45 pages • 1-hour read
The Map of Salt and Stars
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Essay Topics
How do Nour’s memories of America impact her experience of the Syrian conflict and of being a refugee?
What role do good patriarchs play in the novel? How do those patriarchs’ deaths allow the heroines to truly set upon their own course?
In what ways does Nour’s experience parallel Rawiya’s? What is the significance of the similarities and differences in their respective journeys?
How does the novel define the idea of home? Is home associated with a singular place or concept, or with a variety of references?
Discuss Joukhadar’s portrayal of gender. How do the heroines subvert gender expectations, and how does this subversion impact their characters?
What role does Nour’s mother play in the narrative? To what extent is her influence on Nour more important than that of Baba or Abu Sayeed?
How does Joukhadar portray the special challenges faced by women in patriarchal environments? Based on the text, who faces greater a challenge, Nour or Rawiya?
Discuss Joukhadar’s portrayal of family relationships. How does the author show that loss and conflict change family dynamics?
To what extent is the novel a coming-of-age story? Compare and contrast the heroines’ narratives with other coming-of-age stories with which you are familiar.
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