Emily Dickinson said, "Hope is a thing with feathers," but what does that even mean? For Parvana and her people in The Breadwinner, hope is how they get through the day. It could come in the form of a mountain, a friend, or a marriage proposal, but whatever it is, hope gives them reason to believe that tomorrow will be better than today. And in this way, hope transports them through their days—kind of like wings… which have feathers. Boo ya.
Questions About Hope
- Is hope a naive or useless emotion in the midst of war, oppression, and poverty?
- How does Parvana's family find hope?
- What role do the little children play in staying hopeful?
- How does Mrs. Weera keep such a positive, hopeful attitude?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
If Father didn't have hope he would have died in prison.
Mother would have lost all hope without Mrs. Weera, which would have been extremely dangerous for her children.