Gulmina the Barbie Doll

Gulmina the Barbie Doll is symbolic of Fadi’s guilt over the loss of Mariam. Gulmina is Mariam’s doll and prized possession. Fadi was in charge of Mariam when the family was supposed to get onto the truck at Jalalabad. Mariam asked Fadi if he would put Gulmina in his backpack because she was worried she was going to get lost, but Fadi refused to do it. Later, Mariam dropped the doll and was left behind when she let go of Fadi’s hand and went back to get the doll. Fadi believes that his refusal to take better care of the doll by putting it into his backpack is the reason that Mariam was lost. He compares his lack of care for Gulmina to his failure to take proper care of Mariam. Once the family are in America, Fadi sees an...