Chapter Fifteen

Chapter 15

Vocabulary refugee camps, 159. derision, 162

1. When he returns home, how has her father changed?

2. How does Parvana's father react to Kaseem?

3. What future event motivates Shauzia to leave Afghanistan as soon as possible?

4. Where are Parvana and her father going?

5. What great feat did Fatana and Mrs. Weera accomplish?

6. How is the country of Afghanistan like the flowers Parvana planted for the window woman?

7. “...the roots are good. When the time is right, these roots will support plants that are healthy and strong.” What does this statement mean?

8. What does the final image of Mount Parvana with the snow on its peak sparkling in the sun seem to indicate to Parvana? Explain your answer.

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter 14

Vocabulary rummaged, 144.

1. What does Parvana risk to save the crying woman?

2. What actions of Parvana’s demonstrate her cleverness and bravery?

3. Why is Homa’ story so frightening to Parvana and Mrs. Weera? What does Parvana fear?

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter 13

1. What seems to be the advantages of Nooria moving to Mazar-e-Sharif? Why is Nooria looking forward to going there?

2. Why is Parvana left in Kabul?

3. What is upsetting Parvana and Shauzia?

4. In what way does Mrs. Weera treat Parvana more like an adult than hr mother does? Has Parvana earned Mrs. Weera’s respect?

Chapter Twelve

Chapter 12

1. What does Parvana fear will happen to her father?

2. Why does Parvana miss work for a few days?

3. What does Shauzia plan to do in the future? Why? Do you think this is a good plan?

4. On page 128, Parvana reveals her two greatest wishes. What are they? What do these two wishes reflect about her being the breadwinner?

5. In spite of the horrors of everyday life, flowers still managed to bloom. What might these flowers symbolize for the future?

6. What were other signs of life blooming during summer?

7. What does Parvana fear is happening to the Window Woman?

8. “What goes on in a man’s house is his own business.” This was said to Parvana as she heard thuds coming from the window woman’s house. Do you agree or disagree with this quote?

9. What do you think is going to happen to 15 year old Nooria?

Chapter Eleven

Chapter 11

1. How does Parvana explain her lateness to her terrified mother? Why was her mother upset? Why does Parvana cry?

2. On page 116, a different Parvana emerges. In what way does she show her maturity and sense of responsibility? In what way does the wise Mrs. Weera support here?

3. Explain Parvana’s new plan for making money. Do you think it will work? Why or why not?

4. How are thieves punished under the Taliban regime?

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Vocabulary intact building, 105. rubble, 105. rotting stench, 105. bone broker, 105.

1. What are Parvana and Shauzia going to do to make more money? Could you do a job like this? Why or why not?

2. “Kabul has more land mines than flowers...Landmines are as common as rocks an can blow you up without warning.” What are land mines and what type of damage can they do?

3. What dangerous solution to the bathroom problem do the girls devise?

4. Why don’t the girls want to tell their families about their well paying job?

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Vocabulary intact building, 105. rubble, 105. rotting stench, 105. bone broker, 105.

1. What are Parvana and Shauzia going to do to make more money? Could you do a job like this? Why or why not?

2. “Kabul has more land mines than flowers...Landmines are as common as rocks an can blow you up without warning.” What are land mines and what type of damage can they do?

3. What dangerous solution to the bathroom problem do the girls devise?

4. Why don’t the girls want to tell their families about their well paying job?

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Vocabulary: kerosene, 98. gesturing, 98.

1. Who is Shafiq and what does he have in common with Parvana?

2. Explain Shauzia’s predicament. How is it worse than Parvana’s.

3. What is Nooria , Fatana, and Mrs. Weera's new project?

4. What is the newest gift from the “Window Woman”?

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Vocabulary: karachi, 85. latrine, 89. collided, 94.

1. What project are Mrs. Weera and Parvana’s mother working on? Why is it dangerous?

2. What does Parvana do for Maryam that could not be done before Parvana became Kaseem?

3. Why does Maryam need her feet wrapped?

4. How does Parvana earn money as the breadwinner?

5. Parvana mistakes a man for her father. What does this tell about her feelings for her father?

6. What gifts are on the blanket and from where do they seem to come from?

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

1. Who is Kaseem? How does he earn money?

2. Parvana encounters a Taliban who wants her to read a letter in Pashtu. What does the Taliban’s reaction to the letter reveal about human nature? Why is this an important scene for the author to include? (p. 80)

3. Why was going to the bathroom a problem for Parvana/Kaseem?

4. At the end of the chapter, Parvana thinks she sees a flicker of movement from the blacked out window. What might this foreshadow? Can you make a prediction?

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Vocabulary: pakul, p. 69

1. What must Parvana do to help her family survive? Why is this extreme measure necessary? Why doesn't she wear Hossain’s clothing, and what is Fatana’s reaction to this?

