The Breadwinner Courage Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

"The lesson here, my daughters," he looked from one to the other, "is that Afghanistan has always been the home of the bravest women in the world. You are all brave women. You are all inheritors of the courage of Malali." (2.61)

Father so badly wants his daughters to be courageous, so he tells them the story of Malali. He wants them to understand that bravery isn't attained with age or gender or even race, and that if Malali can inspire the Afghan soldiers to defeat the British, imagine what they can do.

Quote #2

Parvana couldn't sleep. She could hear her mother and Nooria tossing and turning as well. She imagined every single noise to be either Father or the Taliban coming back. Each sound made Parvana hopeful and fearful at the same time. (3.5)

The night of Father's kidnapping is pretty rough. Parvana misses him so much, and now paranoia sets in as she worries that the Taliban will barge back in at any moment. You know how it is when your mind plays tricks on you. Is that sound Father opening the door, or is a Talib solider returning? No wonder this kid can't sleep.

Quote #3

Malali wouldn't be afraid, Parvana knew. Malali would form an army and lead it in a storming of the prison. Malali would lick her lips at such a challenge. Her knees wouldn't be shaking as Parvana's were.

If Parvana's mother was scared, she didn't show it. She marched straight up to the prison gates and said to the guard, "I'm here for my husband." (3.44-3.45)

Parvana is terrified as she and her mother approach the Taliban prison in hopes of rescuing Father. She looks to her role model, Malali, but only feels like she pales in comparison. Meanwhile, nothing can get in Mother's way—and Parvana sees firsthand how courageous a woman can be when her family is threatened. Watch and learn Parvana.