How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Mrs. Weera had been living with her grandchild in a room even smaller than Parvana's. It was in the basement of a ruined building.
"We are the last of the Weeras," she said. "The bombs took some, the war took others, and pneumonia took the rest."
Parvana didn't know what to say. Mrs. Weera did not sound as though she was looking for sympathy. (8.12-8.14)
Mrs. Weera has accepted the fact that she's alone, but for some reason she doesn't seem lonely. Perhaps this is because she has dedicated her life to fighting for women's rights—so though the Taliban has taken away her family, she's still got a whole lot of purpose.
Quote #5
"There's only my mother and me and my two little sisters left," Shauzia said. "My mother doesn't go out. She's sick all the time. We're living with my father's parents and one of his sisters. Everybody fights all the time. I'm lucky to be able to get away from them and go to work." (9.30)
Dressing up as a boy is dangerous, but Shauzia does it willingly because it gets her away from her family—home isn't a happy place for this kid. Sure Shauzia is dying to get away from Afghanistan for all the obvious reasons, but she also really wants to get away from her family.
Quote #6
"Do you want to come with me?" Shauzia asked. "We could look after each other."
"I don't know." She could leave Afghanistan, but could she leave her family? She didn't think so. (12.39-12.40)
Here lies the major difference between Shauzia and Parvana: Shauzia has no trouble leaving her family, but Parvana just can't. It's not because Shauzia isn't a loving daughter—it's because the people she lives with are family in name only, and she gets no love or support from them. Shauzia feels she is better off on her own.