Saba - The Suitcase

In "The Suitcase," Saba is a 20-year-old American woman on a break from college visiting Addis Ababa, the "city of her birth" (1) for the first time as an adult. She struggles to adapt and assimilate, a challenge that is symbolized by her inability to cross a busy intersection that features the city's only traffic light. When she is preparing to leave her uncle's home to return to the United States, her relatives ask her to pack various items to take to their family members that live there. Rather than disappoint anyone, Saba leaves her own belongings behind so she can use both of her suitcases to carry her family's items. This act demonstrates Saba's kindness, as well as her determination to return to Addis Ababa, and perhaps become more accustomed and assimilated in the future.

Unnamed narrator - The Wall

In "The Wall," the unnamed...