Tea In A Thousand Splendid Suns

According to Haji Ali, “Here (in Pakistan and Afghanistan), we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything - even die.” In the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, two of the main characters, Mariam and Laila, share a literal three cups of tea which allow them to overcome their differences. These two women were strangers who were brought together by arranged marriage. Because of a common feeling of contempt, the women hated their husband Rasheed. As time progressed, Mariam and Laila formed an inseparable bond, even trying to escape their harsh reality to Pakistan. Much like Mariam and