"She was being sent away because she was the walking, breathing embodiment of their shame."

Mariam has always been told by Nana that Jalil was hiding her away from the world and does not treat her like he does to his other children but Mariam never believed this until now. After Nana dies, Mariam realizes that Jalil and his family would never accept her. Khaled Hosseini uses figurative language to describe what Mariam is to the family. To Jalil's wives, Mariam "was the walking, breathing embodiment of their shame"(48). Using figurative language, Hosseini shows that the Afghanistan culture greatly values reputation and their social status. Mariam, to Jalil's family, is lower than a maid because she is an illegitimate child and by remaining in Herat, Mariam will continue to remind them of their tarnished reputation.