Bibliographic data
Ellis, Deborah. The Breadwinner. New York: Groundwood Books, 2001. ISBN 0888994192
Brief plot summary
The Breadwinner is a story about a family living amongst the Taliban in Afghanistan and the struggles that ensue them.
Critical analysis
Parvana and her family live a difficult life in Afghanistan. Parvana and her sister fight, the mother is understandably depressed because her husband has been taken to prison by the Taliban, and the family runs out of food with no way to get more.
The women are not allowed to go outside the house without a male escort. When the females do get to leave the house, they must be covered from head to toe. The lengths that the family goes through in order to take care of their necessities really show how strong and determined this culture is. This culture is resilient and has gone through so much.
Although many critics have mentioned that Ellis did not depict the culture to its truest nature, I thought that she did a great portrayal of what kind of world this young girl has to grow up in. The family lost one son to a landmine. Ellis opens up the lives of these trouble people so we can understand their culture better.
The great thing about this novel is that this will open the door for readers to grow along with this genre. This novel is a step into the direction of more multicultural readings, such as Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, two popular novels set in the same areas with some of the same issues.
A Glossary helps educate readers on the culture’s differences. There are many names for different pieces of clothing, food, different languages, and even pieces of furniture. Having the glossary helps readers understand what is going on throughout the story. It is a nice addition to the novel.
The back of the book details the research that Ellis put into making this novel. There have been instances where women and girls cut off their hair, put on boy’s clothes and sold things off a tray in order to make ends meet. It also states that all royalties from The Breadwinner will be donated to Women for Women in Afghanistan, dedicated to the education of Afghan girls in refugee camps in Pakistan.
Review excerpt
Booklist
The Breadwinner is a potent portrait of life in contemporary Afghanistan, showing that powerful heroines can survive even in the most oppressive and sexist social conditions.
Publishers Weekly
There are some sympathetic moments, as when Parvana sees the effect on her mother when she wears her dead brother's clothes and realizes, while reading a letter for a recently widowed Taliban soldier, that even the enemy can have feelings.
Connections
Read the sequel to The Breadwinner, Parvana's Journey and the third book in the trilogy, Mud City.
Ellis, Deborah. The Breadwinner. New York: Groundwood Books, 2001. ISBN 0888994192
Brief plot summary
The Breadwinner is a story about a family living amongst the Taliban in Afghanistan and the struggles that ensue them.
Critical analysis
Parvana and her family live a difficult life in Afghanistan. Parvana and her sister fight, the mother is understandably depressed because her husband has been taken to prison by the Taliban, and the family runs out of food with no way to get more.
The women are not allowed to go outside the house without a male escort. When the females do get to leave the house, they must be covered from head to toe. The lengths that the family goes through in order to take care of their necessities really show how strong and determined this culture is. This culture is resilient and has gone through so much.
Although many critics have mentioned that Ellis did not depict the culture to its truest nature, I thought that she did a great portrayal of what kind of world this young girl has to grow up in. The family lost one son to a landmine. Ellis opens up the lives of these trouble people so we can understand their culture better.
The great thing about this novel is that this will open the door for readers to grow along with this genre. This novel is a step into the direction of more multicultural readings, such as Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, two popular novels set in the same areas with some of the same issues.
A Glossary helps educate readers on the culture’s differences. There are many names for different pieces of clothing, food, different languages, and even pieces of furniture. Having the glossary helps readers understand what is going on throughout the story. It is a nice addition to the novel.
The back of the book details the research that Ellis put into making this novel. There have been instances where women and girls cut off their hair, put on boy’s clothes and sold things off a tray in order to make ends meet. It also states that all royalties from The Breadwinner will be donated to Women for Women in Afghanistan, dedicated to the education of Afghan girls in refugee camps in Pakistan.
Review excerpt
Booklist
The Breadwinner is a potent portrait of life in contemporary Afghanistan, showing that powerful heroines can survive even in the most oppressive and sexist social conditions.
Publishers Weekly
There are some sympathetic moments, as when Parvana sees the effect on her mother when she wears her dead brother's clothes and realizes, while reading a letter for a recently widowed Taliban soldier, that even the enemy can have feelings.
Connections
Read the sequel to The Breadwinner, Parvana's Journey and the third book in the trilogy, Mud City.
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