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"The ghoongat draped over her head and was surprisingly heavy" (PG). 9-10. A ghoongat is a headscarf primarily worn in India. This shows culture because it women where it when they are married. It is a certain veiling practice, done by women.

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"'It's you job as the big sister to take care of them,' he told Hadia. 'You are like their mother when Mumma is not here.'"

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In the book A Place For Us Hadia's dad tells her that it is her job to take care of her sibling because she is like their mother when her mom isn't there. This shows how gender roles are often used in a society. This quote shows that both as a sister you are expected to take care of your younger siblings and how as a mother you are also expected to be the care taker of the children. These gender roles in society hold back people from achieving their potential and also creates misconceptions about those who do not follow those roles.

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Hadia's conlicted relationship with her brother, Amar

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Hadia's conlicted relationship with her brother, Amar

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"Will you call him hear?"  Hadia said. "And when he comes, will you give us a moment alone?"  She returned Huda's gaze then.  And thought Huda looked briefly hurt, she didn't ask Hadia to share what she was, and always had been, excluded from." (Mirza 4-5).  This quote reveals the special relationship that Hadia shares with her brother.  Amar is estranged from their family and no one has seen him for three years.  Despite this, Hadia desperately wants him to come to her wedding, praying daily that he will show up and that their father will not prohibit Amar from being there.  When he arrives, Hadia is shocked to see him and asks her sister Huda to keep an eye on him at the wedding. Hadia also asks to meet with him privately to have a conversation that even Huda is not allowed to participate in.  This shows that Hadia and Amar have a close yet conflicted relationship.  She desperately wants to see him, but is worried about his presence when he actually shows up.

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in the book "a place for us" they talked about clothing and what they wore for more fancy events like in the image above and the book was how people things that they were just wearing large blankets and them being offended and nervous to wear these outfits out to public event in america because people would make fun of them because also people thought it was ugly so they would get insecure.

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pg 29 " 'I know you will do a good job, Hadia. I am certain.'" This quote shows he relationship with her parents is very strong and important to her. This quotes context is she has to take care of her siblings while her parents were gone. This spiritual lense shows her connection with her family. Later on the page it shows that she wasn't able to go to school because of her brother throwing tantrums and crying. He depended on her. He couldn't stand the thought of her leaving and had to be by her at all times. This must've been mentally draining for her and impacted her psychologically.

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"Please God, have him come, but only, Please God, let my father not deny me this. (pg. 4)
This quote shows the spiritual side of Hadia. It shows that she is traditional and prays to her God as a way to show her willingness and trust with God. She prays that her brother with show after three years with no news from him have passed.

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"He smoothed down his hair, as if a stray strand would be enough to call attention, give him away. An old family friend called out his name and hugged him. What would he tell them if they asked where he had been, and how was he doing?" (Mirza 1) This quote from A Place For Us shows Amar's discomfort early on in the book. It shows that he doesn't really want to be seen or stand out and that he is trying to be unseen for a reason. The page mentions the tension between him and his father, possibly shaping the way that he acts; this is a psychological component of this particular character because it shows Amar's thinking and mental state.

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"She lifted her decorated arms that looked like they belonged to someone else," (Page 11, Chapter 1)

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In the Muslim culture, it is prevalent that the husband and bride get chosen by the parents. In Hadia's situation, she was able to choose her own husband(Tariq). It is very uncommon for a Bride to get the chance to choose her husband, so when Hadia told Amar she didn't know what his reaction would be. In the end, he was supportive and helped with her favor, and even had a gift for her later. The reason I chose the photo above is because many people of the Muslim culture decorate their hands for special events such as weddings to show good health and prosperity in marriage.