2. Why isn’t Nooria chosen to be the breadwinner?

3. Why was it unusual for Parvana to have a shalwar kameez with a pocket?

4. In what way is the relationship between Parvana and Nooria changing? Why?

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

1. Many chapters deal with oppression, not allowing freedom. What groups of people were being oppressed by the Taliban? What were some of the oppressive laws?

2. When the Taliban chases Parvana, who does Parvana run into? Why was this meeting good for Parvana and her family?

3. What does Mrs. Weer have in common with Fatana? How does she help Parvana’s family?

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

1. Who is Fatana and what is her special talent?

2. Why are Parvana and Fatana tired? Why does Parvana complain about her feet?

3. If you were an Afghani, would you stay in your country to try to change the laws you disagreed with or would you leave? Why or why not?

Dialogue Journal

Throughout your dialogue journal, you are going to be writing to Parvana and explaining your reactions towards the events you are reading about. Communicate with her and tell her how you feel and explain your reactions to what is going on. When you are writing in your dialogue journal, be sure to use the following question to help keep you focused.

How has war affected Parvana and her family?

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

1. Do you think Parvana’s father will return? Why or why not?

2. Why is the only window painted black? What do you think about this? Explain your reaction to this decree.

3. What dangerous mission does Parvana’s mother undertake? What laws does she break? What is her motivation? Why does Parvana go with her?

4. What does Parvana carry in her sleeve and why?

5. How does Parvana’s mother act like Malali? What happens to her?

6. The mother’s attacker...”shook her off as if she were a fly.” By comparing her to a fly, what does this quote reflect about the Taliban’s regard for women?

Chapter One

Chapter One:

Vocabulary: These words are important in chapter one. Be sure that you can define them before you read the chapter. The number following the word is the page on which the word is found.

Kabul, p.7 chador, p. 7 decreed, p.16. burqas, p. 17.

In most books, the first chapter introduces important facts and information needed for the story to turn out the way it does. The background facts and information is called the EXPOSITION.

1. Identify and briefly describe Parvana, her father, Nooria, Maryam, Ali and the Taliban.

2. Why does Parvana accompany her father to his job? What is his job? Why is she allowed to go with him?

3. What are Dari and Pashtu? What are some supporting facts that show that Parvana’s parents were well-educated?

4. What changes did Parvana, Nooria, Maryam, and Parvana’s mother, and Parvana’s father undergo after the Taliban came to power?

5. Why does Parvana’s father sell his artificial leg? Do you agree or disagree with his explanation? Explain your viewpoint.

6. “Afghans cover the earth like stars cover the sky.” What does this quote on page 9 imply about conditions in Afghanistan? Why are people scattered?

7. War can affect a person’s style of living. How did warfare change Parvana's family?

8. The dangerous trip up Parvana’s stairwell into her apartment reflects the dangerous existence

that her family encounters each day. Try to explain this imagery.

Chapter Two

Vocabulary: toshak, 19 chador, 19. looters, 22 intricate patterns, 22 shalwar kameez, 24.

1. Why can’t Nooria and Parvana's mother go out into the street?

2. Nooria and Parvana always bicker. Why don’t they get along? How do they talk to each other?

3. What job does Parvana do reluctantly because it has to be done?

4. Who was Hossain and what happened to him?

5. What is meant by eating Afghan style?

6. How does a hospitable Afghani behave?

7. Why is the story of Malali important for the women of Afghanistan? What lesson does her story teach?

8. Why is Parvana's father arrested? How does the family react to his arrest?

Pre-reading Activities:

*Before you walk through the window of The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis, get your mind working.

• First, do you know what a breadwinner is? Usually a family has at least one breadwinner. Take a guess first and then check your answer by looking it up in the dictionary.

• Next, read the back cover and learn little about the story. Look at the book cover and guess what you think the story may be about and who the characters may be. It is not important to be right, but guessing focuses your reading and you will better comprehend the story.

• Get your bearings. Learn about the setting, the time and place of the story. Turn to the two maps in the front of the book or the one in this study guide and answer these questions:

o On what continent is Afghanistan?

o What countries surround it?

o What are the 4 largest cities?

• Turn to page 167 and read the Author’s Note, which ends on page 168.

• What is the geography of the area? What people have fought against the Afghans for the past 20 or so years? What changes happened in Kabul when the Taliban militia took over in 1996?

• In the fall of 2001, the Taliban were driven from most of Afghanistan. Have women’s rights changed from 2001?

To whom is the book dedicated? What might this dedication have to do with the main idea of the story?

• Turn to pages 169-170, a glossary of important Afghani words/terms. Make sure you understand the difference between a burqa and a chador. Which is more restrictive?

During Reading Activities:

• Now turn to chapter one, page 7 and start reading. Use a note card or post-it as a book marker and write down questions and vocabulary which seem confusing. Always ask questions as you read. This will help to focus your reading. The questions listed below for each chapter are meant to guide you through your reading. Some are intended to check your understanding of the story. Others are meant to give you and your reading partner something to think about and to discuss together.