Abstract：The American-Afghanistan writer Khaled Hosseini was the first Afghan writer to write in English. In 2003, he published the novel The Kite Runner and received acclaim, which led him to the stage of world literature. Husseini used gentle and delicate writing techniques to show the world a real Afghanistan. His novel A Thousand Splendid Suns is based on the background of the war in Afghanistan and describes an unforgivable era, an impossible friendship and indestructible love. This paper starts with a description of the different experiences of the two heroines and their different personalities, and then analyzes the source of their salvation power. The two heroines originally had different lives and personalities. Later, they came to the same family. They resisted each other from the very beginning and later became dependent on each other. It was the sisterhood, the mother’s love for daughter and the pursuit for pure love give them courage to salvation. 

Through the analysis and research of this paper, it can be found that the two heroines have achieved self-salvation after undergoing resistance and struggle, and have obtained physical and spiritual liberation and freedom. At the same time the salvation in this novel aroused the desire of Afghan women for freedom and equality, which enabled them to break through the confinement of male domination, bravely pursue happiness, and had a far-reaching impact on the liberation of Afghan women.

Keywords:  A Thousand Splendid Suns  salvation  women  resistance

中文摘要：美籍阿富汗作家卡勒德.胡赛尼是第一位用英文撰写的阿富汗作家。他于2003年发表了小说《追风筝的人》获得了一致好评，并由此登上了世界文学的舞台。胡塞尼用温柔细腻写作手法向世人展示了一个真实的阿富汗。他的小说《灿烂千阳》以阿富汗战乱为背景，描述了一个关于不可宽恕的时代，一段不可能的友谊以及不可毁灭的爱。本文一开始通过对两位女主人公不同的遭遇以及不同的人物性格进行了描述，然后分析了她们救赎力量的来源。两位女主人公最初有着不同的生活与性格，后来来到了同一个家庭，从彼此抗拒到相依为命，正是她们之间的姐妹情谊，母亲对女儿的爱以及对纯洁爱情的向往给予了她们救赎的勇气。

通过本文的分析和研究可以发现，两位女主人公在经历了反抗与斗争之后实现了自我救赎，获得了肉体和精神上的解放和自由。同时唤起了整个阿富汗女性对自由平等的向往，使她们敢于冲破男权主义的禁锢，勇敢的追求幸福，对阿富汗女性的解放产生了深远的影响。

关键词: 灿烂千阳；救赎；女性；反抗

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Khaled Hosseini-1

1.2 A Thousand Splendid Suns-1

1.3 Literature Review-3

1.4 Purpose and Organization-4

Chapter Two Salvation Motif Study-5

2.1 Salvation Motifs in Western Literature--from Depravity to Salvation-5

2.2 Afghan Salvation Story--Trauma and Salvation-5

Chapter Three Salvation in A Thousand Splendid Suns-7

3.1 Salvation of the Two Heroines-7

3.1.1 Mariam - Representative of Traditional Afghan Women-7

3.1.2 Leila - Woman Affected by Western Concepts-7

3.2 Source of Power Leading to Their Salvation-8

3.2.1 Sisterhood-8

3.2.2 Affections Between Mother and Daughter-9

3.2.3 Desire for Pure Love-9

Chapter Four Significance of the Heroines’ Salvation-10

4.1 Significance of Salvation to Characters-10

4.1.1 Significance of Salvation to Mariam-10

4.1.2 Significance of Salvation to Leila-10

4.2 Significance of Salvation to Afghan Society-11

Chapter Five Conclusion-13

References-14