Home Fire

As an immigrant, Shamsie opted to wait until after she was granted citizenship from the United Kingdom to publish this novel. Why might she have done that? What are the stakes of a story like this?

Teaching Suggestion: This question can help students think beyond the novel's immediate contexts and fictional characters to the impact that a story like this can have on a writer and their very non-fictional life. If students struggle to make the necessary connections at first, consider reminding them of the novel's themes of The Intersection of Birthplace and National Identity and Loyalty to the Family Versus Loyalty to the State and how those specific themes can also apply to the life and situation of the author herself.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students with executive function differences, English language learners, and/or students who would benefit from first having a visual representation of these somewhat abstract concepts before discussing them, consider providing a graphic organizer, such as a T-chart, for students to document the pros and the cons they believe the author may have had when deciding when to publish her novel. To help students who may be struggling to "get into the writer's head" and may not fully comprehend the risks she faced, you may also consider encouraging students to re-visit the resources in this TU that focus on the experience of British Muslim citizens after 9/11 or directing students to similar resources.