Extended Learning Activities
You will be provided with a folder which
contains the following:
1.
A contents page of activities
2.
The activities/questions
3.
The novel (ATSS)
These extended learning activities will
be monitored – I will randomly take
them in to look at.
The quality must be excellent and work
should be up to date!
It will serve as a six week review and
your eligibility to stay on the course.
It is up to you to do
the reading at home.
Make sure you read
ATSS at least twice!
KABUL
Ah! How beautiful is Kabul encircled by her arid mountains
And Rose, of the trails of thorns she envies
Her gusts of powdered soil, slightly sting my eyes
But I love her, for knowing and loving are born of this same dust
Read the
following
poem by Saibe-Tabrizi
My song exhalts her dazzling tulips
And at the beauty of her trees, I blush
How sparkling the water flows from Pul-I-Bastaan!
May Allah protect such beauty from the evil eye of man!
Khizr chose the path to Kabul in order to reach Paradise
For her mountains brought him close to the delights of heaven
From the fort with sprawling walls, A Dragon of protection
Each stone is there more precious than the treasure of Shayagan
Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye
Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass
One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls
Her laughter of mornings has the gaiety of flowers
Her nights of darkness, the reflections of lustrous hair
Her melodious nightingales, with passion sing their songs
Ardent tunes, as leaves enflamed, cascading from their throats
And I, I sing in the gardens of Jahanara, of Sharbara
And even the trumpets of heaven envy their green pastures
What images
does the poet
use to praise the
city of Kabul?
A Thousand
Splendid Suns –
Objective: Understand the setting of
the novel
An Ode…
An Ode is a type of poem
that uses hyperbole and
inflated language to
glorify and enhance the
subject and to create
feelings of appreciation in
the listener.
What do you learn about Kabul from the poem?
What is the poet’s purpose?
Does the poet succeed in creating a sense of the
beauty of Kabul?
Hosseini discusses A
Thousand Splendid
Suns
Political Situation of Kabul
Before Taliban
Rule 60’s
After Taliban
Rule
Current 2015
1.
1.
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2.
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3.
3.
3.
4.
4.
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5.
5.
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6.
6.
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7.
7.
7.
8.
8.
8.
The links
can be
found on
the
blog…
Extended Learning
Activities and Reading
You need to have read
Chapter 1 - 5.
Extended
Learning
Look at the following images.
What can you infer about the situation
in Afghanistan?
What you need to do along
the way…
A Thousand
Splendid Suns:
Mariam and Nana
Objective:
Be able to explore the presentation of
Mariam and Nana
Chapter 1 – 4:
Mariam and Nana
E
x
t
What do we learn about
Mariam?
What do we learn about Nana?
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
How has the relationship between Nana and Mariam been
presented?
Chapter 5 – A turn of events
In this chapter, Mariam realises that her mother, Nana was right about Jalil,
her father, all along.
Trace Mariam’s realisation about
what her father is really like?
What language and structural
techniques have been used to
present this?
Read Chapter 6 - 10
Extended Learning Reading:
Read Chapter 6 - 10
A Thousand
Splendid Suns Rasheed
1.
Objective:
1. Explore our first impressions of
Rasheed
2. 2. Explore the role of women
Rasheed
What are your first
impressions of Rasheed?
Look at appearance and
character.
Does he fit the
stereotype of Afghan men
at the time? Why do you
think Hosseini has chosen
to present him this way?
What are Rasheed’s reasons
for making Mariam wear a
burqa and what do they tell
us about his ideas about his
role as a husband and man
and his expectations for
Mariam?
Timeline the Political
Events…
These along the
bottom should
highlight what is
happening in the
character’s life.
These should show the
political events and
the year in which they
are taking place
Your allocated chapters…
Look for the political events and
trace what is happening in the
lives of the characters.
Chapters 1 -3
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 7-10
Reading chapters 11 -15
Mariam’s Life and
the Political State
of Kabul
Objective:
Explore the changes in Rasheed’s attitude
towards Mariam and trace how the
Political situation is changing in Kabul.
Essay
Question
‘Explore the
treatment Mariam
endures at the hands
of the men in her life’.
The ‘Real’ Rasheed…
Page 79:
What is Rasheed’s
attitude towards
having a boy?
How does he
behave?
Page 82:
What is the significance of
the description of the
snow here? Compare this
with the description of the
snow on the first bus ride.
Page 85:
How does Rasheed behave with
Mariam after she has lost the baby?
Why does he do this?
