82 pages • 2 hours read
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The novel’s protagonist, Fadi Nurzai, is an 11-year-old boy who emigrates to the United States from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. He is described as having “a thin face with unruly dark hair […]. His nose sloped slightly to the left, evidence that he’d broken it once” (36). Fadi is independent and brave, but the loss of his little sister, Mariam, after she fails to board the truck in Jalalabad haunts him. He believes that because he let go of her hand as she reached down to pick up her fallen Barbie doll, he is to blame for her being left behind. Throughout the novel, as Fadi struggles to adjust to his new home and pursue his interests, his guilt weighs on him.
Fadi is characterized by his intelligence, tenacity, and his need to be in control. When Fadi realizes he cannot sneak onto a flight or when he discovers that he has not won the photography contest—both attempts to bring back Mariam—he feels lost because he is no longer in control. The same traits that make Fadi a loyal brother and friend lead him to obsess over his guilt; Fadi’s guilt convinces him that he is responsible for solving his family’s difficulties singlehandedly. Even though every member of his immediate family expresses feelings of guilt for losing Mariam, he dismisses their feelings. It is almost as if losing his belief in his guilt will take away his sense of agency, even though it is only a coping mechanism. Like many heroes, Fadi’s main flaw is hubris.
Once Fadi accepts that he is not responsible for Mariam’s being left behind and begins letting his new friends and family help him, he begins to feel hope in his quest to bring back Mariam. When he recognizes that the winners of the photography competition deserved to win, he becomes open to the teachings of his new mentor, Clive Murray, whose photography leads Fadi back to Mariam. The goal of Fadi’s inner journey is to learn to let go of his belief that he has all the answers and allow himself to be a human being with flaws, just like everyone else.
Mariam Nurzai is Fadi’s six-year-old sister who is left behind when the family is trying to board the truck that will take them across the border to Pakistan. Mariam is talkative and willful. She loves her Barbie doll named Gulmina, an illegal toy in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Her favorite color is bright pink, symbolizing her fiery personality. Mariam is also precocious. In a flashback, Mariam asks if her family has to leave their home because of the Taliban: “‘It’s because of them isn’t it?’ said Mariam, her eyes wise beyond her six years” (109). Born in Wisconsin when her father was a PhD student, Mariam has the advantage of being an American citizen, which makes her less vulnerable than other Afghan refugees. Because of her citizenship, she is more easily found and safely returned to her family.
Habib Nurzai is Fadi’s father and one of the central characters in the novel. Bravery, wisdom, determination, and humility characterize Habib, making him the book’s moral compass and a foil for Fadi’s headstrong recklessness. Habib brough the family back to Afghanistan after receiving his doctorate in agriculture in the United States in 1996. He wanted to help his country move away from growing poppies for the opium trade and use their resources to feed the people. The Taliban helped him at first but became increasingly strict in their interpretation of Islam. Breaking those restrictions had serious consequences, and five years after arriving in Afghanistan, Habib knew he had to leave the country to protect his family.
Habib’s defining trait is that he is a Pukhtun and a Muslim. His cultural and religious identity guides all his actions. When Mariam is left behind in Afghanistan, Habib feels that he has failed his code of honor. Habib is Fadi’s mentor. He wants to teach his son rather than punish him when he does something wrong. For instance, when he finds Fadi hiding in his taxi’s trunk, he does not get angry. Fadi sees “sadness […] mingled with concern” in his father’s eyes (1124). Habib knows that Fadi is worried about Mariam and that despite his son’s rash behavior, his intentions are good.
Habib sets an example for the family by becoming a taxi driver to make ends meet. Despite Habib’s education, he is willing to use any means possible to help his family, even if it means putting aside his pride. Habib’s pride rests in taking care of his family instead of caring about what others think.
Noor begins the story as Fadi’s nemesis. She is a pouty teenager who picks on Fadi and dismisses whatever he says. After fleeing Afghanistan, losing Mariam, and moving to the United States, however, her attitude begins to change. Like Fadi, she feels guilty for losing Mariam. She believes that it is her fault Mariam was lost because she is the oldest and should have been looking after her younger siblings.
When Noor arrives in the United States, her face is “hidden behind a curtain of long, black hair” (455). After Noor gets a job at McDonald’s to help the family with expenses, she cuts her hair out of a practical concern: It is too hot for long hair standing next to the McDonald’s fryer. The change shows Noor’s maturity. It is Noor who gives Fadi the $50 he needs to join the photography club. She even confides details of her personal life to him. We can see Noor’s growth throughout the narrative as she begins to treat Fadi as an equal.
Zafoona is Fadi’s mother. For most of the novel she is ill and unable to take part in family events. Her condition is vague: “She caught a cold at the beginning of winter and it had gotten worse” (102). Unable to receive a diagnosis, she spends the spends most of her time shivering, in and out of sleep. In the United States, a doctor diagnoses her with a serious chest infection and alleviates her symptoms, but the heavy medication keeps her in bed. Her grief ails her even more than her physical condition. Zafoona believes that losing Mariam is her fault: “‘If I wasn’t so sick, I could have looked after her” (576).
Anh Hong is Fadi’s best friend at school and the one who encourages him to enter the photo contest. She is outgoing and confident, running for class president even though her efforts are ignored. When Fadi meets her for the first time, she introduces herself. They become friends because she is able to break through Fadi’s shyness and anti-social attitude.
Anh is smart and strategic. For the photo contest, she suggests to Fadi that they look up the judges and research their interests to have a better chance at winning. Even though Anh is competitive, she does not let her ambition get in the way of her friendship. Anh is the first person Fadi tells about his guilt at losing Mariam, and she is the first person whom Fadi lets comfort him, an experience that helps him open up later in the book.
Ms. Bethune is Fadi’s art teacher and a mentor figure to him. Whereas Habib urges Fadi to follow his morals and beliefs, Ms. Bethune urges Fadi to pursue his creative interests. She becomes a personal mentor for Fadi when he reveals to her why he wanted to win the trip to India so badly. Like Anh, Ms. Bethune gives him a new perspective on his situation. She asks him: “What if you had put that darned Barbie in your bag and both of you had been left behind?” (2153). Like Anh, she tells Fadi that losing Mariam is not his fault. Telling Ms. Bethune his secret relieves Fadi even more than telling Anh did. Both characters serve as guides on Fadi’s path to finally confronting his family about his painful secret.
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