Comparative Analysis: A Thousand Splendid Suns and Wuthering Heights

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lizeh 𖤐

09/03/2023

English Literature

a thousand splendid suns wuthering heights comparative notes

Subjects

English Literature

Poetry II

Identify and Explain the Function of a Metaphor

Comparative Analysis: A Thousand Splendid Suns and Wuthering Heights

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A comparative analysis of "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini and "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë reveals striking parallels between characters, themes, and narrative techniques despite their different settings and time periods. Both novels feature protagonists who are considered outsiders in their societies, exploring themes of identity, love, oppression, and resilience. While "Wuthering Heights" might be considered a tough read due to its complex narrative structure and Victorian language, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" offers a more accessible yet equally profound reading experience. Understanding these two works comparatively provides valuable insights into how literature across different cultures explores similar human experiences.

...

09/03/2023

589

Heathcliff
no surname
outsider
infuenced by her
illusion
tuberose
while purity
Mariam " Your
g
17
name of a so
Bronte's mother.
(1
Heathuiff

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Character Analysis: Heathcliff and Mariam as Outsiders

Both Heathcliff and Mariam are defined by their status as outsiders in their respective societies:

Heathcliff lacks a surname and is described as an "outsider" and even referred to as "it," creating an enigmatic and ambiguous aura around him.
Mariam is labelled a "harami" $an unwanted thing$ , suggesting she has "no legitimate claim" to family or acceptance.
Both characters are condemned by their societies – Heathcliff by Hindley as a "usurper of his parent's attentions and privileges," and Mariam for her illegitimate birth.

Their responses to rejection differ significantly:

Heathcliff takes pride in his lack of identity while Mariam longs for love and acceptance.
Catherine's attitude toward Heathcliff reveals 19th-century views of marriage as a "business" arrangement when she states, "it would degrade me to marry Heathcliff."

Key Concept: Both novels explore how society's rejection shapes individual identity. Heathcliff embraces his outsider status as power, while Mariam's rejection becomes a source of lifelong suffering, reflecting different approaches to social marginalization.

Symbolic elements reinforce their characterisation:

Mariam's association with the tuberose $white flower$ represents purity despite her societal status.
Heathcliff's lack of origin story creates mystery that becomes central to his character.

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Psychological Manipulation and Identity

Both novels explore psychological manipulation but through different narrative approaches:

In Wuthering Heights, Catherine experiences internal repression, declaring "I am Heathcliff" and "I cannot $live$ without my life... my soul," using short, fragmentary syntax that reveals her emotional state.
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Rasheed employs direct manipulation, telling Mariam "your brain is empty," while Jalil uses pathos and emotional manipulation: "Goddamn it Mariam don't do this to me."

The narrative voice in both works reveals important contrasts:

Wuthering Heights was first published under the pseudonym Ellis Bell, allowing Brontë to explore themes more freely.
A Thousand Splendid Suns alternates perspectives, showing both individual suffering and shared female experience.

Symbolic representations of oppression appear throughout both texts:

The burqa becomes a symbol of oppression, described as "tight and heavy... suffocating."
Catherine's hyperbolic expressions of distress $"Don't you see I can scarcely stand?"$ reflect her internal suffering.

Important Comparison: While Wuthering Heights presents love as an all-consuming force that transcends rational thinking $"If all else perished and he remained..."$ , A Thousand Splendid Suns offers sisterhood as a counterforce to suffering $"Laila began to laugh and mariam joined in"$ , presenting different paths to emotional survival.

The novels also reflect their historical contexts:

Victorian England's low life expectancy $25-41 mortality rate$
References to the Quran $2:256$ in A Thousand Splendid Suns contextualise the cultural setting.

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Subjects

English Literature

Poetry II

Identify and Explain the Function of a Metaphor

English Literature

•

589

•

9 Mar 2023

•

3 pages

Comparative Analysis: A Thousand Splendid Suns and Wuthering Heights

lizeh 𖤐

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Character Analysis: Heathcliff and Mariam as Outsiders

Both Heathcliff and Mariam are defined by their status as outsiders in their respective societies:

Heathcliff lacks a surname and is described as an "outsider" and even referred to as "it," creating an enigmatic and ambiguous aura around him.
Mariam is labelled a "harami" $an unwanted thing$ , suggesting she has "no legitimate claim" to family or acceptance.
Both characters are condemned by their societies – Heathcliff by Hindley as a "usurper of his parent's attentions and privileges," and Mariam for her illegitimate birth.