Pages: 60-61, 88, 92,
What are your first
impressions of Fariba?
Look at previous
chapters to provide an
overall impression.
Tracing Rasheed’s character
Rasheed takes Mariam out and buys
her a gift and ice cream
Rasheed engages intimately with
Mariam
Rasheed’s attitude in Ramadhan
What Mariam discovers in Rasheed’s
room
Rasheed’s reaction to Mariam’s
pregnancy
Rasheed’s attitude after the
miscarriage
Rasheed’s violence at the end
We can see how the day out and the gifts
were almost like a bribe where Rasheed
was softening Mariam’s mood for his
intentions later.
We need to add to our
Political Timeline….
Use the rest of the time to
add to your ‘self selected
vocabulary’ sheet.
Also, add as many themes as
you can to the ‘Tracing
Themes’ worksheet.
Read chapters 16 - 20
Part 2
Fariba and Babi
1.
Objective:
Explore our first impressions of Fariba and
Babi
2.
2. Explore Tariq and Laila’s friendship
We need to add to our
Political Timeline….
Spring 1987 –
How many years have
passed?
Fariba
What are your
first
impressions?
Babi
What changes do we see in
Fariba from when she was
first introduced in Part 1
when Mariam first arrived in
Kabul?
When Fariba is first introduced to us in Part 1, she is presented as…..
We further learn that her husband is…….. and Rasheed disapproves
of him, claiming……..
As Raheed discovers on Eid day in Part 1, that Fariba knows Mariam,
he….
This is in stark contrast to the Fariba we are presented with in Part
2. She is now……..
Women and Education
‘Women have always had it hard in this country,
Laila, but they’re probably more free now, under
the communists, and have more rights than they’ve
ever had before’. (BABI)
Context
In the late 20th century, prior to the rise of the Taliban,
women in Afghanistan were making strides toward equality as
they enjoyed the right of education and employment (PBS.org).
Kabul was the epicenter for women's advancement in
Afghanistan prior to the Civil War and Taliban control" "50%
of the students and 60% of the teachers at Kabul University
were women, and 70% of school teachers, 50% of civilian
government workers, and 40% of doctors in Kabul were women"
(Feminist Majority Foundation).
The Role of Women
How do the women at the funeral time
behave with Fariba? What does their
role seem to be?
Support your points using textual
evidence from the extract.
Tariq and
Laila
Why do you think Laila
prefers spending time with
Tariq’s family?
E
X
T
How would you describe Laila
and Tariq’s relationship?
What do you think they find
from each other?
The Mujahideen
come to power
Objective:
1. 1. Explore who’s who in the political situation of
Kabul
2. 2. Trace Tariq and Laila’s developing friendship
Let’s add to our political
situation timeline…
April
1988
The Soviets sign a treaty saying they will leave
Afghanistan within nine months
Jan
1989
Laila and Tariq go to the cinema and this is the
turning point where we see Laila’s feelings for
Tariq.
April
1992
Hasina leaves to get married. Mammy arises as
a new woman. She has almost come back to
life. She warns Laila of her nd Tariq’s
relationship. Tariq declares his feelings for
Laila.
June
1992
Giti is killed. Tariq tells Laila he is leaving
Kabul for Pakistan. Tariq and Laila make love.
Laila’s family decide to leave Kabul too.
Describe at least three
effects of the Mujahideen
taking power in Kabul.
Tariq
and
Laila
The Kids are Getting
Older
Complete a summary of the following.
Giti and Hasina
Mammy talks to Laila
about Tariq
Tariq makes Laila jealous
Tariq and Laila make love
Blue BombsCompile a
list of
quotes to
support each
summary.
Part 3
Rasheed’s attitude
towards Mariam
and Laila
Objective:
Explore Rasheed’s
differing attitudes and the
reasons for this
How does Rasheed act
differently now that Laila is in
the house?
Trace Rasheed’s attitude
towards Mariam and Laila
Chapters 29 - 32
Rasheed’s
attitude towards
Mariam and
Laila
Mariam
Laila
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
Chapters
29 -30
How is the reader made to
feel towards Rasheed in
these chapters?
You must use the following in your
analysis:
-
Embedded evidence
-
Analysis of phrases
-
Analysis of specific words used
-
An alternative interpretation or viewpoint
Model Example:
Rasheed’s ‘ performance’ whilst talking to Laila serves
to heighten his manipulative character. Just as with
Mariam, when they first married, he attempts ‘to
impress’ and ‘to charm Laila in order to win her
around to his side. When Rasheed tells Laila that he
and Laila’s father would have discussions ‘about books
(and) about politics’, as a reader we are made to see
the devious side of Rasheed as we clearly remember
him saying how Laila’s father ‘thought himself
something of an intellectual’. Clearly evident here, is
Rasheed’s calculating character.
