The Breadwinner is a children's novel written by Deborah Ellis, first published in 2001. The story follows the life of a young Afghan girl named Parvana, who is forced to dress as a boy and work in the market to support her family after her father is arrested by the Taliban.
The novel is set in Afghanistan during the Taliban regime, when women were not allowed to leave their homes or work outside the home. Parvana's father, who is a teacher, is arrested for speaking out against the government and the family is left without a breadwinner. In order to support her family, Parvana cuts off her hair and disguises herself as a boy, taking on the name "Parvan" in order to work and provide for her family.
As Parvana struggles to provide for her family, she also faces the challenges of living under the strict and oppressive rules of the Taliban. She witnesses firsthand the cruelty of the regime, as well as the bravery and resilience of the Afghan people.
Throughout the novel, Parvana grows and learns about the importance of courage, family, and friendship. She discovers the strength within herself to stand up for what she believes in and fight for a better future for her family and her country.
The Breadwinner is a poignant and powerful story about the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of standing up for what is right. It is a poignant reminder of the struggles and challenges faced by people living under oppressive regimes, and serves as a call to action for readers to work towards a more just and equal world.
The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis Plot Summary
He is pressured to choose who to give his money to, his mother or his father. Weera focuses on working for the team. Parvana learns that the woman has lost nearly all of her possessions and family members, yet she retains a matter-of-fact and somewhat lighthearted attitude to her plight, joking ironically that her lack of possessions makes it easier to move. Hossain used to be the oldest child, but a land mine killed him when he was 14. Shauzia is also dressed like a boy to try to earn money. Parvana is dizzy from doing so much work without food or water.
The Breadwinner Chapter 13 Summary & Analysis
Feeling the money in her pocket, she runs home proud. She will be able to live somewhere that is not controlled by the Taliban and will be able to attend university. At the beginning of the story, Parvana's mother, her 16-year-old sister Nooria, her younger sister Maryam, and her baby brother Ali have all been shut in their small one room apartment for the year and a half since the Taliban takeover. Together they sell tea and run errands for people in the market. Shauzia stops by and asks Parvana to come back to work. She does the shopping and returns proud that she got away with it. Every day after lunch they go out for an hour, walking around until their legs get tired.
The Breadwinner Chapters 7
When Parvana stamps her feet again, Mrs. Bones stick up out of the graveyard, and the bone broker sits at one end. The tearful goodbye between Parvana and Nooria speaks to how much their relationship has grown over the course of the novel. Near the end of August, Parvana gets caught in a rainstorm, takes shelter in a bombed-out building, and wakes up hearing a woman crying. The soldiers look especially intimidating with their high turbans. Weera gets the news that many people from Mazar are in refugee camps, Father and Parvana make plans to go look for Mother and Nooria. Parvana begins to feel hopeful again and shares this with Shauzia.
