Explicit Information
What is the gift mentioned in the story that the country gave to the world?
Figs
Why did the family burn the trees?
To stay warm and protect their child from dying of cold
Who is the narrator of the story?
A refugee mother
What effect does listing place names (e.g., Anzuki, Halabi) have?
It shows pride in the culture and emphasizes beauty and heritage
What did the husband carry from the orchard?
branches
What happened to the husband?
He was taken by rebels (implied he may have died)
What is the setting of the story?
A war-torn country and later a boat at sea
What does the author compare life to when saying “compressed to the twelve-metre span of this boat”?
Life has been reduced to a small space of fear, survival, and uncertainty
Who is Ocean in the story?
The narrator’s son
Why does the narrator call her son Ocean?
She loves the sea, and it represents hope and freedom
What is the conflict in the story?
The narrator’s struggle to protect her family and escape war
What is the impact of the final line “It is in there”?
It emphasizes hope and inner beauty despite destruction and trauma
Where did the bombs fall?
On the library, marketplace, internet café, street corner, hospital
Why was the last fruit important?
It symbolized the final piece of beauty and life before tragedy struck
What is the climax of the story?
When the rebels take her husband away and the bombs start falling
How does the image of the fig reflect the narrator’s emotions?
The fig turning inward symbolizes pain, hidden beauty, and resilience
What caused the narrator’s family to flee their homeland?
War and bombings
What do the fig and the orchard symbolize?
Their homeland, heritage, culture, and what has been lost but still carries hidden beauty
What is the theme of the story?
Survival, loss, the refugee experience, and hidden beauty or strength in dark times
What effect does using color imagery (“all the colour that could in another life have become bright petals”) have?
It highlights the contrast between lost potential and hidden inner beauty amidst darkness