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"'I wanted to ask if you would do something for me,' she said now. 'Anything.' He [Amar] hadn't hesitated. His tone so sincere she felt sure she had been right to invite him." (Mirza, 11)
Amar was given the option to either help his sister, Hadia, in an important part of the wedding, or not. However Amar had not seen his sister in a very long time. Despite this, Amar didn't hesitate before agreeing to help Hadia.
To be helpful and will to help is an important moral decision. His actions and decisions show his character. And although leaving his family was a distinct event, Amar's moral focus is to be helpful. To Hadia, Amar's moral actions and thoughts define who he is, and define how his family, including Hadia, think of him.

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A spiritual aspect of this book is how everyone encounters religion and specifically Islam differently, this is seen on page 15 when Amar asked, "'If I ask for only one thing, then is it more likely to come true,' He said. 'God doesn't work like that.''How do you know?' She was amazed. She did not know." This indirectly shows how even with many rules or a way of life to abide by, everyone has a different interpretation of Islam. Amar had wondered how Allah works, which can lead to internal conflict. When one starts to question their religion or steer away from common beliefs, it can cause people to be torn apart. In this case, Amar was only 6, which could lead to his future issues with himself and his family.

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"when he met his father eyes from across the crowded hall, Amar understood that an agreement had been made between them: they knew who they were there for, and why they would not approach one another beyond the expected salaam."

This a quote from when Amar was at the wedding he had seen his father arcoss the crowed hall. They would not apporach each other. Amar still felt his anger toward him. this shows Amar moral compacity and how he shows and hides his emotions.

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"someone had spilled water on the front of her sari" (pg 13). A sari is a piece of traditionally Indian clothing. when translated directly from Sanskrit it literally means "strip of cloth" and that is in essence what it is, a large piece of cloth wrapped around the body. however despite its simplistic nature, there are more that 80 recorded ways of wearing a sari. although it initially gained popularity in 2800-1800 BCE it is still considered fashionable even now. which explains why Layla was wearing it to an event in the modern day despite it being such and old style of attire.

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"Have him come, only, please god, let my father not deny me this" (pg 4). The quote shows Hadia's faith to the Islamic god Allah and her love for her brother even though their relationship is complicated. She is praying for her brother to be allowed by her father to come to her wedding. This shows her independent thinking from her parents but she still respects their opinions heavily.

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"Just before they left for the wedding hall, Layla laid out her prayer rug upstairs, then Rafiq's just a few steps in front of hers" (pg.14). For someone like Layla, a prayer rug is very important. It's an important part of the Muslim culture as it allows them to speak their wishes towards God. By using a prayer rug, it shows how grounded Layla is in her culture and how much it means to her.

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"She always found ways to speak around her husband's name. First it was out of shyness and then it was out of custom and a deep respect for him, and now it would be unnatural; she felt obliged to avoid his name out of habit. He paused buttoning his shirt and looked at her. It was her right. She had not interfered with his decisions for so long"(Mirza 6-7). This quote shows the relationship between the parents. It is a different relationship than many others because this was an arranged marriage. Normally, it means that the couple doesn't love each other and that most of the time they just respect each other. This quote also shows that the father has the "power" in the relationship and he normally makes the decisions. It also shows that the mother was raised knowing and resigned to being in an arranged marriage and it shows that she is trying to make the best out of her situation by having a good relationship with the father.

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"Amar Understood that an agreement had been made between them They both knew who they were there for, and why they would not approach one another beyond the expected salaam. Amar looked away first. He still felt his anger and the distance it caused It was as if something had been clenched in him and could not be loosened. (Mirza 7) this quote from the book could be taken in many ways i think it's because of the separation they have when Amar left and the distance and gap it had

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Amar's relectance to comply with the norms set by his family and religion

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Amar's relectance to comply with the norms set by his family and religion

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Amar is the trouble maker of the family, he disobeys his father and even smokes from a young age. He wears headphone when his father tells him not to and he even leaves his classes at school. Amar also confides in Amira that he doesn't stay focused during prayer. He also says he felt left out that his two siblings shared a first initial and he did not. overall Amar feels like he is the odd man out in his family and has always acted differently from his sibling which can get him in trouble with his parents.

