How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"I need this girl to help me walk," her father would tell any Talib who asked, pointing to his leg. He had lost the lower part of his leg when the high school he was teaching in was bombed. His insides had been hurt somehow, too. He was often tired. (1.6)
Father has had a hard life. His mind still seems sharp, but his body has been through the ringer, and he's old and fragile. What makes him want to keep fighting? Wouldn't it be easier if he just stayed at home and let someone else do the work for him?
Quote #2
Her anger melted when she saw her mother pick up the parcel of Hossain's clothes and put it away on the top shelf of the cupboard. Her mother always looked sad when she touched Hossain's clothes. (2.39)
Parvana's brother was killed by a land mine and Hossain's clothes remind Mother of her pain and loss. Her suffering over the loss of her son reminds us that the Taliban isn't the sole destroyer of Afghanistan—this country's been a warzone for twenty years.
Quote #3
"Afghanistan needs more illiterate thugs like you," Father said. One of the soldiers hit him in the face. Blood from his noise dripped onto his white shalwar kameez.
Mother sprang at the soldiers, pound them with her fists. She grabbed Father's arm and tried to pull him out of their grasp.
One of the soldiers raised his rifle and whacked her on the head. She collapsed on the floor. The soldier hit her head a few more times. Maryam and Ali screamed with every blow to their mother's back. (2.75-2.78)
The Taliban have no mercy—they barge right into Parvana's apartment, kidnap Father, and beat Mother up on the process. While the little ones may not fully understand what is happening, they understand their mother's pain and this scares them to death.
Quote #4
Her feet burned and stung with every step. When she took off her sandals, she could see why. Her feet, unused to walking such long distances, were covered with blisters. Most of the blisters had broken, and her feet were bloody and raw.
Nooria and Maryam's eyes widened when they saw the mess of Parvana's feet. They grew wider still when they saw their mother's feet. They were even more torn up and bloody than Parvana's. (4.1-4.2)
Parvana and Mother push aside their physical pain when they are on their way to prison to help father, but when they come home without him, their emotions no longer blind them to their physical suffering. After having their movement so restricted, their bodies are shocked by the use they get on this journey.
Quote #5
"I'd like to sell things off a tray. That way I could move with the crowd. But first I need enough money to buy the extra tray and the things to sell, and we never have extra money."
"We don't, either. Could we really make a lot of money that way?" Often there was not enough money for kerosene, so they could not light the lamps at night. It made the nights very long. (9.22-9.23)
Most Afghani families are living in poverty, with little money to buy food or heat the house, and these are the condition both Shauzia and Parvana live in. Think about it: these two are psyched to find a different way to earn some extra money, but not to buy a video game or download their favorite song—they are eager to make enough money for their families' most basic needs.
Quote #6
Parvana didn't have a clue what was going on. Where were the soccer players?
All of a sudden one of the soldiers took out a sword, raised it above his head and brought it down on the man's arm. Blood flew in every direction. The man cried out in pain.
Next to Parvana, Shauzia started screaming. Parvana clamped her hand over Shauzia's mouth and pulled her down to the floor of the stadium stands. The rest of the stadium was quiet. There was still no cheering. (11.55-11.57)
Geez—Parvana just wants to sell some gum to soccer fans, but the next thing she knows she's watching the Taliban chop off people's hands. What do you think about this scene? How is it written? Does it seem believable?
Quote #7
Parvana was tired. She wanted to sit in a classroom and be bored by a geography lesson. She wanted to be with her friends and talk about homework and games and what to do on school holidays. She didn't want to know anymore about death or blood or pain (12.49).
There's only so much an eleven-year-old girl can take, and up until this point, you have to hand to Parvana: she's been a trooper. But now the poor kid needs a break. She's had enough of violence and adult responsibilities, and longs for her school days.
Quote #8
The marketplace ceased to be interesting. She no longer laughed when a man got into an argument with a stubborn donkey. She was no longer interested in snippets of conversation she heard from people strolling by. Everywhere, there were people who were hungry and sick. Women in burqas sat on the pavement and begged, their babies stretched across their laps. (12.50)
The novelty of the marketplace is wearing off. It was exciting in the beginning and being able to roam about freely is great and all, but after seeing so much misery… well, Parvana has had enough for a while. What does this say about her?
Quote #9
One afternoon, she heard sounds coming from above her. A man was very angry. He was shouting at a woman who was crying and screaming. Parvana heard thuds and more screams. Without thinking, she spray to her feet and looked up at the window, but she couldn't see anything through the painted glass.
"What goes on in man's house is his own business," a voice behind her said. (12.63-12.64)
The Window Woman is clearly being beaten by whoever is holding her captive, but no one can do anything to help her. People know suffering is happening all over Kabul, but they also know that if they speak up or try to fight, they will suffer themselves. In this kind of environment, how can the suffering ever end?
Quote #10
The man who came back from prison was barely recognizable, but Parvana knew who he was. Although his white shalwar kameez was now gray and tattered, although his face was drawn and pale, he was still her father. Parvana clung to him so tightly she had to be pulled away by Mrs. Weera so that her father could lie down. (15.1)
Parvana is so excited to see her father that she doesn't quite understand how much he suffered in prison—and because of this, we realize just how much she's suffered in his absence. This girl is majorly glad to have her dad home.