Today, we began our novel, The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis. We worked in small groups to share our facts about the author Deborah Ellis, and we learned that she conducted extensive reporting from Afghan refugee camps. This reporting helped inspire her to write The Breadwinner, the royalties from which she donates entirely to Women for Women International.
Now that we have explored Chapter 1 together, share your ideas, below, on which character you would most want to meet so far: Nooria, the high school students who is very upset by what has happened? Parvana, who at first likes not going to school, but then comes to see it as a terrible fate? Their father, whose leg has been lost to a bomb, yet still seems to retain hope and even a sense of humor?
Even though these characters are facing terrible circumstances, each already shows bravery and courage.
Choose which of these characters you would want to meet, and share what you might ask them or what you might want to talk about below. Why would you choose this person and why would you want to talk about these questions?
Our word for the day today was OBFUSCATE, which means to hide, and our word for the day yesterday was ASTUTE, which means understanding or able to comprehend clearly.
I would talk to their father. I would how life is living down there. I would ask what he thinks of the Taliban. I would want to know if he thinks women should have more rights.
ReplyDeleteDavid Sampson
I would talk to their mother. I would ask her if she thinks women should have the same rights men do. I would also ask her how she felt when her houses were bombed.
ReplyDelete--Sara Picariello
I would want to talk to Nooria. I would ask her what she thought of being kicked out of school and what she thought of the Taliban. I would talk to her because she seemed very distruaght when she was kicked out of school. I would ask her these questions not only so i could get a females persepctive but also so I could tell others what the Taliban are doing to people and what people think.
ReplyDeleteDwight Childers
i would like to talk to there mother because it must be hard being a women back then and under taliban rules women can't work. i would like to discuss that with the mother
ReplyDelete--Henry DiNapoli
I would talk to their father. I would ask his what went through his head when the bomb went off. I would also ask him if he could move out of Afghanistan with his family would he? I would also ask him if he thinks that woman should have the same rights as men. last i would ask him if he likes the way that the Taliban is ruling Afghanistan.
ReplyDelete--Natalie L'Ecuyer
I would meet the father. I haven't read much of the book yet, but I'd like to know what "group" blew up the school the father worked in. Possibly al-Queda. Just an idea.
ReplyDeleteI would want to meet Pavana because I would woant to see what it is like to go out into public being a girl around where she lives. It seems really interesting of what people might do if they saw her. Also if one of the Taliban soldiers saw her and didn't let her stay.
ReplyDeletei would choose their father because he may have the most stress in this situation. I mean, he has one leg, none of his family can make any money because their either too young or a woman, and he has to sell all the belongings that he has left is his small house; AND there are bombs dropping all over the place every night. So, that's obviously really stressful, and I would want to help him with that.
ReplyDelete--Emily Rypinski
I would talk to their mother. I would ask how hard it was to readjust to such a controlled life once the Taliban came to control Afghanistan. I would ask her how difficult it was to stay in a one-room house and take care of four children.
ReplyDelete--Olivia Diodato
I would talk to Nooria. I would ask what she was aspiring to be before the Taliban became in power. I would also ask if she thinks she is ever going to finish school and what advice she would give to those lucky enough to be in school.
ReplyDeleteI would talk to Parvana. I would ask her about how she feels about not being able to go to school, if she wants to go back, and how she feels about the Taliban's rules.
ReplyDelete-Colleen Guerriero
I would want to talk to their father most. He ha suffered so much but still retains his hope. I would ask him if he can see a solution to their situation and if so, how he would try to make it work.
ReplyDelete-Tessa
I don't know who I would like to talk to yet. Each of the characters seem mysterious, the first chapter only gave us a brief introduction of each character, so I don't know who I'd like to speak with the most. Each character must have an interesting story and I believe as the book progresses we will learn them, and then I might be able to make a choice. Now they are as mysterious as my shadow.