Furthermore, the use of the word ‘staged’ that
Mariam uses to describe Rasheed’s performance with
Laila reinforces this calculated move by Rasheed as
we as readers know that Rasheed will take something
or will want something from Laila later, and this is his
way of charming her. Perhaps, Mariam when the
realisation comes to her ‘like a blinding whack’ enables
the reader to sympathise with her and really see the
deceit, manipulation and mental abouse that Mariam
has had to endure for years.
Model Example:
Embedded evidence
Rasheed’s ‘ performance’ whilst talking to Laila serves
to heighten his manipulative character. Just as with
Mariam, when they first married, he attempts ‘to
Analysis of phrases impress’ and ‘to charm Laila in order to win her
around to his side. When Rasheed tells Laila that he
and Laila’s father would have discussions ‘about books
(and) about politics’, as a reader we are made to see
the devious side of Rasheed as we clearly remember
him saying how Laila’s father ‘thought himself
something of an intellectual’. Clearly evident here, is
Rasheed’s calculating character.
Furthermore, the use of the word ‘staged’ that
Analysis of specific Mariam uses to describe Rasheed’s performance with
Laila reinforces this calculated move by Rasheed as
words used
we as readers know that Rasheed will take something
or will want something from Laila later, and this is his
way of charming her. Perhaps, Mariam when the
realisation comes to her ‘like a blinding whack’ enables
Alternative
the reader to sympathise with her and really see the
deceit, manipulation and mental abouse that Mariam
interpretation
has had to endure for years.
Laila and Mariam
Objective:
Explore the language used to describe
Laila’s role in the house
Look at the imagery used to describe
Laila. What effect is created by using
the highlighted words?
In the daytime, the girl was no more than a creaking bedspring,
a patter of footsteps overhead. She was water splashing in the
bathroom, or a teaspoon clinking against glass in the
bedroom upstairs. Occasionaly, there were sightings: a blur of
billowing dress in the periphery of Mariam’s vision, scurrying up
the steps, arms folded across the chest, sandals slapping the
heels.
The phrase insinuates that Laila was very rarely
seen as she kept herself away in her room.
Furthermore, it makes Laila appear as though she
is a mysterious and rare object who can only be
seen by some and even then, very occasionally.
Now, look at the specific words used by
the writer.
What is suggested by these words? Why
do you think the writer has chosen to
use them?
In the daytime, the girl was no more than a creaking bedspring,
a patter of footsteps overhead. She was water splashing in the
bathroom, or a teaspoon clinking against glass in the bedroom
upstairs. Occasionaly, there were sightings: a blur of billowing
dress in the periphery of Mariam’s vision, scurrying up the
steps, arms folded across the chest, sandals slapping the heels.
The use of the word ‘patter’ perhaps is used
to reflect the idea that Laila is still only a
child herself. Perhaps, through the word
‘patter’ it further reinforces Laila’s delicate,
fragile, almost child like shyness.
What analogy
does Rasheed use
to compare
Mariam and Laila?
Why do you think
he does this?
Why does Laila ‘fall from grace’
in Rasheed’s eyes?
Compare how Laila is seen
in Rasheed’s eyes.
Laila is ‘in’ with Rasheed
Laila is ‘out’ of Rasheed’s favour
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Maryam and
Laila
Objective:
Explore the how and why
Mariam and Laila’s
relationship develops
Tracing Mariam and Laila’s
relationship
Chapter
31
32
33
34
35
Mariam and Laila’s
relationship is…
They ….
…difficult and
strained.
…are like strangers. Mariam refuses to be
a servant to Laila and is clearly insecure
about her own appearance and knows
Rasheed married Laila because of her
beauty.
Chapter 34 -35
What are
your
impressions
of the
events of
these
chapters?
Chapter 34
1. Trace Rasheed’s attitude as he questions Laila about her ‘friendship’
with Tariq? Why does he indirectly insult her?
Is there something that Rasheed knows?
2. What does Laila notice in Mariam’s face (pg 223)
Chapter 35
1. What is the update on the political situation in Kabul?
2. What does Mariam gain from Aziza and Laila? Why does she feel
that without them, her ife would be ‘unbearable’?
Read up to the end of chapter 40