Character Analysis
Where's a kid gonna go when he's got no place to stay? The Altoonians', of course. Vahan finds refuge with his pal from school, and it's a totally wise place to turn to. He describes Pattoo as "courteous, reserved, bookish, scholastically brilliant, and genuinely modest" (11.1), and tells us of his mom: "her eyes were warm, worried, and solicitous, and her voice was as soothing and mature as a mother's voice should be" (11.2). Pattoo and his mom are like the human definition of safe, and when Vahan shows up at their house, he is taken in, bathed, and fed—the Altoonians are nothing but courteous to him.
Now before you go judging them for kicking him out, consider this: Mrs. Altoonian is concerned for her own son's life. It's a horrible time for everyone in Bitlis, and she's not sure if she and Pattoo will be able to stay in their house much longer, let alone keep Vahan. In fact, her husband and older son have already been killed, which understandably wears on her. You might think it's mean of her to tell Vahan to beat it after a week, but she's definitely in a lose-lose situation, and desperate to save the one son she has left.
Plus, to her credit, Mrs. Altoonian welcomes Vahan back with open arms later on. He's scared to knock on her door, but he tells us "without a word, she kissed me and took me inside" (17.6). And she even finds a place for him to stay after he leaves the second time. The Altoonians show us that it's not just Vahan and his family who are in trouble—it's all Armenians—and they show generosity and bravery in helping Vahan, though in many ways they live in fear just as much as the people in Goryan's Inn.