Prompt: You have read an excerpt from Great Expectations by the English author Charles Dickens and read a passage from A Thousand Splendid Suns by the Afghan American author Khaled Hosseini.
Think about the ways in which the main characters are influenced by the people around them. Write
an essay analyzing the social positions occupied by Pip and by Mariam and how the people around
them either help or hinder them. In your analysis, discuss the extent to which Pip and Mariam are
influenced by the values and expectations of those with whom they interact. Use specific details
from both passages to support your response.