Breadwinner (book)
Encyclopedia
The Breadwinner is a children's novel by Deborah Ellis
, first published in 2001. As of April 2008, the English-language edition of the book has had a run of 20 editions. The title of the book refers to the role of the protagonist, 11-year-old Parvana, who is forced by circumstances to be the breadwinner for her family in a war-torn Taliban-era in Afghanistan
.
For her research, the author (who is by profession a psychologist) spent several months interviewing women and girls in refugee camps in Pakistan, and used these interviews as the basis of her depiction of life in Afghanistan. The book has received several literary awards, including the Peter Pan
Prize and the Middle East
Book Award, (2002)..
Ali in Kabul
, Afghanistan
. She had an older brother named Hossain but he was killed stepping on a land mine during the bombing. Her father is the only one who has the right to work in the family as a male but he has a very hard time doing so because of a leg that was injured in a bombing. He also suffers from a severe cough, which developed after the school he was teaching in was bombed. Parvana accompanies her father to the Marketplace where he works each day, reading and writing letters in Pashtu and Dari--due to the war and Taliban control, many people are illiterate, and need assistance reading and writing. One day Talibs come to Parvana's home and take her father away because he attended university in England. When Parvana tries to bring home food, a Talib sees her and chases her. Parvana is forced to cut her hair and dress as a boy and act like her cousion, Kaseem, because women were not allowed to work. She becomes the family's breadwinner, wearing her dead brother, Hossain's clothes. When her mother sees her in his clothes, she calls her Hossain.
Parvana runs into a girl that she used to go to school with named Shauzia who has been put through the same experience. They start to work together and soon become close friends. They were never that close in school but they are now trying to figure out ways to earn more money. She also meets a family friend named Mrs. Weera, a former physical education teacher who comes to stay with Parvana's family with her granddaughter and takes charge of the household because Parvana's mother has become severely depressed over the loss of her husband. With the help of her friend, Parvana's mother begins to feel better and eventually teams up with her and a group of other women to write the Afghanistan National Magazine, smuggling it to and from Pakistan
to be published. Throughout the book Parvana grows closer to her older sister Nooria, and becomes more responsible and stronger emotionally as a person. She also becomes very close with a woman who appears in the window of a building behind where Parvana works. This woman throws small gifts onto her blanket while she is there.
The climax of the story comes when Parvana's seventeen year old sister Nooria announces that she is leaving for Mazar-e-Sharif to get married to a boy, because there is no war and she will be going to college. She leaves along with her mother and younger siblings, but Parvana stays since she looks like a boy and her appearance will be difficult to explain and be kept secret. Despite being against it at first, Parvana grows to accept her sister's decision.
Parvana remains in Kabul with Mrs. Weera. One day after work, she meets a runaway girl from Mazar-e-Sharif who is deeply upset. Parvana leads her home at night, and soon the girl, named Homa, tells them that Mazar-e-Sharif has been captured by the Taliban. Homa's family had been killed by the Taliban, and she had been extremely lucky to run away. Mrs. Weera gladly takes her in. Parvana is very worried since the rest of her family is going there.
One day, Parvana's father returns home, being led by two kind men who found him released from jail, but unable to get home due to the loss of his leg. The women and Parvana nurse him back to health, and the novel ends with Parvana and her father escaping Afghanistan, hidden in the back of a truck. They will search for their family in refugee camps. Shauzia, who had been planning to run away from her difficult family so that she would not have to marry and could start a new life, tells Parvana that she will be leaving with some nomads. They plan to meet in France twenty years later, at the top of the Eiffel Tower
.
has written two sequels about Parvana and Shauzia, titled Parvana's Journey and Mud City. Ellis has written more than twenty books for children overall. Her time in Afghanistan has also inspired the book Women of the Afghan War, where she gives voices to the women she interviewed.
Deborah Ellis
Deborah Ellis is a Canadian author. Born in Cochrane, Ontario, she had to move several times in her childhood due to her parents' work. Ellis decided to start writing when she was 11-12 years old. When she grew up, her work and writing was mainly done by traveling and talking to others that have...
