In architecture, contrast is used to create a spectacular entrance. The observer moves from a small, dimly lit space to a large room full of light where he feels the impact of the room due to its contrast with the previous one. In the same way, authors, architects of a book's plot, use contrast to highlight a character's struggles and triumphs. In Thirty Umrigar's The Space Between Us and Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns, the authors use the contrast between two lives to highlight the power of money, education, and gender within Afghan and Indian societies. among many lives, the power of money is punctuated by the difference in wealth in the lives of Bhima and Sera in The Space Between Us. The importance of money is highlighted in A Thousand Splendid Suns with the contrast between prosperity of Mariam's father and her mother's poverty and the difference between Laila and Mariam's lives before and after the war. Centering on the recently abolished caste system, the distinction between Bhima and Sera's financial situations highlights the difference money makes in their society. While Bhima is forced to live in a slum, Sera enjoys the luxuries of her home and Bhima's job. Another luxury that Bhima cannot afford is to welcome Maya's baby. Instead, she is forced to watch her granddaughter suffer the emotional effects of an abortion. While Sera eagerly awaits the birth of her own grandchild, it is she who financially facilitates the abortion of Bhima's great-grandchild. Additionally, due to the pre-existing social constraints of the caste system, Bhima is not allowed to sit on the same furniture or use the same tableware as Sera. Likewise, Mariam's life is also limited by her mother's pove...... middle of paper ... little perspective. As a result, she felt the loss of something that could allow her to realize her dreams. The power of education is also emphasized in The Space Between Us by the divergent lives that Bhima and Maya lead. While Bhima, on the one hand, is destined to always serve others, Maya has the potential to overcome her circumstances through her education. The importance that school can have in Maya's life is repeatedly emphasized by Bhima whose dream for Maya is that she move from her hut with two copper pots to "a kitchen with copper pots and pans." sparkling stainless steel” (page 21). ultimate vision for Maya, achievable only by continuing her studies. Polarized by Bhima's lack of education, which is what she equates to the reason for her almost destitute life, the potential that school can offer a person in India is clearly defined..