Chapters 1-3
In chapter 1, what does Father mean when he says, "Afghans cover the earth like stars cover the sky"?
In chapter one, when Father says "Afghans cover the earth like stars cover the sky" he means that people from Afghanistan have fled the country and now occupy other places. Many Afghans left the country due to problems with the Taliban. Refugees from Afghanistan live in all places around the world, therefore like Father said, they "cover the earth". At night, you can find stars all around the sky and everywhere you look.
In chapter 4, the author states that Mother and Father often argued about staying in Afghanistan or leaving. Mother wanted to leave Afghanistan and Father wanted to stay. Analyze what Mother and Father's different mindsets tell the reader about their intentions and point of views?
In chapter 4, Father wants to stay in Afghanistan and he says, "This is our home. If all the educated people leave, who will rebuild the country?". Father's words show that his intentions are to stay in Afghanistan to rebuild the country after the Taliban is overthrown. Father explains that he believes in his country's future. He also believes that with educated people, Afghanistan can be rebuilt and return to a beautiful place. Mother wants to leave Afghanistan for better opportunities. In the passage Mother says. "If we left Afghanistan when we had the chance, I could be doing my work." Mother is unhappy that she was forced out of her job because of the Taliban, therefore she wants to leave Afghanistan and start a new life. She believes that leaving Afghanistan will provide her and her family with a better life and opportunities.
In chapter 7, Parvana could not stop thinking about the Talib that asked her to read a letter for him so, "All day long, though, her thoughts kept floating back to the Talib who missed his wife." Why do you think Parvana could not stop thinking about the Talib? How was this experience with the Taliban different from the other ones that she has had? What did she learn from this experience?
Parvana could not stop thinking about the Talib that asked her to read a letter for him because of the way that he reacted to it and displayed his emotions. After hearing the letter about his wife, the Taliban soldier started to cry. This experience with the Taliban soldier was different from the other ones because the Taliban has been cruel and merciless towards Parvana but, this time the Taliban did not target her for breaking rules. Parvana was surprised that she was not approached by the Taliban in a negative way and instead the Taliban actually wanted her to read him a letter. From this experience, Parvana learned that not all Taliban soldiers are emotionless and intrusive but, they actually have feelings of their own.
In chapter 10, Parvana asks Shauzia, "The people who are buried here. Do you think they'd mind us digging them up?" "Would you mind? Shauzia looked at her, opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again and returned to her digging. Parvana didn't ask her again." Why do you think Shauzia stalled and did not answer Parvana's question?
Shauzia stalled and did not answer Parvana's question because she would mind if someone dug up her grave. Shauzia and Parvana justify digging up people's graves when they say that if the people were kind and generous they wouldn't mind. Shauzia does not want to answer Parvana because it would be insensitive and hypocritical to care about her grave being dug up even though she is doing the same things to others.
In chapter 13, Parvana is unhappy because she does not want to go to Mazar for Nooria's wedding. Instead, she wants to stay home and wait for Father if he gets released from prison. What else makes Parvana upset about the situation? What theme is displayed when Parvana wants to stay and wait for Father to be released from prison?
Parvana is upset when Mother demands that she go to Mazar for Nooria's wedding because making her own decisions and deciding her own schedule has been interrupted. She is dismayed when she is no longer able to be independent while making decisions. The theme that is displayed is never giving up hope on family. Parvana displays this theme because she still believes that Father will return. The reason that Parvana is adamant about staying in Kabul is because she wants to be there to help Father if he comes home.
In chapter 2, "Parvana knew she had to fetch the water because there was no one else in the family who could do it. Sometimes this made her resentful. Sometimes this made her proud." Why does Parvana feel both proud and resentful?
Parvana is proud that she is the only one in the family able to get water because she feels like she is reliable and very important for her family. Parvana feels reliable and important because she knows that without her, her family would not have water. Parvana is resentful that she is the only one in the family that is able to get water because all of the responsibility is on her. On the days that Parvana's feet hurt and she is tired, Parvana hates having to carry heavy buckets of water up several flights of stairs instead of relaxing.
