Plot
Subhi finds this treasure washed up by the night sea in Chapter 1
What is a sheashell?
Seen as a father figure to Subhi
Who is Harvey?
This theme is suggested by the quote from Chapter 12: "That night safely tucked into bed Jimmie can't stop smiling. And for the first time in three years Jimmie sleeps the long, deep sleep of someone who finally found what they are looking for"
What is grief?
(Bonus points: the restorative power of the communal act of storytelling)
This technique is used in the following quote: "Someday it whispers. And the sound of the whisper is as brilliant as a thousand stars being born."
What is imagery (simile)?
(Bonus points for contrast or juxtaposition of "whisper" and the hyperbole of "as brilliant as a thousand stars being born."
This narrative feature creates a sense of intimacy or connection between the character and the reader.
What is 1st person narrative voice?
What is a sparrow?
Dismissive of Subhi's imaginative perspective on life, this person is well aware of the hardships facing the refugees
Who is Queeny?
This theme is suggested by the following quotes from Ch 14: "Subhi, I don't want this to end. I want this to last"
and
"I get it. I don't want my Ba's stories to ever end either."
What is the power of story/narrative?
(Bonus answer: the connection between stories, memories, identity and grief; stories as a way for us to hold on to the past and the departed.)
This technique is used in the following quote from chapter 10 "All we see are beautiful lights that dance across the sky. People come from all over just to see those lights dance...Someday, Subhi, you and me, we'll go see those lights boogie through the dark, yeah?"
What is a motif?
(Bonus points: the repetition of lights are the hopes and dreams of Eli and Subhim yearning for freedom.)
This narrative feature creates a sense of distance or separation between the character and the reader.
What is 3rd person narrative voice?
Eli is moved to this part of the camp in Chapter 10
What is Alpha?
Gives Subhi a pebble for his birthday
Who is Nasir?
This theme is suggested by the following quote from chapter 17: "I now know for sure that Queeny was wrong about the sparrow on the bed. It didn't mean death at all."
What is hope?
(Bonus points: the experiences of others allows our own perspective to expand, even if it contradicts our original worldview.)
This technique is used in the quote from Chapter 11: "Watching her go, something in my chest explodes. Now there is a tightness in there that I can't shake, no matter how many breaths I suck in, and an exciting rush in my legs, tingling through my toes. I wonder when she'll come back, Jimmie."
What is metaphor/imagery?
(Bonus points: The tactile imagery of physical sensations experienced by Subhi suggests the powerful connection they have forged from their brief encounter.)
This narrative technique is used to relate the experiences of Mirka, Anka and Oto.
What is a nested narrative (story within a story)?
Oto pulls the baby Anka from inside this
What is a well?
The two wisest and oldest people in Oto's village
Who are Guntis and Mirka?
This theme is suggested from the following quote from Chapter 20: "At the front are six men, their lips closed with string, staring right out at the reader."
What is desperation/hopelessness/hardship?
(Bonus Points: How individuals who lack hope become desperate in their desire for freedom.)
This technique is used in the quote from Chapter 31: "Eli told me his brother dying made his heart bleed so hard that the ache never went away."
What is imagery / hyperbole?
(Bonus points: the hyperbolic imagery of Eli's pain at his brother's tragic death highlights the lasting, and overwhelming pain caused by the death of a family member. This sadly foreshadows the enduring pain that will be felt by Subhi after the death of Eli)
Established in the opening sentences: "Sometimes at night the dirt outside turns in to a beautiful ocean. As red as the sun, as deep as the sky."
What is a motif (symbolism)?
Queeny and Eli show Subhi this item in secret
What is a camera?
Connecting Jimmie's and Subhi's family, this one legged healer from Subhi's family helps Oto find his way to Anka.
Who is Ilya?
This theme is suggested from the following quote in chapter 18: "It doesn't matter what you see. I think it just matters what you feel."
What is subjective experience?
(Bonus points: Subjective experience is more powerful than objective reality.)
This technique is used in the following quote: "'Look Subhi,' Queeny says. She points way out to where the land ends and the sky begins. 'It's the sea.'
What is a motif?
(Bonus points: Queeny acknowledging the sea's existence represents her newfound hope for the future, as they are able, as a family, to move on from their life of incarceration.)
This concept is evoked through the magical elements of the story, as well as the fantastical elements of the nested narrative of Anka and Oto
What is verisimilitude (truth)?