, first published in 2001. As of April 2008, the English-language edition of the book has had a run of 20 editions. The title of the book refers to the role of the protagonist, 11-year-old Parvana, who is forced by circumstances to be the breadwinner for her family in a war-torn Taliban-era in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
For her research, the author (who is by profession a psychologist) spent several months interviewing women and girls in refugee camps in Pakistan, and used these interviews as the basis of her depiction of life in Afghanistan. The book has received several literary awards, including the Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
Prize and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
Book Award, (2002)..
Plot
An 11-year-old girl named Parvana, living in a one-room apartment with her family that consists of her father, her mother Fatana, older sister Nooria, younger sister Maryam, and baby brotherAli in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. She had an older brother named Hossain but he was killed stepping on a land mine during the bombing. Her father is the only one who has the right to work in the family as a male but he has a very hard time doing so because of a leg that was injured in a bombing. He also suffers from a severe cough, which developed after the school he was teaching in was bombed. Parvana accompanies her father to the Marketplace where he works each day, reading and writing letters in Pashtu and Dari--due to the war and Taliban control, many people are illiterate, and need assistance reading and writing. One day Talibs come to Parvana's home and take her father away because he attended university in England. When Parvana tries to bring home food, a Talib sees her and chases her. Parvana is forced to cut her hair and dress as a boy and act like her cousion, Kaseem, because women were not allowed to work. She becomes the family's breadwinner, wearing her dead brother, Hossain's clothes. When her mother sees her in his clothes, she calls her Hossain.
Parvana runs into a girl that she used to go to school with named Shauzia who has been put through the same experience. They start to work together and soon become close friends. They were never that close in school but they are now trying to figure out ways to earn more money. She also meets a family friend named Mrs. Weera, a former physical education teacher who comes to stay with Parvana's family with her granddaughter and takes charge of the household because Parvana's mother has become severely depressed over the loss of her husband. With the help of her friend, Parvana's mother begins to feel better and eventually teams up with her and a group of other women to write the Afghanistan National Magazine, smuggling it to and from Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to be published. Throughout the book Parvana grows closer to her older sister Nooria, and becomes more responsible and stronger emotionally as a person. She also becomes very close with a woman who appears in the window of a building behind where Parvana works. This woman throws small gifts onto her blanket while she is there.
The climax of the story comes when Parvana's seventeen year old sister Nooria announces that she is leaving for Mazar-e-Sharif to get married to a boy, because there is no war and she will be going to college. She leaves along with her mother and younger siblings, but Parvana stays since she looks like a boy and her appearance will be difficult to explain and be kept secret. Despite being against it at first, Parvana grows to accept her sister's decision.
Parvana remains in Kabul with Mrs. Weera. One day after work, she meets a runaway girl from Mazar-e-Sharif who is deeply upset. Parvana leads her home at night, and soon the girl, named Homa, tells them that Mazar-e-Sharif has been captured by the Taliban. Homa's family had been killed by the Taliban, and she had been extremely lucky to run away. Mrs. Weera gladly takes her in. Parvana is very worried since the rest of her family is going there.
One day, Parvana's father returns home, being led by two kind men who found him released from jail, but unable to get home due to the loss of his leg. The women and Parvana nurse him back to health, and the novel ends with Parvana and her father escaping Afghanistan, hidden in the back of a truck. They will search for their family in refugee camps. Shauzia, who had been planning to run away from her difficult family so that she would not have to marry and could start a new life, tells Parvana that she will be leaving with some nomads. They plan to meet in France twenty years later, at the top of the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
.
Sequels
Deborah EllisDeborah Ellis
Deborah Ellis is a Canadian author. Born in Cochrane, Ontario, she had to move several times in her childhood due to her parents' work. Ellis decided to start writing when she was 11-12 years old. When she grew up, her work and writing was mainly done by traveling and talking to others that have...
has written two sequels about Parvana and Shauzia, titled Parvana's Journey and Mud City. Ellis has written more than twenty books for children overall. Her time in Afghanistan has also inspired the book Women of the Afghan War, where she gives voices to the women she interviewed.