ReplyDeleteNick Joe Lewis
I would want to meet Parvana's father. I would ask him how he is so optimistic and determined, even after everything that has happened. I would also ask him what he thinks of how the Taliban treat women, and whether he thinks they should be allowed more rights. I would speak to him because I think it is amazing how he keep s a figurative "smile" on his face even though he has had a tragic past, and that is something not just I, but everyone in the world could benefit from. This is also why I would ask him these specific questions.
ReplyDelete--Shreya Kumar
I would like to meet Parvana. I would like to ask her what living in a war torn country for all of her life has been like for her. Also, I would ask her if given the chance to move out of Afghanistan and to someplace where she could go to school would she take this chance even if she new nothing about this place and it had a totally different culture.
ReplyDeleteFiona Morrison
I would want to talk to the mother and ask her questions about her own life and how she feels about it. I would ask her how she feels about the rules of the Taliban also. I would want to ask her these questions because I want to know how it feels to have to live under the Taliban rule as a woman.
ReplyDeleteI would like to meet Parvana. I would want to ask her about what it was like stayinin one room with all your family. I would also ask her about the times when the guards would stop her in the market, and ask her about how she felt after she lost her first hime.
ReplyDelete--Anna Shlimak
I would like to talk to the mother about how she feels and how she was fired from her job and I would like I would like to hear her story about being a woman in this time and placement
ReplyDeleteI would like to meet Nooria, Because she is facing the harsh rules of no school and not being able to leave her families one room home and I would love to know what she feeling. I would also ask her about the before and after "sightings" she has remembered - this would be interesting to see the war perspective from a child/teen.
ReplyDelete--Anna Laursen
I would like to meet Father. I would like to ask him what it was like going from a teacher in a school with a steady paycheck to a person who sits on the ground in the market place reading letters not sure if he would make enough money for food. I would chose Father because he seems very kind and nice and I would ask him those questions because it must be very hard for him and I want to know or understand what that would be like.
ReplyDeleteWho I would choose would be Parvanas dad. I would like to meet her dad because after all he has been through, getting his leg blown off, he still goes out to the market everyday reading and writing for people. What i would ask him is how do you do it? I live my life judging mine and his a lot easier and i am still tired at the end of the day wanting the weekend to come!
ReplyDeleteI would want to meet Parvana's Father because even though he's lost a leg and his previous job he still remains hopeful and I'd want to know how. I would ask him what he thinks about that keeps him optimistic through the terrible times he encounters. I would want to ask this so that maybe if I go through something really hard I can use his advice and that might keep me as optimistic as him.
ReplyDelete-Gwyneth Smedley
^^^^^^ --Olivia Gomez
ReplyDeleteI would want to meet Parvana's father. I admire his optimism, and I think it is inspiring to see how he keeps hope despite all he has been through. I would ask him about how he finds life in Afghanistan under the Taliban and what he thinks about their rules. I am also curious about his customers, since many people would either be too poor due to bombings or wouldn't think his services important enough to spend money on. I wonder what kind of people come to him and what they want to have read or written.
ReplyDeleteLiza Toll
I nooria because then i could ask her if she would rather go on living or die. Also i would ask her if she would die to set her country free. Finally i would ask what would she do to save her family.
ReplyDelete--Sean McNamara
I would want to meet Parvana's father because of his positivity. We've found out that he can make jokes even though he's lost his leg and his previous job as a teacher. I would ask him what he thinks about and what he does that keeps him optimistic so that if I go through hard times I could use his advice to keep myself as up-beat as one could be in rough situations.
ReplyDelete-Gwyneth Smedley
i would ask the father how he stays so up beat with a broken leg and what his opinion of the Taliban is
ReplyDeleteI'm really not sure who I would like to meat yet, but if I had to chose one character, it would probably be their mother. This is my choice because I would like to know what it is like to be under the rule of the Taliban. Also, I wonder what it was like to have to tell her daughters that they can no longer go to school, and to have to tell her children that they may not go outside.
ReplyDelete--Riley Neville--
I would like to meet the Father, he seems very smart and could probably tell all about what his life is like living under Taliban rule.
ReplyDelete--Collin Burns--
I would want to meet Parvana's mother. Though, we haven't read much about her so far, we have learned that she was a former female radio show writer. I would want to meet her because she is seeing first hand the harsh rules and laws made by the Taliban. For one, she is a woman who received a full education (not something many Afghan women have), and she has been working as a female (something the Taliban forbids). I admire her courage to learn, and intelligence to be a writer and it would be a really interesting experience meeting her.
ReplyDelete--Raiya Suliman
I would want to talk to the father. I would want to ask him what was it like in the school when the bomb was dropped on it and how it felt. I want to ask these questions to get an understanding how strict the Taliban's are about the whole no girl going to school rule. and understand how there culture works.
ReplyDelete-Jacob elliott
I would like to meet Parvana and I would ask her how she feels about the rules and how she feels about how the people are punished. I would also ask her if she would rather be in school, or stay at home all day and help her dad walk. I would be curious to see what a girl around my age would think about these situations who was living there.
ReplyDelete--Meili Stanten
i would like to meet. i would ask her what makes her so courageeuos and determined after all that she has been through. i would also answer if she would move another place where women have more rights.
ReplyDelete----ROBERT ARELLANO
i would want to meet Nooria. i would want to ask her what is it like to be in the middle of you getting your education, and then to be pulled from school and to never complete it. Nooria was is in high school so she must've had a plan for her life on what to do with that education; but now with no education, no future. to have all that possibility taken away from your reach, and then being told you must not leave your one room house must've been devastating. i would like to get her opinion on everything that had happened.
ReplyDelete-GIANNA
I would love to talk with Parvana's father. I would listen to his opinion about the Taliban. Also i would like to hear him talking about how painful it is for him and his family to be living in a one room apartment. I wonder how he manages to pull off a smile even considering all that he has been through.
ReplyDelete-Devin Patel
I would talk to their father. I would talk to him because he has gone through to much. I would talk to him and I would ask him if there is something he can do to help, and if there is a solution.
ReplyDeleteI would want to meet Nooria. I would want to ask her what she does all day long in the house. I know she liked going to school so I would also ask her if she misses it. Another question I might ask her is her reaction right after hearing about the Taliban eliminating women to leave the house, other than her reaction to when Parvana said she was glad.
ReplyDeleteI would like to meet Parvana because I would ask her, "What was it like to stop school, all of the sudden?" And, "What would you do if you had to move into an even smaller house."
ReplyDelete📖😜Will Bardenheuer😜📖
I would like to meet their father; I think it would be nice to learn and experience the perspective from an amputee. I would ask him about his thoughts on the Taliban, and them not letting women leave their houses. I would also ask him that if he was given the chance, would he leave the country with his family even if he could only visit back every once in a while.
ReplyDelete~Magnus Miller
l would like to meet the father because he knows more than anyone else and has seen a place that is not torn apart by war so he might have a feeling towards the Taliban and not like what they stand for.
ReplyDelete## Thomas Gibbons ##
I think that I would want to meet Nooria because she has been living in this country the longest of her siblings. As in the book she said that she remembered went the streets were very pretty and she could go shopping for clothes and books, but now since that Taliban has taken over the city. I would ask her what life was like went the Taliban was coming into the country and what would she do to stop it if she could?
ReplyDelete~Caroline Mara~
I would like to meet Pavana because I would like to know how it would feel to be the only girl who gets to be out of her house. And how it would be to pass the Taleban. She most be scared to death when they pass by because they could kill her. Also I would like to know how it would fell like to keep on moving because of booms falling on her houses.
ReplyDelete-Alondra Pacheco
I would like to meet Parvanas father mainly because I would like to know what his experiences he went through when the bomb hit. I would like to talk to him about these questions because I am curious to know why he retains hope and has a sense of humor when he lost his leg. Also, he seems to have a lot of knowledge of what it was like before the war and after.
ReplyDelete--Lucy Bodtman
I would want to meet Parvana. She would be interesting to talk to and hear about her side of the situation and how the war has affected her life. I would ask her about school and why she feels the way she does about school. I would also want to talk to the mother. It would interesting to hear her perspective on the Taliban and how life was before the Taliban's came into power. She would be interesting to talk to because she knew what life was like before the Talibans took over Afghanistan.
ReplyDelete--Emmalyn Mirarchi
I would like to meet Father. I would like to hear more about his past, and how he has come to be where he is now. Living in a country where there was constant war, I would ask any interesting stories he has to tell, and how life was like under the different laws. Being an adult with a lot of experience, he seems like the most interesting person in my eyes. Also, we don't know much about his past, only why he lost a leg, so that is why I would ask him.
ReplyDeleteI would talk to the Taliban. I would ask them why their laws are so unfair. Also why they are so mean towards women
ReplyDeletei would talk to Parvanas father. I would ask him what its like to have to be the only one in the family to be able to work and make money for his family. i would ask him how he feels about the taliban rules and if he agrees with any of the rules. i would tell him how i feel bad for him and that he is very strong and optimistic.
ReplyDelete~Cierra Wilkins
I would meet Parvana. I would ask her how she felt when she dresses and has to act somewhat like a boy. I would ask this because i want to know how it would be like if i say had to dress up like a girl in order to get an edu. or to get a job to make a living, if the rules of Taliban were switched so that buys and guys had to stay at home and not have as many privileges as the girls do.
ReplyDeletewill armstrong
I would like to talk to Parvana's father. As we mentioned in class, he went through a lot. His school was bombed, he lost half of a leg and is stuck in a marketplace reading and writing letters for people all day. It is very hard to believe how he has maintained such a good attitude. One of the main reasons I would like to met him is because I would want to learn how he does it. How does he maintain his funny attitude. I believe I would benefit from his story. Every one goes through hard times, but it is the ones who remain thestrongest that survive.
ReplyDelete~Lwiza AitDowd
I would want to meet Paravana because she posses a very passinate character. I would like to ask what her what she thinks about their government because i feel she would have a very in depth answer.
ReplyDelete~~~Dylan Ashe~~~
I would want to meet the father. I would ask him many questions about his tramatic experience. I would ask him how life is now with only one leg and if he is truly recovering.
ReplyDelete--Pasha Sahin
I'm not sure who I really want to meet. I might want to ask the Taliban why they are so cruel and extreme in there actions towards women. If they want people to follow them then why not just be nice so everyone so then they will actually want to follow you instead of forcing them to.
ReplyDeleteClayton "Ham bone" Hanlon
I would want to meet the mother I would do this because I would like to see how she handles everything that women have to do differently than men and what things they do in Afghanistan to keep entertained.
ReplyDeleteHenry Hays
I would like to meet Parvana's Father and the Taliban. I would like to meet the Taliban to ask them why they treat women so badly. I would like to talk with Parvana's father to see how he manages with one leg and also I would like to know what happened when the school that he was in was bombed.
ReplyDeleteSister Max Trabulsi
I would like to meet the father. He seemed to have had the most traumatic experience as his school was bombed as he was teaching, and how he lost half of his leg. He seems like a really nice person, very kind-hearted and I can tell that he is not sexist as he wants Parvana to go to school. I think its nice that he believes in education so much, and does not discriminate against girls.
ReplyDeleteI think I wouls like to meet the Parvana. I would like to see how she could Stand to pretend to be a boy, and face horrible punishments if she was caught. I don't think I could do it, I would break down.
ReplyDelete-- Colin McHugh
I would want to talk to the father. I would ask him questions about the bombing of his school and how he feels about the taliban. I would ask this because he is living in a hard time and he is supporting his family very well for the shape he is in and i'm fascinated by it.
ReplyDelete~Olivia Noyes
I would want to talk to Parvana's mother. I would ask her how it felt to be successful before the Taliban took over and what it feel like to stay in one room all the time. I want to know because many woman aren't educated enough to work and she was lucky to get a job she likes. Also a one room house has to be so annoying and sharing it with children all day is even worse. I choose Parvana's mother because it seems like she can't even talk to her family about her perspective and she can't change any of it.
ReplyDelete-Angela Xing
I would want to meet Nooria. It seems she has a background that relates to her negative attitude. Maybe a friend died on a holiday by a bomb or something like that.
ReplyDeleteI would like to meet father due to the fact that hes been in a bombing and had his leg blown off and i would like to know how it feels. Secondly hes expierenced going from wealthy to poor and how creul the world is. Finaly i would like to meet him because i want to know his reaction to what has happened to his life going from the top to bottom
ReplyDelete- Holden Lee
If I was to meet one of the characters I would want to meet the father, because I would like to ask him about his experiences living in Afghanistan. He has been through a lot, going to collage in England, and then loosing his leg teaching students.
ReplyDeleteI do not know who I would talk to because I think that it is to early in the book. But if I did talk to someone then I would ask them how they feel about the situation.
ReplyDeleteJulia Proteau
I think I would want to meet the Taliban, and ask them about the thery behind their madness, the reason for their extreme and unnecessary laws and actions.
ReplyDeleteI would want to talk to mother. I would ask her what it was like not being able to leave the house or have any freedom really once the Taliban took over. I want to talk to her because I can not even imagine what that would be like.
ReplyDelete-Rachel Shrives
I would like to meet the mother. I would like to meet her because I would like to know how her life is like as a woman. Also I would like to know how she handles the discrimination against girls. Finally, I would like to ask her how she helps her daughters understand why they discriminate towards girls.
ReplyDelete-- Kellie Sundeen
I would want to meet the mother. I would ask her how hard it is for her to live under the brutal Taliban rules.I would also ask her if she thinks that women and men should be treated the same way. I would choose to talk to the mother because it seems like her life is tough staying in a very small house day after day with practically nothing to do. I would want to ask her these questions because it would help me understand how it would feel like to be pretty much powerless.
ReplyDeleteI would like to meet the Father for many reasons, to start I would ask him about his earlier and traumatizing experiences including when his school got bombed and he lost half of his leg. I would also like to meet him because I truly believe in what he thinks and that there should be equal rights for women and everyone should be able to get a substantial education. Lastly I would like to meet him because he seems like a pretty nice, cool and laidback guy. These are some of the reasons of who I would want to meet, what I would ask them and why.
ReplyDelete-Christopher Pickreign
I would like to meet the father and ask him about the school bombing and his experiences in Afghanistan.
ReplyDelete- Jack Hunnewell
I would like to meet Parvana's father. I thinkit would be interesting to discuss how he feels about going from being a teacher to having to work from a blanket in the market, writing and reading letters for people.
ReplyDelete--Grace Acton
I would Meet father. I would meet him because he is going through a hard time with one leg. I would ask how life is with one leg. And I would ask him about his job and how he does it good with only one leg.
ReplyDeleteLucas Castro
I would like to meet the father to ask him about how he is able to keep things in order even in spite of troubles unlike myself. sorry about posting this late,
ReplyDelete---Ted Justicz
I would want to be Ali because he is a boy so he has more rights than girls do. Also because he has many years ahead of him for things to get better. Lastly I would ask him how is life right now as a baby.
ReplyDelete--Mark Goldsher
I wound choose the father in the book and I would ask him what did he think about how he feels about the Taliban's strict laws.
ReplyDelete--Tom Hart
I would like to meet and talk with their mother. Some questions I would ask her are "what is is like living under the Taliban?", "what I it like nat being allowed to leave the house?" I would like to talk to her mother because she has a first hand experience of what life if like under te Taliban
ReplyDeleteI think I would want to talk to the father because he is the one that was affected most by the Taliban. He got his leg blown off by them, and he is the only one in his family that can go outside now.
ReplyDelete-George Earnest