3.2 Life of Laila
Laila was one of Maryam’s neighbors in Kabul. Lailas father was a teacher named Hakim and his mother named Fariba. Both of his older brothers, Ahmad
and Noor, jihad in war, thus making Fariba lived in darkness without the spirit waiting for both his sons return from war. Fortunately, Laila has a strong father
and a friend named Tariq, one-legged boy who lost his leg as a result of landmines that required him to wear a prosthetic. Tariq has always been a patron for Laila
when dealing with children who are ignorant. They intertwine their friendship when they were very small, very tight strong and beautiful, so bring them on a
more distant relationship. They became lovers, although they lived in secretly. The war that happened in Afghanistan makes many deaths and many
residents flee to Pakistan or other neighboring countries. It will also be carried out by the Tariq’s family for his Tariq’s father for reasons of deteriorating health, his
heart was not strong and the weak accept all the happenings around him. When Tariq said goodbye to Laila, Laila felt very sad and did not want Tariq to go away
from her life. Tariq is one of the most valuable in life of Laila. The news departure planning of Tariq and his family from Kabul made her very sad and
disappointed Everyone has leaving. And now Tariq too.
“and my mother is not a young woman anymore,” he was saying,“ they’re so afraid all the time.
Laila, look at me.” “you should have told me.”
“please look at me.” A groan came out of Laila. Then a wail. And then
she was crying, and when he went to wipe her cheek with the pad of his hand away.” A
Thousand Splendid suns, pp. 177-178
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In the midst of both sadness and therefore carried away, a something big happened. An action that they should not do, for violating religious norms. They
both have sex in a movie theater that has been vacated by the Mojahedin. However, Tariq still have to go to the state of both parents who are dying. Tariq
took Laila to join with him and take responsibility for their actions by marrying Laila. But Laila refuse his invitation because he thought for Mammy and her Babi
being shrouded in confusion and sadness. Laila asked him to promise that someday Tariq would be back to pick Laila.
After losing both of their sons in war, Ahmad and Noor , and did not want to lose their daughters by the ongoing war again, Laila’s family decided for
preparing to evacuate and leave from Kabul. However, another disaster comes. Rocket hit their house, made her father and mother died, and it made Laila lived
alone. Laila life was saved but she suffered very severe injuries. “… Something hot and powerful slammed into
her from behind. It knocked her out of her sandals. Lifted her up. And now she was flying,
twisting, rotating, in the air, seeing sky, then earth, then sky, then earth.
… Babi and she, perched somewhere high up. He is pointing to a field of barley. A generator comes
to life.” A Thousand Splendid suns, pp.188-189
Rasheed was the one who found Laila and rescued from the rubble when the disaster was coming. Rasheed helped Laila with expect one thing. Rasheed wants
to marry Laila. Laila was forced to agree to his marriage with Rasheed, as she realized something happened in her body. There is growing inside her womb.
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Especially, after she got the news that Tariq has been killed while trying to sneak into Pakistan. Rasheed treatment Laila is so well than Maryam. Laila became
Malika queen in their house. And it made Laila and Maryam often fight in many times. But that was gone on temporarily, since Laila gave birth to a daughter
named Aziza. Maryam was very fond with Aziza. Otherwise, the sweet gesture of Rasheed to Laila also only temporary, immediate direct instantaneous changed
when Laila gave a birth a daughter not a son. The plight of their domestic circumstance were running, and Laila was finally blessed with second child, a boy
named Zalmai who highly cherished by Rasheed. Rasheed treatment to Aziza and Zalmai is contradictory. Zalmai was his favorite child.
Situation is more uncertain because of the war. Domestic circumstances also did not get better. In the midst of suffering, Laila and Maryam tried to find a
thousand suns of heaven which will give light in the darkness of their world. Again and again they tried to escape from Rasheed when Laila did not have
Zalmai, unfortunately, their efforts failed. They even had to get cruel treatment of Rasheed when knowing their plot, especially for Laila.
“She didn’t want to do it. She didn’t want to go–“ Laila didn’t see the punch coming. One moment
she was talking and the next she was on all fours, wide-eyed, and red-faced, trying to draw a breath.
She realized she had dropped Aziza, that Aziza was screaming. She tried to breath again and
could only make a husky, choking sound. Dribble hung from her mouth. A Thousand Splendid
suns, p.261
One day, Tariq suddenly came back to Laila life. Laila was in shock and disbelief by what she sees now, and it turns Tariq has not died. All false stories of
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Rasheed about the death of Tariq are a rotten sense to make Laila became his wife. At night after the arrival of Tariq, their son, Zalmai told Rasheed that his
Mammy, Laila, has a new boy friend. Rasheed became angry and began torturing Laila rough and cruel. Maryam was wondering how to separate Rasheed to Laila
did not know what to do anything. And she took the spade and struck him on the Rasheed head and make Rasheed died. Maryam told that Laila had to get out of
this country with Tariq and her children. While Maryam who will bear the brunt of the Rasheed murder had done by himself. At the first, Laila refusing Maryam,
and she wants Maryam to participate with them, but Maryam insists and thought that this is the only way for making Laila lives happy. Laila relented.
In the end, Mariam was died, and on other hand, Laila continued her life with her new family, her husband, Tariq and their children. Laila went to the
outside of Afghanistan. They lived in Murree and live happily there. After a few years, after the war subsided, finally, Laila was missing in his native land to make
a decision to invite Tariq return to Kabul. Tariq was agreed. So they set out to return to Kabul with the aim of re-arrange their lives there.
Laila tried to trace the background of Maryam, she came to Herat and visit Maryam’s kolba. Suddenly, Hamza, son of Mullah Faizullah, Maryam tutor, gave
Jalil’s parcel or present to Maryam. Laila opened the parcel and get a cartoon video tapes “Pinnochio”, a letter and some money inside the folds of the sack.
The letter was none other than an expression of missing and Jalil’s regret, Maryams father. In the letter, Jalil deeply regretted his actions and was very sad
because they have wasted and embarrassed to admit Maryam as his child. In
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addition, his wife and three children who died as a result of illness and a victim of the war at the time, it makes Jalil was frustrated and aware that all that is going on
in her karmic given by Allah SWT. The letter is sent by Jalil just before his death. Finally, Laila and Tariq devote their lives to Afghanistan. They lived in
Kabul with their second child. They became volunteered at an orphanage run by Zaman, the same orphanage where formerly Aziza been deposited when the
economic crisis and starvation plagued Afghanistan. Laila became a teacher at the orphanage, and Tariq worked in French NGO that cares victims of landmines and
amputees with prosthetic legs and hands. Both of their children, Aziza and Zalmai could go to school in peace and comfortable. And also their happiness is enough
because Laila pregnant their third child.
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4. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
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