The Breadwinner

Module 1

Ellis, Deborah. 2000. The breadwinner. Toronto: Groundwood Books/Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN 0-88899-419-2

Summary: Parvana is a young girl living in war torn Afghanistan. The Taliban have taken over and all women must stay inside unless they are with a man. If they do go outside they must be covered from head to toe. When Parvana's father is arrested by the Taliban (simply because he received a foreign education), the family is faced with starvation. Parvana does the unthinkable, cuts her hair and dresses as a boy so she can earn money for her family. Her courage leads to adventures and new friendships.

Critical Analysis: Told from the point of view of Parvana, the story immediately gives us a taste of what living as a female in her country is like. This type of repression of women, while present in other countries, is especially harsh in Afghanistan. Deborah Ellis has gone to a great deal of effort to produce an authentic picture of life in this country under the Taliban. Her research included conversations with real women living in refugee camps. She heard real life stories similar to some of the events she wrote about in this book. She has done a good job of describing the struggles of women in such a repressive culture. While it is obvious that the characters are living in a Muslim country, religion is not the emphasis. The themes are more about freedom or lack of freedom.

The story is realistic in its descriptions of how war affected many families. Parvana's father had been injured by one of the many landmines planted in the ground. This is a fact of life for many in that region. Also, it is true that the Taliban were/are distrustful of anyone with a foreign education, so it is realistic that Parvana's father would have been a threat to them.

The author's descriptions of the clothing worn by the Afghans is a definite cultural marker. The burqua is a symbol for the imprisonment some women must feel inside of it. In contrast to that is the elaborate designs of the shalwar kameez. The stark difference between the way men and women are allowed to appear in public is one of the unique characteristics of a repressive, male dominated society such as in Afghanistan.

Each culture has its own unique foods. While the people in this story mostly eat simple survival foods, we see descriptions of food such as kebabs, nan (an Afghan flat bread) and dried apricots. Many of these food are sold in the open air markets which are common in many countries in that region.

Also, selling services such as reading, as Parvana's father did, and later Parvana herself is common to this culture. Illiteracy is still a problem in these countries and one could make a living if they were able to read.

Parvana and her family are living in this society of repression but they are not of it. The truth is that Afghanistan is a country of stark contrasts. Like some other modern day Afghans, her mother and father were educated. They respected the traditional ways, and their history (of which we get a glimpse in Parvana's father's stories), but they were broadminded about education and freedom. Even when Parvana's sister Nooria agrees to an arranged marriage, it is with the idea that she will have a chance to be educated. This shows the blending of tradition with modern ideas. Also, the strong family relationships are an important cultural marker in this society, even though it is not specifically unique to Afghanistan.

When the Taliban took over they took away freedoms, mostly for women,but in reality for everyone. Even so, while they were imprisoning people's bodies, they couldn't really imprison their spirits. Just like Parvana, many young girls found ways to break free.

It's hard to believe that a form of government anywhere in the world could treat women (or anyone) so poorly. An yet, even in this century, this has been a reality in Afghanistan. The stories Deborah Ellis gathered from women in refugee camps proves it and lends authenticity to the cultural aspects of this story.

Yet, we still see the universal strengths of human nature. Strong families, and courage will persist against all odds.

This book is recommended for children 9-12.

Review Excerpts:
"Parvana's story is a compelling look at modern life in Afghanistan through the eyes of a child determined to survive. (VOYA, June 2001)

". . .it takes on the significant issue of gender apartheid in Afghanistan by letting one individual's story be told with dignity, vivid detail, and a human voice. (The Five Owls, Sept./Oct. 2001)

Connections
This book could be used as part of a study on the rights of women around the world. It could be paired with other books by Deborah Ellis such as Parvana's Journey and Mud City.