Home

The characters' longing for home coupled with their understanding that they must leave their homes and familiarities behind in order to seek safety is a major theme within the novel. Jude and Mama leave Syria behind to live with family in the United States, and Jude cannot stop herself from lamenting the loss of home. She knows that she is lucky to have her mother to look after her, and she is excited to look after her mother throughout her pregnancy, but she still feels poorly in any case about having suffered the loss of her family and having to leave Issa and Baba at home. In this way, she still sees herself as a little girl because she had no choice in the matter and she must leave knowing that leaving is the best and safest option despite hurting so deeply. She wonders “when, if...