Interview with Khaled Hosseini

WINFREY: Hello again, we are sitting here exclusively with Khaled Hosseini, the author of two compelling best-seller novels, The Kite Runner, and A Thousand Splendid Suns. This interview is focused primarily on Hosseini's latest novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns. Before the break I asked Hosseini to consider his voice throught the story.
With the novel in her hands, she turns slightly in her chair to focus her attention and address Hosseini with her following questions
WINFREY: I have here highlighted one of my favorite passages in the novel; I'd love for you to read it to the audience.
Hosseini nodded politely taking the book from Winfrey
HOSSEINI: "Mariam kept thinking of his face in the upstairs window. He let her sleep on the street. On the street. Mariam cried lying down. She didn't sit up, didn't want to be seen. She imagined all of Herat knew this morning how she'd disgraced herself. She wished Mullah Faizullah were her so she could put her head on his lap and let him comfort her. "(35)
WINFREY: Stunning. Truly stunning. Now something that was brought to my attention in this passage was your diction. I can't help but notice your use of repetition throughout the story, particularly in this passage. The last three sentences in this quote start similarly, each opening with "She". Also, there is a clear emphasis on the sentence "On the street" stressed by repeating the sentence fragment. Is there an intentional reason behind this?
HOSSEINI: Yes...yes, I'm glad you brought this up. I do use this type of diction to express-like you said, emphasis. Some of the passages are more subtle, but it is very common throughout the whole novel. Repetition also helps set a cadence of the Farsi language. Since the novel is set in Afghanistan, I want the words, even though they’re in English, to carry a certain rhythm that emulates Farsi. In other parts of the book, I used the same rhythmic language but through the voice of one of the characters. I can present another example of this from the novel, if that’s alright.
WINFREY: Of course, absolutely.
HOSSEINI: “Jalil Khan says that I need to take you back now. Right now. Do you understand? Jalil Khan says so.” Once again I used repetition intentionally to help represent the Farsi language, and to articulate the importance.
WINFREY: Thank you so much Khaled. It’s such a pleasure to be able to learn first hand everything that went into this novel.
Turns back to the audience
When we return, we’ll join Khaled Hosseini again and hear his story of how he got the idea to write the best seller novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns.