The Breadwinner

These opening chapters set the scene in the war-torn and nearly destroyed city of Kabul. The tragic destruction of the city is alluded to in Nooria’s memories: “Kabul had once been beautiful. Nooria remembered whole sidewalks, traffic lights that changed color, evening trips to restaurants and cinemas, browsing in fine shops for clothes and books” (16). Parvana, on the other hand, remembers the city only in its ruinous state: “There were bombed out buildings all over Kabul. Neighborhoods had turned from homes and businesses into bricks and dust” (16). The destruction of the city is also represented in the family’s descent into poverty; each home they lived in was destroyed by bombs. The trauma and devastation in the family’s changed situation is evident in Parvana’s reflection that “she didn’t want to think about everything the bombs had taken away, including her father’s health and their beautiful home. It made her angry, and since she could do nothing with her anger, it made her sad” (17).

Parvana’s family’s poverty is evidenced by their very small, one-room home, which the family of six must share. Parvana’s father sells his false leg, which significantly hinders his mobility. This illustrates the family’s destitution and desperation. Parvana is devastated when her mother instructs that her shalwar kameez must be sold: “‘My good shalwar kameez! We can’t sell that!’ [...] she ran her fingers over the intricate embroidery. It had been an Eid present from her aunt in Mazar-e-Sharif” (23).

In a broader sense, Afghanistan’s war-torn recent history is outlined. Ellis uses conversations among the family and Parvana’s reflections about their changed situation to give a brief history of the country. Nooria’s comment to Parvana, “You were such a ugly baby, the Soviets couldn’t stand to be in the same country as you,” situates the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan as occurring about 11 years earlier (13). After that point, the Taliban rose to power. A period of civil war in the country is alluded to in Parvana’s reflection that once the Soviets withdrew, the people of Afghanistan “shot at each other. Many bombs fell on Kabul during that time” (13). Finally, Parvana recalls moments such as her and her sister’s being disallowed from school a few years earlier and her mother’s losing her job writing content for a radio station, indicating the Taliban’s seizure of power and institution of strict and repressive laws, particularly against women.

The suddenness of the institution of oppressive laws limiting women’s freedom is alluded to in Parvana’s memory of walking with her family:

The whole family had been out walking together, in the time before the Taliban. Mother and Nooria just wore light scarves around their hair. Their faces soaked up the Kabul sunshine […] the sound of the family’s laughter scampered up Mount Parvana and back down into the street (18).

The women’s greater freedom at that time is evident in their bare faces, which could soak up the sunshine. The family’s laughter also highlights the comparative happiness of that period. The novel’s events take place only a few years later; Parvana is only 11, and she remembers this family walk clearly. Now, Parvana’s mother and Nooria cannot leave the house without a male escort and without being completely covered by a burqa. The oppressive and limiting nature of the burqa is clear in the fact that Nooria cannot help carry water, as she would not be able to manage the stairs with a bucket of water while wearing it. This is further emphasized by Parvana’s question to her father as they carefully walk around potholes and war-damaged streets, “How do women in burqas manage to walk along these streets?” (17). Her father simply responds, “They fall down a lot” (17).

In these anecdotes, Ellis quickly establishes The Suppression of Women under the Taliban Regime as an important theme in The Breadwinner. Nooria sobs when she learns that she cannot return to high school. The Taliban's determination that women should cease to be part of public life is clear in their order to paint windows: “The Taliban had ordered all windows painted over with black paint so that no one could see the women inside” (36). Parvana’s mother is furious that she must have a note from her husband to be allowed to walk the streets alone, as if she were a child. Her reaction highlights the humiliation borne by Afghan women, who were no longer treated as self-sufficient adults. Parvana recalls that many artificial legs were sold at the market, an indicator of the terrible cost of war; individuals are constantly at risk of losing limbs, or their lives, from land mines and bombs. For women in particular, the market for artificial limbs means they are likely to have theirs taken away and sold, marking an additional loss of freedom: “Since the Taliban decreed that women must stay inside, many husbands took their wives’ false legs away. ‘You’re not going anywhere, so why do you need a leg?’” (16).

Connected to this is the immense grief of Parvana’s parents over Hossain’s death, who was killed by a land mine at 14 years old. Parvana knows that her parents never talk about him because “to remember was too painful” (25). Her mother “always looked sad when she touched Hossain’s clothes” (25). Parvana later will be able to adopt the persona of a boy because of her grief-stricken mother’s decision to keep his clothing; in a way, this allows the family to preserve an aspect of his presence.

The dangers inherent in intellectualism and foreign ideas under the Taliban are clear in the violent raid of the family’s home and the arrest of Parvana’s father. A Talib (a solider of the Taliban) yells, “Why did you go to England for your education? […] Afghanistan doesn’t need your foreign ideas!” (31). This scene emphasizes the regime’s violence: “One of the soldiers hit him in the face. Blood from his nose dripped onto his white shalwar kameez” (31). Prior to this invasion and attack, Parvana admired her father’s handsome, clean appearance; the redness of the blood on his clean white garments visually represents the contrast between the regime’s brutality and her father’s pure, reasoned way of life. Parvana’s father must hide his books in a secret compartment in their cupboard, or the Taliban will find them and burn them.

Parvana’s Emerging Maturity and Bravery is another important theme throughout The Breadwinner. Her father instructs her to “take care of the others, my Malali,” as he is dragged from their home (31). The Taliban’s attack interrupted his telling his daughters the tale of the bravery of a young girl who stood with Afghan troops against the invading British soldiers; thus, the heroic Malali becomes an important symbol for Parvana. Her story reminds Parvana to embody the resilience and bravery of Malali and other Afghan women. Parvana watches in silent horror as the soldiers drag her father from the room and destroy their home, but when they nearly discover his books, she springs into action. Inspired by Malali’s courage, she yells “Get out of my house!” and throws herself at the soldiers (32). Outside the prison, Parvana reminds herself to be Malali and joins in her mother’s yells: “I’m here for my father!” (41). Once again, Parvana stands up for herself when the Talib man beats her on the street. “Stop hitting me!” Parvana yells, furious, and runs from the Talib (55). These anecdotes illustrate her displaying the bravery of Malali and serve as examples of the bravery of Afghan women, who continue to resist oppression despite the risk of torture and death.