In chapter 4, "Nooria looked terrified. If Parvana didn't obey her, she would have to go for food herself. Now I've got her, Parvana thought. I can make her as miserable as she makes me. But she was surprised to find that this thought gave her no pleasure." Think about how Nooria feels and looks, as well as why. Also, why does the thought of making Nooria miserable not satisfy Parvana?
When Parvana looks at Nooria she looks terrified because she knows that Parvana does not have to obey her, since Mother is not there to take her side. Nooria also feels terrible because she knows that Parvana could make her go buy food for the family. The thought of making Nooria miserable does not satisfy Parvana because Parvana hated the way Nooria made her feel. Therefore Parvana does not want anyone else to feel the way that she did when Nooria mistreated her. Parvana also realises being reluctant to go get food would not help anyone in her family and only hurt them more since they are already starving.
In chapter 7, "It felt so good that she almost felt no regret as she watched the vibrant red cloth flutter in the breeze as it was carried away into the crowded labyrinth of the market, never to be seen again." Why do you think Parvana did not regret selling her beautiful red Shalwar-Kameez? What does this tell you about her character?
Parvana did not regret selling her beautiful red Shalwar-Kameez because it felt good for her to earn extra money for the family. Parvana knew that the money she made was going to help her family, so that was all she cared about. Since Parvana did not regret selling her Shalwar-Kameez for money, a lot is revealed about her character. Parvana's character in the story is very selfless in this situation because she was only concerned about earning more money for her family and not losing her favorite piece of clothing. Parvana's actions show that she cares more about what others have rather than what she has.
In chapter 10, Parvana and Shauzia begin digging up graves in a ruined cemetery to earn more money so that they can buy trays to sell things off of. How does the author make this topic less gruesome for the readers and the characters in the story?
The author makes this topic less gruesome for the characters and readers by adding humor to the story. Humor is added to the story when Shauzia and Parvana put a skull on top of a gravestone to serve as their mascot. Parvana and Shauzia also say that the skull on the gravestone can be their "boss" to make sure that they are doing their job right. When Parvana digs up the skull she says that it is grinning because it is happy to be out in the sunshine after being in the dark ground for a long time. The two also make the skull nod in response to being happy and in the sunshine instead of underground. The silly little pieces of humor that is added to the story by the author make the heavy topic easier for the characters and readers.
In chapter 14, Parvana finds a woman in a building late at night during a storm. Parvana does her best to get this woman to safety. Parvana faces multiple challenges while trying to help this woman. How does the way that Parvana handles these situations reveal her character?
When Parvana faces challenges while trying to help the woman she stays calm and collected. Parvana also thinks of various ways that she can persevere through these problems. When the woman does not have a burqa, Parvana thinks of a way to solve this problem by going home to get Mrs. Weera's. This solution does not work since the woman does not want to be left alone, so Parvana has to guide her through the streets at night and in the dark so that no one sees them. When Parvana thinks that she is lost on the street, she takes a second to get her bearings and regroup so that she can continue on her way. Both of these examples show that Parvana can persevere and work through any situation. Parvana was also very kind and caring towards the woman because she did her best to make her feel comfortable and get her to the apartment safely.
In chapter 2, a Taliban soldier says "Afghanistan doesn't need your foreign ideas" after asking father why he got an education in Europe. What does the Taliban soldier mean by this? What does it tell you about the Taliban?
When the Taliban soldier says to father "Afghanistan doesn't need your foreign ideas." he means that they don't want anyone to have different ideas, opinions, or knowledge from another country. The Taliban does not want the people to form their own opinions about Afghanistan that could be influenced by other countries and lead to people opposing the government. This tells the reader that the Taliban wants to control everyone's point of view and have complete power over civilians.
In chapter 5, Parvana runs into Mrs. Weera in the Market while running from the Taliban. When Mrs. Weera realises it was Parvana, she goes to their apartment to talk to Mother about starting a magazine. When she gets there she realizes that their family is not doing well so she helps them get back into a routine. What can you infer about Mrs. Weera's character from her actions?
