Father’s Books

Parvana’s Father’s books were kept in a secret compartment that he had built in the cupboard of their home to keep the Taliban from finding them. Among these books were books written in English about history and literature. They were kept hidden because the Taliban burned books they didn’t like. The books represent the education that Parvana’s parents found important, but had to keep hidden.

Hossain’s Clothes

Although they needed the money, Parvana’s mother kept the clothes of her son, Hossain, who was killed by a land mine. Parvana wore these clothes when her mother cut her hair and had her pretend to be a boy so she could earn money for the family and buy food. The clothes represent not only a direct member of the family that had died because of the war but also the...