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"Tables have been set up in the backyard-- some for the ladies, some for the gentlemen"(59).
In A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza, the family threw a party where women spent the whole time in the family room and the men were in the garden. This is why Amar and Amira never saw each other at the party. They barely saw each other at all. It is part of their culture and tradition for men and women to be separated at parties

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"She hates when anything draws attention to her. She already looks so different from them, being the only girl in the entire elementary school who wears a hijab" (Miriza 27) A hijab is a head covering worn in public by some muslim women, some women decide to wear it and others don't but choosing yes or no doesn't make you more or less muslim then someone else. Farheen feels different then others because she wears a hijab and is sometimes stereotyped for wearing it. This idea of feeling different is very common among people of Farheens age is very common but Farheens faith is especially making her feel disconnected and we learn more about this during the rest of the book.

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A huge part of Layla's journey in the book come from her very strong connection with god. During a certain part of the book, Laylas father waits for her in a hospital far a way as she makes her way to him by flight. When she arrives in one of her layover airports she is lonely and its time for her to pray. "that despite the fact that no one would know if she skipped her prayers and slept as she wanted to, she unfolds a napkin on the floor, sets down a small sajdaga, and prays"(pg 90)
Layla was in and airport, feeling lonely, as shes separated from her family and her one and only father lays in a hospital bed, but even though the circumstances she still finds a way to pray. This shows that she really rely on god and finds it as a very important connection in her life that lets her relax and have a feeling of importance.

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“A boyishness still lingered in the way he carried himself.” pg/?? Someone's gender/masculinity/femininity could affect the way they carry themselves. In this example, Amar stood with a "boyishness" and carried himself in a distinct way that others took notice of. In this book, gender defines many things and stature proves to be one of them.

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"The sound of the shenai was so far away he could catch it only ig he strained to hear." (page 8). The shehnai is a wooden instrument that originates from North India and is played at important celebrations such as weddings. This relates to the book because it originates from India, which is where the characters are from and it is a part of the culture to play this instrument at weddings.

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" "Will you walk on the other side of me?" she asked. Amar nodded. "You don't have to." "I know. I want to." " (Mirza 11-12). Amar makes the moral decision that he wants to walk with Hadia to make her happy. This may be something that is hard for Amar but he knows that it will benefit Hadia, which is proven by the quote, "It was a comfort to sit next to him" (12). This idea relates to the entire book because characters often have to make unselfish decisions that are for others benefits.

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"'Mumma must be so happy. You finally accepted,' he said. 'It wasn't arranged.'"

Muslim marriages are traditionally arranged by parents. But Hadia defied these traditional gender roles and selected her own husband. Hadia selected Tariq instead of her parents arranging her mairrage. Going against these traditional gender roles reflects Hadia's bravery and independence.

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"Days pass and his mother begins to plan a jashan for Hadia, who will soon be on break from college." (Mirza 57). The word Jashan means an important occasion or an important event and the communal ceremony performed to commemorate or celebrate this occasion. During this ceremony they praise Ahura Mazda and invoke the Amesha Spentas and the Fravashis. This ceremony will happen for Hadia due to the occasion of her being home from college, the ceremony is enacted for the well-being of both the spiritual and physical worlds. During the ceremony she will pray for the Holy Immortals) and pray for their blessings from the spiritual world.

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The author says, "What she had not even dared to believe was possible for her was coming true: marrying a man she had chosen for herself." (pg. 4) Arranged marriage is very common in Muslim culture. Hadia fought the gender role here by marrying Tariq, a man she chose to marry instead of a groom given to her. Even though it was contrary to her parents' beliefs, she followed through with what SHE wanted for her future.

