Parachutist

The parachutist that Isma sees through her skylight window in Northampton is a symbol of Eamonn, whom she is about to meet. When she sees the parachutist, she thinks of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun and could not be rescued by his father. Eamonn is similarly doomed to die when he follows Aneeka to Karachi at the end of the novel. Karamat Lone fails to save his son because of his own excessive pride. He is unwilling to make a political concession to bring Parvaiz's body, and with it Aneeka, back to England.

Sleet Storm

The sleet storm that Isma and Dr. Hira Shah hear going on outside, the strange sound of pellets of ice hitting already formed icicles, is a symbol of Parvaiz and Isma's inability to put him out of her mind. Parvaiz is a sound connoisseur, as we learn during...