Khaled Hosseini shows the dangers of patriarchy through the use of ‘a compass needle ’ as a simile, and that women are vital in a society through the use of ‘the rock in the riverbed’ as a simile, and ‘a thousand splendid suns’ as a metaphor. Firstly, Nana tells five-year old Mariam what she sees as the hardest truth of life for a woman in their society. After telling Mariam about the way Jalil had wronged her, Nana shares this pearl of wisdom with her daughter: “…Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman…”(Hosseini 7). This quote introduced Mariam to the fact she was going to be a victim of a male dominant society, just as Nana had been because of the ‘accusing finger’ of a man. The fact that this was said to Mariam as an impressionable, innocent five-year old girl, shows how firm Nana’s belief is in her own statement and that she wants Mariam to be cautious of what the future in Afghan society may bring her.…show more content… Laila sees a vision of a young Mariam, oblivious to her harsh future as a woman. Mariam was later described when it says: “A woman who will be like a rock in a riverbed, enduring without complaint, her grace not sullied but shaped by the turbulence…” (Hosseini 355). This simile refers to Mariam’s courage and endurance when faced with her life’s hardships. The hardships she faced shaped her into the graceful person Laila sees and