Rooftops of Tehran

“‘People in the villages need to be educated,’ he says passionately. ‘We’ll be teaching the adults how to read and write. We’ll teach them about health issues. We’ll help them to dig wells and show them more efficient irrigation techniques.’”

This quote highlights Doctor's passionate nature and his personal investment in ensuring that people in villages and working-class people have a better life. Doctor repeats the word “we” in this quote to emphasize his belief that the power for betterment resides with the people.

“My father once said that nothing leaves you feeling as unprotected as facing the government’s secret police. There’s no authority to appeal to, and no one can save you from the abyss of pain and misery you’re about to be thrown into.”

This quote highlights the people of Iran’s helplessness and fear under the Shah’s regime—they are under constant surveillance and face the looming threat of arrest for any actions that the regime might consider suspicious. Due to the lack of democracy and political transparency, as well as the Shah’s autocratic rule, there is rampant corruption and cruelty; there is no one people can turn to for justice.

“I don’t even want to admit to myself that it was my carelessness that gave Doctor away. I wish I could clench my fist, shake it in God’s face, and howl defiantly. But that would reveal my disgraceful secret. So instead I take my head in my hands and bite my lower lip so hard that a stream of blood flows down my chin.”

This key scene highlights the moment when Pasha internalizes his guilt over Doctor’s death. He believes that he gave Doctor’s location away to the SAVAK agents since he was looking at Doctor from the roof. Ashamed of his actions, Pasha stays quiet and blames himself, and therefore, he is continuously haunted by Doctor’s death and arrest throughout the novel.