Themes
• Coming of age
• Searching for identity and belonging
• Political struggle
• Religious freedom
• Role of women
• Choices of people in Iran
• Differences in cultures and societies
Literary Strategies Used to Convey Themes
1. Formal Aspects of the Book
• First-person narrator
• Use of English and Persian
2. Narrator
• How does having a first-person narration shape the story?
• Why do you think the author chose to write from Roya’s point-of-view and not Shireen?
• Would the story have worked with both Roya and Shireen’s narrating the novel? Why or why not?
3. Structure of Book
• What is the significance of the book being divided into three parts that correspond with Mr. Elmi’s metaphor?
4. Introduction of secondary characters
• Is Shareen a main character or secondary?
• Who are the secondary characters?
• What roles to the following characters play: Mr. Elmi, Shireen’s parents, Pedar Afshar (Roya’s father)?
5. Language and Culture
• Why does the author write the book in English and not Persian?
• What literary elements of Persian culture does the author weave into the story?
• How does metaphor play a critical role in the story?
