“Afghanistan already had plenty of lost minds, floating like invisible balloons in the air above the land, leaving behind empty-minded people moaning and lonely in the dirt.” (page 25)
Please. Your name. Just one word. Yes or no to their questions. ANYTHING!
I confess that I do not understand her silence. Being able to understand English I know that Parvana has heard the major promise to release her if she is innocent. So why won’t she talk??? I think that I have a limited understanding of her perspective because I have not read the previous books in the series. And despite my personal feeling towards American policies and attitudes as a North American I believe that I am more trusting of Americans than Parvana is.
Her experiences with Afghan’s who have been captured and released suggest that interrogation breaks the mind.
“Sometimes they came out again, angry and vowing revenge. Sometimes they came out trembling and scuttled into the corners to mumble to themselves.” (page 23 -24)
I also wonder how she will be integrated back into her community after the president, Hamid Karzai, ordered her release and return to her family. Spozhmai claims that her brother, a member of the Taliban community, gave her the vest and forced her to do it however she turned herself into the police. Obviously, she was very brave to resist the Taliban but she blatantly opposed her own family by implicating her brother’s involvement in the Taliban and the attempted child suicide bomber. |
“She knew that she did not want to end up like the peddler. She did not want to end up angry and howling for revenge. Who would she get revenge from, anyway? …. To howl for revenge would be a waste of time. And enough of her time had already been wasted already.” (page 25)
“She didn’t want to lose her mind behind these walls. Afghanistan already had plenty of lost minds, floating like invisible balloons in the air above the land, leaving behind empty-minded people moaning and lonely in the dirt.” Page 25
However, she is not so naïve as to only consider her personal misfortunes. Her thoughts and actions also reveal her comprehension of national and international politics in Afghanistan. She is keenly aware of how her words and actions might be perceived by the American army. She is also aware of the complexities and realities of war. Furthermore, her efforts at Leila’s Academy of Hope are evidence of her involvement in advancing education for women as well as policies regarding the treatment and roles of women in society.
Truly, Parvana is a fascinating girl. I am excited to continue reading about our brave protagonist.
How do you think that she will manage to escape?