Their responses to rejection differ significantly:

Heathcliff takes pride in his lack of identity while Mariam longs for love and acceptance.
Catherine's attitude toward Heathcliff reveals 19th-century views of marriage as a "business" arrangement when she states, "it would degrade me to marry Heathcliff."

Key Concept: Both novels explore how society's rejection shapes individual identity. Heathcliff embraces his outsider status as power, while Mariam's rejection becomes a source of lifelong suffering, reflecting different approaches to social marginalization.

Symbolic elements reinforce their characterisation:

Mariam's association with the tuberose $white flower$ represents purity despite her societal status.
Heathcliff's lack of origin story creates mystery that becomes central to his character.

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By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Psychological Manipulation and Identity

Both novels explore psychological manipulation but through different narrative approaches:

In Wuthering Heights, Catherine experiences internal repression, declaring "I am Heathcliff" and "I cannot $live$ without my life... my soul," using short, fragmentary syntax that reveals her emotional state.
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Rasheed employs direct manipulation, telling Mariam "your brain is empty," while Jalil uses pathos and emotional manipulation: "Goddamn it Mariam don't do this to me."

The narrative voice in both works reveals important contrasts:

Wuthering Heights was first published under the pseudonym Ellis Bell, allowing Brontë to explore themes more freely.
A Thousand Splendid Suns alternates perspectives, showing both individual suffering and shared female experience.

Symbolic representations of oppression appear throughout both texts:

The burqa becomes a symbol of oppression, described as "tight and heavy... suffocating."
Catherine's hyperbolic expressions of distress $"Don't you see I can scarcely stand?"$ reflect her internal suffering.

Important Comparison: While Wuthering Heights presents love as an all-consuming force that transcends rational thinking $"If all else perished and he remained..."$ , A Thousand Splendid Suns offers sisterhood as a counterforce to suffering $"Laila began to laugh and mariam joined in"$ , presenting different paths to emotional survival.

The novels also reflect their historical contexts:

Victorian England's low life expectancy $25-41 mortality rate$
References to the Quran $2:256$ in A Thousand Splendid Suns contextualise the cultural setting.

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Violence and Symbolic Imagery

Both novels utilise powerful imagery to convey violence and suffering, though with contrasting approaches:

Water symbolism appears in both texts but with opposite meanings: In Wuthering Heights: "his face and throat were washed with rain" suggests moisture and purity In A Thousand Splendid Suns: "rockets begin to rain on kabul!" associates rain with war and destruction

Physical violence manifests differently in each text:

Hindley threatens Heathcliff "with an iron weight" – a direct physical threat
Mariam experiences sexual violence: "his sweat on the girls skin" and the threatening sound of a belt that "jingled loudly" followed by her plea "don't do this"

Literary Technique: Both authors use sensory details to make violence visceral for readers. The sounds, physical sensations and visual imagery create an immersive experience that heightens the emotional impact of the characters' suffering.

The fundamental difference in moral frameworks:

Wuthering Heights explores a "transgression of human law" where characters follow "naturalistic instincts where morals are nonexistent"
A Thousand Splendid Suns sets violence against a backdrop of cultural and religious expectations, making the transgressions even more shocking

Is reading Wuthering Heights tough? Its exploration of amoral characters and complex psychological states can be challenging, while A Thousand Splendid Suns, though containing difficult content, offers a more straightforward narrative structure that many readers find more accessible.

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Comparative Analysis: A Thousand Splendid Suns and Wuthering Heights

Character Analysis: Heathcliff and Mariam as Outsiders

Psychological Manipulation and Identity

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Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Knowunity is the #1 education app in five European countries

Knowunity has been named a featured story on Apple and has regularly topped the app store charts in the education category in Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Join Knowunity today and help millions of students around the world.

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I love this app so much, I also use it daily. I recommend Knowunity to everyone!!! I went from a D to an A with it :D

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I love this app ❤️ I actually use it every time I study.

Comparative Analysis: A Thousand Splendid Suns and Wuthering Heights

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Character Analysis: Heathcliff and Mariam as Outsiders

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Psychological Manipulation and Identity

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Violence and Symbolic Imagery

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