The reader can infer that Mrs. Weera is always willing to help someone. When Mrs. Weera helped Parvana's family return to a normal state she knew exactly what needed to be done. Mrs. Weera helped Mother brush her hair and put on clean clothes so that she could start to feel like herself again. She also told Parvana to fill the water bucket so that the house would be replenished with the water that they needed to carry out certain chores like cleaning. Mrs. Weera took control of the household in order to restore a routine in their lives. These actions of Mrs. Weera show that she is confident, strong, independent, and very helpful.
In chapter 8, "She let out a gasp and slapped a hand across her mouth. The tea boy was a girl from her class."While Parvana was helping a tea boy pick up his spilled tea tray, she realized that the boy was actually a girl from hr class that she knew. Why was it so surprising for Parvana when she realized that the tea "boy" that she met was a girl?
Parvana was very surprised to find out that the tea "boy" that she saw was actually a girl because she realized that she is not the only one disguised as a boy. Parvana also realizes that there are other people like her in Kabul. She was also very surprised because Parvana thought it was a crazy idea to dress up like a boy and that no one else would have the same thought process.
In chapter 11, "Parvana found she could not bear to say it to her mother's face. I was digging up graves." Why did Parvana struggle to tell her mom what she did?
Parvana struggled to tell her mom what she did because she was ashamed of the disrespectful things that she did to other people's graves. Parvana is also afraid of how family will react to her actions and how they will view her as a person. Even though Parvana felt uneasy about digging up graves she still did it anyway because she wanted the money, therefore Parvana feels guilty about her actions.
In chapter 14, "Parvana came home from work to find two men gently helping her father up the steps to the apartment. He was alive. At least part of the nightmare was over." What does Parvana mean when she thinks to herself "At least part of the nightmare was over."? What mood does this create in the story?
When Parvana thinks to herself "At least part of the nightmare is over" she means that because her father has returned, it is one less family member for her to worry about. Parvana is trying to articulate that worrying about her missing family has been a nightmare, so when her father came home part of it was over. When Father comes home from prison a hopeful mood is created in the story because it gives Parvana hope that the rest of her family will return as well.
In chapter 2, Father is telling a story about Malali, a strong and brave young girl, encouraging the Afghan army to fight off the british. What influence does This have on Parvana, Nooria, and Maryam? What can you infer about Father's character when he tells this story?
When Father tells a story about brave and strong Malali, it influences his daughters because it helps them feel empowered. By telling this story, Parvana, Maryam, and Nooria are encouraged to be a supportive leader for their country. The girls are reminded that they are powerful and that they have the power to make a difference. The reader can infer that Father is a big inspiration towards his daughters and that he always believes in them. The reader can also infer about Father's character that he is very caring towards his daughters and that he will always protect them. Father also wants his daughters to be passionate and driven about anything.
In chapter 6, Nooria, Mother, and Mrs. Weera propose the idea of turning Parvana into a boy so that she could blend into the market easier and not be recognized as a girl. At first Parvana refuses and thinks the idea is crazy but, when Mrs. Weera says that ultimately it is her choice Parvana it is easier for her to agree. How does it affect Parvana's attitude towards her decision when Mrs. Weera says that it is her choice?
When Mrs. Weera gives Parvana the choice to turn into a boy it makes Parvana more inclined to agree. This is because Parvana feels like she is in control of the decision and not being forced into doing something that she doesn't want to do. Parvana is also able to understand the commitment that she is making and how it will help her family.
In chapter 9, Parvana says " So there were other girls like her in Kabul!" What can you infer about Parvana's point of view knowing that there are other girls like her in kabul?
You can infer that Parvana is excited because there are other girls like her in Kabul. Parvana is excited that Shauzia is disguised as a boy like her because they have something in common. The girls are also able to stick together in the Market. Shauzia and Parvana have the opportunity to work together and come up with ideas on how they can both make more money.
In chapter 12, Parvana chooses to take a couple of days off after what she saw at the stadium. No one says anything to Parvana about when she will be working again or doing more food shopping. What does this show about everyone's character development? What theme does this portray?
