She understood then what Nana meant, that a harami was an unwanted thing; that she, Mariam, was an illegitimate person who would never have legitimate claim to the things other people had, things such as love, family, home, acceptance." Whether or not to accept one's lot in life is a central conflict in this novel. What indication does this quote give as to how Mariam, from an early age, begins to accept her place in the world? Also, have you ever felt similar to Mariam, that you were an "unwanted thing"? Explain. 2. "For an hour or two every Thursday, when Jalil came to see her, all smiles and gifts and endearments, Mariam felt deserving of all the beauty and bounty that life had to give." Respond. 3. "Learn this now and learn it well; like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam." Respond. 4. When relating her experience as a unmarried pregnant woman, Nana recalls how she did not want ot live near people anymore in order to avoid being "assualted...with insincere kindnesses." What do you think she means by this statement? What is an insincere kindness and how can that seem like an assault? 5. "Mullah Faizullah admitted...that, at times, he did not understand the meaning of the Koran's words. But...he said they comforted him, eased his heart" The idea of not understanding religious texts yet still revering them is not reserved to Muslims. What are your thoughts on this subject? Think about how many people in our part of the world claim to be subject to some religious idea, but at the same time fail to live up to, or even understand, that religious idea. </p>