Conclusion

Khaled Hosseini uses symbolism and imagery in his book, A Thousand Splendid Suns to demonstrate the impact of wartime on the innocent people of Afghanistan. Hosseini uses symbolism to represent the sound of the constant bombs as they fall. When Laila and Tariq are together, they hear the whistling in which Tariq expresses his frustration, "'It's the whistling,' Laila said to Tariq, 'the damn whistling, I hate more than anything'" (173). Although people cannot agree on a form of government, the "whistling" that often occurs leaves people feeling anxious of who will survive and who will not. The effects on children growing up during wartime forces them to experience things that may cause nightmares or other mental issues due to seeing dead bodies everywhere, people being exploded, and the many loose limbs that scatter the ground. They are forced to adapt to these conditions and somehow see this as normality. Citizens are killed as a result of a political party's so called way of protecting the people. People not only live in fear of political leaders, but also in fear of whether today would be their last day. Hosseini further develops the impact of wartime through his use of imagery, Laila listens to the, "rattling of automatic gunfire and counted the rockets whining overhead as the house shook and flakes of plaster rained down on her from the ceiling" (174). By using the words "rattling" and "whining" the reader is able to connect themselves by envisioning the sounds Laila hears daily. The words "shook" and "flakes of plaster rained" help the reader visualize the impact of the war on a house that isn't even being hit by any weapons. The reader can picture a shaking house with plaster dust falling off the walls and ceilings while the sound of a rocket is being heard. Laila at this time is still a young child, yet she tolerates the war as a background routine of her daily life. At this point, the war has become normality to her, but she still gets nightmares of the dead. Living through wartime, especially while growing up, causes not only possible death, loss, and physical disabilities but mental issues. Hosseini uses symbolism and imagery to help the reader understand and feel sympathy towards the citizens of Afghanistan who are just the poor, helpless, innocent people that just want the war to end.