Laila Flashcards
How does Hosseini present Laila as progressive? (3 points)
Laila is the daughter of an educator and was raised during a more progressive time in Afghanistan
She values her schooling and has a more egalitarian view on justice, especially between the genders - uncharacteristic boldness for women of the time
Shame is unable to root inside of Laila - has sex with Tariq despite it being socially taboo
How does Laila’s marriage have an impact on her? (4 points)
Laila’s marriage to Rasheed provides the catalyst for Laila’s growth from child to woman - she comes to sacrifice her well-being for that of Mariam, Aziza, and Zalmai
In contrast to Mariam, Laila is horrified by the oppressive rulership Afghanistan continuously falls under, voicing her grievances out loud
Her experience of war and the birth of her children turn Laila into a mature adult who is able to balance feeling indebted to Mariam with a willful desire to rebuild the country that she loves
The one thing Laila carries with her throughout the novel is her idealism, which allows her to believe in a better future
