In early 2020, Afghanistan once more fell into control of the Taliban and despite public promises to be a more open-minded version of that regime, within weeks of taking complete control Afghan women were once again denied all the right to pursue ambitions such as those expressed by Reshmina. Reshmina’s ambition itself becomes symbol of much greater poignancy within the context of what we now know happens after the events in the book. This combination of factors serves to make teaching a symbol of rebellion against the rigidity of Afghan patriarchy. When she tells her brother of her ambitions, his reply is to question why she is bothering learning English since no Afghan husband would ever allow her to work. Her own teacher is an Australia woman, unbound by marriage. Reshmina is learning English with the expressed hope that doing so will one day make it possible for her to become a teacher. It will prove to become more than that, however, as it also encompasses symbolic meaning related to innocence and the movement into experience and maturity. The stuffed doll that Brandon picks up in the underground mall beneath the Twin Towers without even realizing it is forwarded as a symbol of luck. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.
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