A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini

Major Characters

• Mariam, an ethnic Tajik born in Herat in 1959. The illegitimate child of Jalil and Nana, his housekeeper, she suffers shame throughout her life due to the circumstances of her birth, and is forced to marry a much older shoemaker and move to Kabul after her mother's death. Hosseini describes Mariam as "isolated in every sense of the word. She is a woman who is detached from the day-to-day norms of human existence. Really, she just wants a connection with another human being". Despite initially resenting Laila, she becomes a "friend and a doting alternative mother" to her through the "common hardship" of being married to the "abusive, psychologically imposing" Rasheed.[15] Mariam kills Rasheed while defending Laila, for which she is publicly executed by the Taliban.
• Laila, an ethnic Tajik born in Kabul in 1978. The only surviving child of Hakim and Fariba after her older brothers die in the Afghan-Soviet War, she is raised by educated parents who educate her, first at school and later at home when Kabul becomes too dangerous. Compared to Mariam, Hosseini noted she "had a much more fulfilling relationship with her father, her [girlfriends] and her childhood friend, Tariq. She expected to finish school and is looking for personal fulfillment. These are two very different representations of women".[15] Laila's life becomes tied with Mariam's when she is forced to marry Rasheed in order to protect herself and her unborn child after the death of her parents and supposed death of Tariq. This initially causes resentment from Mariam, who "[feels] her territory infringed upon".[15] Despite this, "Laila becomes her daughter for all practical purposes" on account of the struggles and abuse they both experience during their marriage. At the end of the novel, Laila returns to Kabul and becomes a schoolteacher at an orphanage.[16]
• Rasheed, an ethnic Pashtun from Kabul who works as a shoemaker. During his first marriage, Rasheed sired a son who tragically died to drowning; it is suggested in the novel that this happened as a result of Rasheed being drunk while caring for him. Rasheed is deeply misogynistic, often subjecting his wives and 'daughter' Aziza to frequent physical, mental and emotional abuse. In spite of his horrific behavior toward women, Rasheed shows genuine love toward his son Zalmai, whom he dotes greatly. After suffering years of experiencing domestic abuse, Mariam bludgeons Rasheed to death with a shovel while he attempts to strangle Laila to death. Hosseini hoped to make a multi-layered character with Rasheed, noting "Rasheed's the embodiment of the patriarchal, tribal character. In writing him, I didn't want to write him as an irredeemable villain. He is a reprehensible person, but there are moments of humanity, such as his love for his son."[15] Hosseini identified an encounter with an Afghan man who "had a very sweet, subservient wife" and had not yet informed her that he was planning to marry again" as an inspiration for the character.[15]
• Tariq, an ethnic Pashtun born in Kabul in 1976 who grew up with Laila. He lost a leg to a landmine at the age of five. He and Laila evolve from close friends to lovers shortly before he flees Kabul with his family. As a refugee in Pakistan, Tariq suffers many tragedies: his father passes away from illness in the refugee camps, and Tariq ends up with a seven year prison sentence for inadvertently participating in drug trafficking. While imprisoned, Tariq's mother dies of exposure. After being freed from prison Tariq gains stable employment from a relative of a prisoner he befriended. Soon after gaining stable employment, Tariq reunites with Laila in Kabul. After Rasheed's death, Tariq and Laila leave for Pakistan and marry. Following the fall of the Taliban Tariq returns to Kabul with Laila, expecting to have a third child.

Supporting Characters

• Nana, an ethnic Tajik from a village outside Herat. Initially betrothed to a local boy in her village, Nana's life trajectory greatly changes after "the jinn enters her body" shortly before marriage, causing her to have a seizure. The incident leaves her unmarriageable, and she eventually becomes a house servant for Jalil. She has an affair with Jalil, leading to the birth of her daughter Mariam. The scandal of the affair brings dishonour upon Jalil's wives and legitimate children, causing him to remove Nana and Mariam from his household and relocate them. This treatment causes Nana to become deeply bitter toward Jalil and his family. Embittered by the tragedies of her life, Nana often mentally and emotionally abuses Mariam, blaming her for her life's misfortune. After Mariam leaves the family home for the first time on her own to find Jalil on her fifteenth birthday, Nana hangs herself, believing that Mariam abandoned her.
• Mullah Faizullah, a local Sufi imam who teaches Mariam the Qur'an and supports her and Nana. He is one of the few people in Mariam's life who brings her comfort and joy, though they lose contact after Mariam is forced to marry Rasheed and move to Kabul. He dies of natural causes in 1989.
• Jalil, a local businessman in Herat who has three wives and nine (later ten) legitimate children, in addition to Mariam. While doting on Mariam, Jalil's reluctance to treat her like his legitimate children ultimately brings the both of them tragedy: his actions indirectly cause Mariam to lose her mother, and his decision to send Mariam away creates a permanent schism between the two that is never resolved. Before his death, he expresses deep regret for his treatment of Mariam, through a letter and various keepsakes that would have been given to her if she had ever returned to Herat. Mariam never receives these items; instead, Laila receives them in her stead after visiting Mariam's hometown.[17]
• Hakim, Laila's father, a university educated man from Panjshir who works first as a teacher and then at a factory after the war. He is progressive and wishes for Laila to be educated and make her own decisions in life, going against traditional cultural values by urging Laila to prioritize her education over marriage. Initially in a loving marriage, Hakim's relationship with his wife Fariba sours after the loss of their sons and Hakim's lack of traditional masculinity. In spite of this, Hakim remains dedicated to Fariba, refusing to abandon her and leave Kabul even as many of their friends and neighbours do. He is killed in a rocket explosion alongside his wife Fariba, shortly after he manages to convince her to flee the city due to increasingly intense conflict.[16]
• Fariba, Laila's mother, originally from Panjshir. She briefly meets Mariam when she first arrives in Kabul, and is depicted as a cheerful woman. Her disposition is permanently changed after her two sons, Ahmad and Noor, leave their home to fight and are later killed in the Afghan-Soviet war: Fariba becomes deeply depressed and obsessed with the loss of her sons. This obsession blots out her relationship with her husband, with whom she often fights and treats poorly, and her relationship with her daughter, whom she often neglects. Fariba's obsession with her deceased sons causes her and her remaining family to remain in Kabul long after many of their friends and neighbours flee from the constant danger in the city. She is later killed in a rocket explosion alongside her husband Hakim, shortly after he manages to convince her to flee the city due to increasingly intense conflict.[16]
• Hasina, one of Laila's childhood friends. She has a close relationship with Laila, often teasing her. Hasina leaves Kabul after she is betrothed to one of her cousins, who plans on marrying her and moving them to Germany.
• Giti, one of Laila's childhood friends. She has a close relationship with Laila, with whom she feels comfortable gushing about boys to. Giti is tragically killed when a stray rocket hits her, blowing her body into bits.
• Aziza, the illegitimate daughter of Laila and Tariq, born in 1993 in Kabul. When Laila learns of Tariq's alleged death, she marries Rasheed in order to hide Aziza's illegitimacy. Aziza's birth marks Laila's fall from favour with Rasheed and leads to the friendship between Mariam and Laila. During a famine, Aziza temporary is placed into an orphanage so she can be fed.[16][18]
• Zalmai, the legitimate son of Laila and Rasheed, born in 1997 in Kabul. Laila initially considers aborting him due to him being Rasheed's biological child. Zalmai idolises his father despite his abuse of Laila and Mariam. Zalmai remains unaware that Mariam killed Rasheed and is led to believe he has left Kabul. Zalmai does not initlally respect Tariq, but by the end of the novel, appears to be accepting him as a father figure.