Quest For Love And Hope-An Existentialist Analysis Of A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns(2007), following the best seller The Kite Runner(2003), is Khaled Hosseini’s second novel. The author Khaled Hosseini, a physician of Afghan origin who immigrated to America after Soviet invasion to Afghanistan, unfolds an epic picture of three-decade history of Afghanistan from an indigenous point of view. Against the historical backdrop is the main protagonist’s story of suffering and self-rescue.This thesis, consisting of five chapters, aims to interpret A Thousand Splendid Suns from the perspective of existentialism, mainly focusing on how Mariam deals with the existential plight and creates a meaningful life in an absurd world.The first chapter introduces the author, the significance of research, literature review and theoretical framework, expounding especially on three main existentialist concepts: absurdity, the Other and freedom.Chapter Two discusses the absurdity of wars and society. The world is absurd and conflicts always exist. Accordingly, wars are bound to break out. Afghan people are dragged into ceaseless wars starting with the anti-monarchy insurgence. In the absurd world, Mariam receives no gift from God.Chapter Three examines Mariam’s relations with others. After having experienced two rounds of hope and disappointment in the relations with her parents and with her husband, Mariam acquires a touching relationship with Laila, which helps regain the consciousness of existence.Chapter Four shows how Mariam, as a conscious being, make her choice, in accordance with her instinct, to pursue love and hope, and achieve self-value in an absurd world.The last chapter reiterates the argument of the thesis, that man can rightly asserts his freedom of choice and create a meaningful life in absurd environment.