When no one in the family such as Nooria, Mother, or Mrs. Weera says anything to Parvana about working it shows that they respect her independence and decisions. Her family has learned to respect her decision to take a couple days off of working because of what she saw in the stadium. Parvana needs time to process the trauma of seeing those events. Everyone's character has developed because normally, Nooria would have made a rude comment to Parvana about her not working. Mrs. Weera and Mother have developed as characters because they would both strongly encourage Parvana to go to work so that she could provide for the family. Even though Parvana does not feel like working, she still went out to the market to earn money for Nan since they ran out of it. The theme that these actions show are maturity because Parvana realises what her responsibilities are and that she cannot just give up on them. Her family matures because they learn to respect Parvana and they realise how much she does for the family.
In chapter 15, Parvana says "I feel like I'm working for something now" How does Parvana's point of view of her life change once her father comes home?
When Father comes home Parvana's point of view of her life becomes more positive because she feels like she actually has a purpose. Parvana feels way more motivated to work because she knows what she is working for. She is working very hard in the market each day to earn money for her family, especially for her father's medicine. When Parvana lost all of her family she had no motivation or direction in her life and she felt unsatisfied with everything. Now that her father has returned she has gained her motivation back.
In chapter 3, Parvana wants to leave a light in the window to guide Father home if the Taliban releases him from prison. How does Parvana's hopeful character trait relate to the theme of the story?
One of the themes from the story is to never give up hope. This theme relates to Parvana's character traits because she never gives up hope that her father will return. Parvana is hopeful that her father will be released from prison, therefore she needs to leave a light on to help him find his way home. Parvana's hopeful character traits show that she always believes in her father. This supports the theme because Parvana never stopped believing that her father would return.
In chapter 6, "Parvana looked at the hair in her mother's hand. While it was on her head, it had seemed important. It didn't seem important any more." How do Parvana's feelings about the importance of her hair change? What does she realize?
Parvana's feelings about the importance of her hair change because at first thought Parvana was unsure about chopping her hair off but, she soon realized that her hair is not as important as she thought it was. Parvana knew that disguising as a boy was more important than the amount of hair on her head. She knew that in order for her to go out and get food for her family without being bothered she needed to disguise as a boy. Part of that disguise would be having short hair. Parvana understands that her hair was much more important to her when it was still on her head, rather now when it is already chopped off.
In chapter 9, "Parvana grabbed Shauzia's arm and forced her to stop walking. "My father's coming back, she said. He is coming back!" Analyze Parvana's words and actions. Why did Parvana get very upset when Shauzia mentioned her father not coming back?
Parvana got very upset when Shauzia mentioned her father not coming back because Parvana misses her father greatly and could not imagine the thought of him not coming back home. Parvana is also very overwhelmed with not having her father around and seeing how it also affected the rest of her family. She also gets very distressed at the thought of giving up hope on her father because she believes that he will be released from prison.
How does the setting in the story "The Breadwinner" affect the plot?
The setting in the story "The Breadwinner" is Afghanistan during the occupation of the Taliban. In Afghanistan, during this time, much of Kabul is destroyed from war. Women have not had many rights or opportunities since the Taliban took over. If the story took place in a different time period without the Taliban, Afghanistan would have been a beautiful place to live just like it was when Parvana was born. If Parvana's family had lived in a different country, they would have many more opportunities as women such as working at a job, going to school, and not having to wear a burqa. The setting affects the plot because without these problems where the story takes place, there would be no conflict to contribute to it.
In chapter 15, "Homa helped, too, mostly by keeping Mrs. Weera's granddaughter quiet so Father could rest." "He told us where he lived, so my friend and I put him on our karachi and brought him here." What theme about Afghan people does Homa and the two men help unveil to the reader?
When Homa helped keep Mrs. Weera's grandchild quiet so that Father could rest it shows that she is a kind and caring person. The two men were very generous towards Father when they brought him home from prison since he could not get home by himself. These characters show a theme that Afghan people are incredibly helpful and thoughtful towards others even if they don't know them very well.