Girls rule and the Taliban drools. It's kind of ironic actually—the Taliban spends so much time and energy thinking of ways to hold women down in The Breadwinner, but Parvana and the women in her family just seem to get stronger and stronger in the face of their oppression. Oops, Taliban. This book shows in no uncertain terms that ladies can do anything gents can, even outwit a whole violent regime of men if they need to. And as for men in this book, well, Father's the only decent one (although he's pretty great).
Questions About Gender
- How does Parvana feel about becoming a boy?
- Do Parvana and Nooria fight so much because they are both girls?
- What does Mrs. Weera's character reveal about the power of women?
- How does the burqa change a women's self-esteem?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
The death of Hossain and imprisonment of Father shows that women don't need men to survive, no matter what.
While the burqa is humiliating, it also is a way for women to protect themselves.