Archie Cullis

Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen

texts portray the experience of growing up.

In both ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ and ‘Wuthering Heights’ the experience of growing up is
presented as a conflicting and moulding experience; both of which change the main protagonists for
the better of worse. Whether it’s Mariam’s early experience dealing with the cold hearts of men after
Jalil doesn’t take her to see Pinocchio that exposes her to the harsh world of oppression she’s about to
enter; or be it Catherine’s trip to Thrushcross grange from which she returns a more ladylike and less
reckless girl.
Looking at ATSS, we’re given three distinct and separate insights into the tainted childhood of
Afghani women – the main concept that these women have in common and the overall theme that
draws them together is that they’re all put into an awful predicament by men. The significance of
Mariam’s last words to her father, “I used to worship you . . . On Thursdays, I sat for hours waiting
for you . . . I thought about you all the time . . . I didn’t know you were ashamed of me.”, shows her
acceptance and irrelevance in his life – for the first time she understands that she is not wanted by her
own flesh and blood because she is a “Harami”. A title bestowed on her by a man and not something
she asked for in life – it was Jalil who wooed Nana and then cast her away when he realised the
consequences of his actions.
The structure of the sentence is also key to showing Mariam’s development in growing up – the jilted
and separated proclamations from Mariam are key to showing her development into the adult world.
As she accepts 4 distinct and heart-breaking truths she is thrown from the naivety and ignorance of
childhood and immediately forced to grow up. Therefore, for me – Mariam’s experience of growing
up is more of an event than a drawn out period of time due to the fact that she is forced to change so
much as a person in such a short period of time.
Comparatively, in Wuthering Heights, Catherine’s experience of growing up is a drawn out period of
time that spans the entirety of the novel. It’s no coincidence either that Catherine dies at 18, the start
of adulthood. Within 2 years Catherine transcends into a far more vindictive woman and in Nelly’s
eyes her perception of her changes from “I believe she meant no harm” in which nelly only describes
her as all bark and bite with the “bonniest smile” and evolves into a malevolent woman who
“irresistibly impelled by the naughty spirit within her, slapped me on the cheek”. This quote serves to
show how Catherine is tainted by the impending weight of adulthood. One could infer that this is a
metaphor for the death of youth- of how Catherine never truly got a chance to grow up which opposes
the way that that progression of growing up is in ATSS- wherein each character is forced to grow up
too soon as opposed to characters like Catherine who never experience a life outside of the selfishness
of youth.
Additionally, in ATSS, all characters are forced to accept the idea of change. The same is true for
Wuthering Heights. If there’s one thing to be taken away from both novels, it’s the underlying
message that change is inevitable and it’s the experiences that come with change and distortion that
allow people to grow and change as they are. For instance, as a child Laila regards Tariq with no
romantic fantasies as shown in the quotation; “I am not going to cry! Not over you. Not in a thousand
years.” Laila lies to herself about her feelings for Tariq, her exaggerated insistence only shows the
clarity of her emotional persuasion towards him.
Archie Cullis

Later on, Laila shows an utter aversion to this earlier idea after she believes Tariq is dead; “the ache
of his absence was her unremitting companion—like the phantom pain of an amputee.” This quote
perfectly exposes her feelings for Tariq – “the phantom pain of an amputee” the quote is very
effective because it describes how Laila feels as though she has lost a part of herself and is less of a
woman without him – it also tenderly links in with Tariq himself who is an amputee showing that
subconsciously he still sneaks into her mind despites her best intentions; they’re also brought closer
together as they’ve arguably felt each other’s’ pain.
Similarly, in Wuthering Heights, the idea of a childish affection maturing into adult-like romanticism
is reciprocated through the evolution of Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship. Early on in the book,
unknowing of Heathcliff’s absence – Catherine confesses to Nelly that “it would degrade me to marry
Heathcliff, now”. The significance of the “now” section of the sentence is crucial to understanding
Catherine’s mind-set; the admittance of her love for Heathcliff is clear through this singular word but
it also demonstrates a transparent view into Catherine’s childish and shallow nature- one which
prevents her from following her heart due to a conflict of social class.
After some time, Heathcliff returns to Wuthering Heights as an older man and Catherine’s perception
of him has greatly altered. “he took a seat opposite Catherine, who kept her gaze fixed on him as if
she feared he would vanish were she to remove it.”In this moment Catherine can hardly believe he has
returned and she is absorbed by him entirely – the quote “were she to remove it” is her own
recognition of her knowing that is was she that drove him away and therefore her feelings of
responsibility to make him stay.
In conclusion, both authors display in their own way the fragility of youth- of how it can be taken
away from children who are too young and that metaphorically; a life beyond youth is nothing more
than an empty wasteland- they also show how change is an inevitability that cannot be combatted and
must be accepted to live a fulfilled life.