The Breadwinner Theme of Family

Family is always pretty complicated, and when you're confined to one cramped room with yours for a year and half like Parvana and her family members are in The Breadwinner, you're pretty much stuck with each other. But Parvana's family doesn't stop at blood relatives, and we'd be willing to argue that Mrs. Weera becomes a pretty important member of their clan too. Is Shauzia like another sister to Parvana? Does Homa become like family? With the Taliban doing everything it can to isolate people, coming together is pretty powerful in this book.

Questions About Family

  1. Why does Shauzia view family obligations differently than Parvana?
  2. How are family roles assigned in Parvana's family?
  3. Why is Nooria so eager to marry out of her family?
  4. How does Mrs. Weera deal with the loss of her family?

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

Parvana's family illustrates that the father is the most important figure.

Mrs. Weera and Shauzia are a part of Parvana's family.