The book has begun to shift in tone by this point in the novel. More and more serious topics have come up, such as the somewhat graphic descriptions of the mistreatment of girls and women and the Taliban’s actions, and I feel even more connected to Parvana as a character because of it. It’s a daunting message that just when things seem to be getting better or moving forward, someone comes to try and push it back, yet Ellis has already established Parvana as such a resilient character I cannot doubt she will make it through the difficult times that lie ahead of her.
I was really impressed by the level of compassion shown by Parvana, her family, and the school as a whole in this section of the book. The school has limited resources and Parvana’s family lives off donations but they are always willing to take in those people who need their help. Even when the police and angry husbands of runaway wives bully their way into the school and threaten violence against them, Parvana and her family choose to harbor and protect those who really need help. I feel this could teach any student of any age what compassion really looks like and that, no matter how bad things in their lives may appear, there are always opportunities to show compassion towards others. For example, even when Parvana is in prison, she still writes down the poem and hands it to the crying soldier through her window to cheer him up. It was a really powerful and beautiful moment in the story!