the story adds complexity to the theme of multiple truths and shows Mariam's shift from childhood to adulthood. The theme of multiple truths is developed through Mariam's desire to see Herat and be a public part of her father's life. She has heard his stories, and believed them, and wants his stories of a full and lively life to be hers as well. However, what she learns is that Jalil has been selective in the information he tells her; he may love her, but only on his own terms. Once Mariam realizes that her father allowed her to sleep on the street rather than bring her into his home, she is traumatized and realizes there is more truth to Nana's stories than she initially thought. Through this realization, Mariam begins to see the flaws in her understanding of her parents; she saw only the surface of Jalil's kindness and Nana's bitterness, not the complex feelings lying beneath their behavior. Thus, Hosseini shows the reader that truth is often more complex than it initially seems, and truth can emerge in unexpected ways. While it's true that Jalil loves Mariam, it's also true that he's ashamed of her. While it's true that Nana resents her lot in life, it's also true that she wants to protect her daughter.
