How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Learn this now and learn this well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. (1.1.26)
These words become a refrain for Mariam as she gets older. It's hard to argue with the logic, at least given Mariam's particular situation. Jalil shifts the burden of Mariam onto Nana, and Rasheed blames Mariam for everything that goes wrong in his life.
Quote #2
A man's heart is a wretched, wretched thing, Mariam. It isn't like a mother's womb. It won't bleed, it won't stretch to make room for you. (1.5.25)
This passage shows the difference between men and women in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Most of the men in the book are rigid and uncompromising, especially where women are concerned. On the other hand, the females of the novel—Mariam, Laila, and Aziza—embody the ability of women to change and adapt.
Quote #3
The women in this part of Kabul were a different breed from the women in the poorer neighborhoods—like the one where she and Rasheed lived, where so many of the women covered fully. (1.11.19)
These women are the hipsters of Kabul. Mariam has had traditional gender roles ingrained in her for her entire life, and that's to say nothing of the social stigma she feels as a harami. For a country girl like Mariam, these modern women represent freedom.