Mo’s Design

Mo’s design symbolizes the beauty and humanity that can be destroyed by xenophobia. Mo wins the 9/11 design competition with his garden design, but after his identity is revealed. Many people become highly suspicious of the design due to Mo’s Muslim heritage. Thus, immoral prejudice defiles the physical and conceptual beauty of the design itself.

Save America from Islam (SAFI)

SAFI symbolizes the prejudice and misinformation that fuels xenophobia. The members of SAFI have extremely misinformed views of Islam, and they specifically seek out misinformation that they view as supporting their own immoral and misguided prejudices. Thus, the viewpoints and actions of SAFI illustrate the misguided and destructive nature of xenophobia.

9/11

In the novel, the 9/11 attacks symbolize the fraught and complex nature of public fear and outrage. The 9/11 attacks were a moment of deep tragedy and fear in American history, and these feelings...