Snow

5.Snow functions as a metaphor in the story. What do you think it is a

metaphor for?
 I think this might be alluding to a snowflake. From afar, they look the
same but each one is actually identical. The experiences in our lives
shape us in different ways. This is at the heart of the story and our
protagonist Ka.
5. The protagonist owns a coat.Where did he buy it? What does it tell
us about the protagonist?
 The thick charcoal coat was bought from Frankfurt Kaufhof, 5 yrs
earlier.

6. Why does the coat give the protagonist a sense of security? Does it
also make him feel something else?

8. What does the coat symbolize in silence of snow?Is the color of the
coat important?
 Ka, wrapped in his elegant and warm Frankfurt coat, becomes the
living, speaking symbol not only of such an encounter between East
and West, but also of the dialogue between groups within Kars. In
reality, people wear their allegiances like the coats color is charcoal
grey therefore it symbolizes neutrality between
9. At the end of the story, the protagonist falls asleep and feels
something he has not felt in a long time.Why?
 The protagonist recalls the night of the snow blizzard. Though it was
an impending blizzard, he saw nothing but a sign pointing the way
back to the happiness and purity he had known as a child. In the
present, as he watched the snow fall outside he felt into a long
desired, long awaited reverie; cleansed by memories of innocence.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseni (Afghanistan)
1. What were your expectations of the story, considering that it was set in
Afghanistan? Did it go against your expectations?
 Based on what we see on the news I expect that the story shows
suppression of women. They were into forced marriages and the
wearing of the burka are two ways that women are shown to have no
rights. They must always do what their fathers tell them and cannot
complain about their abusive husbands. If in a dispute with a man, the
woman is assumed the guilty party. So this is what I see, imagine and
expected from the story. It did no go against from my expectations.
2. How would you describe the burqa?
 The burqa is a head covering; a piece of clothing which a woman
wears in order to cover her face, although at times revealing only her
eyes.
3. Would you ever want to wear one? Why or why not?
 No, I will not wear a burqa as I am not used to wearing one and also I
do not want a piece of clothing to manipulate my true self being
4. What do you think it symbolizes?
 This symbolizes the fact that women were not allowed to have their
sense of independence and were no longer equal to men, as men did
not have to cover their body parts. So, the burqa is a sign of
imprisonment.
5. In what instance did Mariam feel glad she had a burqa on? Why did
she feel this way?
 It was when Rasheed brought Mariam in a restaurant full of strangers.
At that time, Mariam felt comforted in wearing burqa as it seems to her
like a one-way mirror and that inside it, she was an observer and away
from scrutinizing eyes of strangers.
6. What does the burqa reveal about Afghan and/or Muslim society?
 The burqa is a symbol of the status of women....a symbol of
oppression... imprisonment. The Taliban's intent in making it law for a
woman to wear the burqua is a statement that the women have no
rights... the they should not be seen or heard.
7. Why it is important to show in the story that there are also modern
woman in Afghanistan?
 In my opinion, it isn't showing the "modern" women that takes
predence, but rather the women's desire to be "modern". These women
are pioneers in what for them is a very dangerous situation. Through
these women, we see courage and tenacity and hopefully an example
for change
8. Why does Mariam compare herself to the other women? Mariam
compared herself to other woman as they made her aware of her own
lowliness, her plain looks, her lack of aspirations, her ignorance of many
things.
9. How would you describe Mariam relationship with Rasheed? What
can you predict about their relationship in the future?
 Mariam has no control in her relationship with her husband Rasheed.
He expects her to act a certain way at all times, and be the perfect
house wife. In his case, this means cooking, cleaning sexual contact,
and obeying his orders. As the reader can tell, she isn't in love with
him, and during this time period marriages were put together based on
necessity, and what their parents believe works best. Nowadays, people
marry when they love each other. However, during this time it wasn't
based on the act of love but convenience between the two.

THE FOLDED EARTH

1. What did you feel after reading the excerpt entitled

the folded earth?
 After going through the excerpt entitled ‘The folded earth’ by
Anuradha Roy, I have a mixture of feeling.It is an excellent
example of light reading which compels us to love and hate the
characters like Maya or Diwan Saheb.It tells us about
continuous flow and sudden change, about loss and sorrow in
a simple yet memorable setting.The story seems to be smooth
flowing and the readers could associate with the characters.
4.How would you describe the relationship between Michael and
Maya?
 Maya is a daughter of a rich owner of pickle factory and she fell
in love with a man named Michael. Their relationship was
hindered by their families because of their different
religions, Maya is a Hindu while Michael is a Christian.
However, the couple defied their families and chose to be with
each other