The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ellis, Deborah. 2000. The Breadwinner. Toronto: Groundwood Books. ISBN 0888994192

PLOT SUMMARY
In the harsh times of war and under Taliban rule, women in Afghanistan are not allowed to attend school or work outside their homes. They are required to stay indoors and when necessary travel with a male escort when away from their houses. Parvana, an eleven year old girl, becomes the "breadwinner" of her family when she decides to take on the role of a young boy to help her family survive after her father is taken away to prison. Parvana soon learns she is not alone in her role play on the streets of Kabul, Afghanistan and encounters hardships and friendships along the way.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Some of the cultural markers evident in this international novel include religious practices, names of characters, identification of specific cultures and foods. In the town of Kabul, Afghanistan, the Taliban religious group has taken control and denied woman the right to work out of their homes, forced women and older girls to wear traditional head to toe burquas when allowed out of doors, denied all foreign educated citizens their rights and beaten those who oppose their religious beliefs/laws. The names of characters are distinctly other worldly. For example, the very young early teen Parvana is the narrator, her friend on the streets is Shauzia, her older sister is Nooria and her brother who stepped on a land mine at age fourteen was Hossein.

Arranged marriages and allowing only boys and males the freedom to roam the streets and have jobs are some of the customs. Traditional dress includes chador and shalwar kameez. Some of the fruits they eat have familiar names, such as lemons. The food regularly eaten at every meal called nan is a flat bread "sometimes round and sometimes long" is a staple in their society. This book brings to life international social issues and a glimpse into the complexity of human nature, showing us that perseverance and hope spans the globe.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Review from Voice of Youth Advocates: "Parvana's story is a compelling look at modern life in Afghanistan through the eyes of a child determined to survive. In her disguise, Parvana enjoys limited freedom despite her fear of being discovered and beaten by the Taliban. Her mother, a former journalist, and her sister, who was forced to leave school, have far fewer options and chafe under the regime. The oppressiveness of the Taliban government and the war-torn devastation of Afghanistan are clearly illustrated by Parvana's family situation. The realistic ending of the novel invites a sequel and offers some hope for Parvana's survival."

Review from Books in Canada: "... As Calina, a 13 year-old grade 8 student wrote, "I voted for The Brea[d]winner for two reasons. One, because the royalties from the book go to help women in Afghanistan which is a great cause that needs and deserves monetary support, and secondly because the story is so captivating and full of emotion. The author pulled me into Parvana's story right from the first sentence which many authors aren't capable of doing."

Review from Booklist: "Gr. 5^-7. Ever since the fundamentalist group Taliban secured power in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Parvana and her family have suffered. The group's relentless oppression makes it impossible for the women of the family to leave the house without their father. When Parvana's elderly father is arrested on the grounds that he is a scholar, the women are trapped in their cramped apartment.

Eventually, running out of food and hope, Parvana dresses as a boy and becomes the family's breadwinner, doing whatever is necessary to keep the family alive--from reading letters for the illiterate to digging up and selling the bones of her ancestors. Unfortunately, the novel never deals with the religious facets of Afghan life, failing to explain that the Taliban sees itself, essentially, as a religious group. Nonetheless, 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. --John Green"

CONNECTIONS
* Read and discuss as part of Woman's History Month.
* Create and share a picture dictionary using the Afghanistan terms located in the glossary at the end of the book.
* Recreate meals mentioned in the novel and share the recipe for nan.
* Draw Parvana dressed as a boy and as a girl using the traditional clothes mentioned in the story.