ABSTRACT

The paper intends to analyze A Thousand Splendid Suns from the perspective of initiation story and tries to explain what is an initiation story. The purpose is to reveal the plight of women’s life during the war and the powerful inner strength of the women through two women Mariam and Laila who are from different background. 

The thesis analyzes the growth of the two heroines and tries to experience the feeling of the leading roles with close reading. Relevant information and literature will be gathered to understand the related research status at home and abroad. At the same time, the thesis analyzes and researches on the data and information.

Through the discussion of the protagonist's growth, the thesis helps people understand the definition, development and significance of initiation novels and attracts more scholars to pay attention to this topic. By describing the difficulties in the growth of women in the war, this paper tries to call for world peace, reveals the cruelty of war and raises people’s awareness of the issue of women's life at the bottom of society.

Keywords：A Thousand Splendid Suns; Khaled Hosseini; Initiation story

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

1.1 Khaled Hosseini and His works-1

1.2 The Background-2

1.3 The Purpose and Overall Structure of the Thesis-2

Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW-4

2.1 Research at Home-4

    2.2 Research Abroad-5

Chapter Three INITIATION STORY AND A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS-6

3.1 Development of Initiation Story-6

3.2 Definitions and Characteristics of Initiation Story-7

3.2.1 Definitions-7

3.2.2 Characteristics-8

3.3 A Thousand Splendid Suns as an Initiation Story-9

Chapter Four THE INITIATION OF THE TWO PROTAGONISTS-10

4.1 The Growth of Mariam-11

4.1.1 Mariam’s innocence-11

4.1.2 Mariam’s disillusion-11

4.1.3Postive guide----Aziza-12

4.2 The Growth of Laila-13

4.2.1 Positive guides----her father and Mariam-13

4.2.2 Negative guide----Rasheed-13

4.3 The Stages of Epiphany-13

Chapter Five CONCLUSION-15

WORKS CITED-16