Examples Of Selflessness In A Thousand Splendid Suns

Caring, courage, and selflessness are three strong traits that demonstrate ones willingness and strength to make the great sacrifice of putting others before oneself. There are few people that carry these traits, so when one openly displays them, it allows others to view just how much courage they do have. Khaled Hosseini, the author of A Thousand Splendid Suns, excellently demonstrates through two young women, what it is like to face tough situations in order to keep their loved ones from harm’s way. Putting others before oneself can be a difficult sacrifice, but it builds strength of character. Mariam and Laila demonstrate such selflessness, as well as courage, and caring.

Mariam and Laila both prove how selfless they are just by the

Don’t leave me. Don’t break Aziza’s heart." “They’ll chop off my hand for stealing bread,” Mariam said. “What do you think they’ll do when they find a dead husband and two missing wives?” “No one will know,” Laila breathed. “No one will find us.” “They will sooner or later. They’re bloodhounds.” Mariam’s voice was low, cautioning; it made Laila’s promises sound fantastical, trumped-up, foolish. “Mariam please-" “When they do, they’ll find you as guilty as me. Tariq too.”

But even though the consequences are harsh, Mariam knows that she has to follow through with it, for if she does not, Rasheed would kill Laila. She does not wish to kill Rasheed but Laila is one of the only true friends Mariam has ever had. Mariam does also not want to have one of the few people that bring her happiness, to be taken from her. These two acts demonstrate what it truly means to have courage, even in the hardest of times.

Caring is something that seems to come rather naturally for both Laila and Mariam. This especially shows with Laila, when she continues to try and visit Aziza every day in the orphanage, even though Rasheed refuses to accompany her anymore.

And so Laila's life suddenly revolved around finding ways to see Aziza. Half the time she never made it to the orphanage. Crossing the street, she was spotted by the Taliban and riddled with questions....If she was lucky, she was given a tongue-lashing or a single kick to the rear, a shove to the back. Other times she met with assortments of wooden clubs, fresh tree branches, short whips, slaps, often fists....But for Laila, the reward, if she made it past the Taliban, was worth it.