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"Her mother touched Hadia's forehead with her index finger and traced Ya Ali in Arabic, the gesture done for her protection and luck before every first day of school, every big exam, any flight she had to catch. Something about the movement of her mother's finger on her forehead, the look of concentration on her face as she prayed, calmed, and comforted Hadia" (12). This is a major part of this family traditions and it might also be a major part of all Muslims families as well. They are big on faith with each other and faith in Allah to guide them through hardships. This quote shows the importance of traditions and how Layla (the mother) keeps up with these traditions without fail.

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the quotes from pg 9 like "you instigated this" and "I expected better from you" show how Amar's father behaved in childhood. His father was distant and lacked connection in Amar's childhood leading to them not having a good relationship as an adult, This can be seen at Hadia's wedding.

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"What she had not even dared to believe possible for her was coming true: marrying a man she had chosen for herself."(Mirza 4). This quote represents role of the women in Hadia's culture. Which signifies that it is extremely uncommon for women to choose who they want to marry, and instead it is up to an external factor that decides who they want to spend the rest of their lives with. This shows part of the gender role that is displayed in Hadia's culture. Which may signify or foreshadow that Hadia could be fading away from her culture and her family. Just like Amar did before her.

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Amar- "Now I'm not the only one who has disappointed them."
Hadia- "No. But you did make it a little easier."
(Mirza 11)
Usually, Muslim marriages will be aranged and the poeople will have bareley know eachother before the day they get married.  She got did not obey this and she got a non arranged marriage to someone else. Her parents and family do not like this but she goes through with it.

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"it had belonged to babas father, their dada"(52) the watch was the last piece of dada they had left and baba was so proud of it. the watch had been passed down from his papa. it shares so many traditions and holds memories from their journey to america.

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"I might be getting married," Layla says. She twists the orni around the finger until it is tight. Sara asks her when and there is hurt in her voice, Layla wonders if it is because she hasn't told her until today, or if it is because it means she will be leaving soon. Later that night, the proposal would be coming with his uncle to speak with Mumma and Baba and to meet her." (Mirza 22) This quote shows the importance of Layla's marriage in the story. Not only does it show how such a greatly impactful life changing decision could be made for Layla when she is so young and with really not that much warning. This shows that in her family arranged marriages are very common and an important part of their culture because of how quickly Layla could be leaving her family to go live with a stranger in America in her families hopes of a better life for her.

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"Then he pulls back his sleeve to look at his watch, and it is his father's watch. He had worn it on their wedding day. And on the day they had flown together to America. Her heart pinches to think she had glimpsed what he did not verbalize: that this is not nothing to him either, that perhaps he is nervous for the new position or wants to take a piece of his father with him." (Mirza 44) This quote shows the importance of Rafiq's watch in the story. Not only does it represent their traditions, passing down the watch through different generations, it also holds memories of their brave journey to America. The watch is a strong symbol of this family's culture because of the heritage and experiences it represents.

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Part of Amar's disconnection with the family can be attributed to his ideas on Allah and the religion of Islam. This is first exhibited when Amar is only six. "If I ask for only one thing, then it is more likely to come true,' He said. 'God doesn't work like that.' [Said Layla] 'How do you know?' She was amazed. She did not know." (Mirza 15) Although it's never said outright, it can be assumed that Amar's distance from his family could be related to his differing opinion on religion in relation to his father's strict spiritual ideals. This among, other behavioral differences between Amar and his father, could be the reason Amar was prompted to disconnect from the family.

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"Amar understood that an agreement had been made between them: they knew who they were there for, and why they would not approach one another beyond the expected 'salaam'. Amar looked away first. He still felt it. His anger, and the distance it caused. It was as if something had clenched in him and could not now be loosened." (Mirza 7). The exerted quote from the book shows the detachment and division between Amar and his father. Explained in the text, Amar left the family and didn't contact them for ages. Amar is still angry at his father because he was one of the main reasons he left the family, and his father still dislikes him. Furthermore, the wedding was very awkward and combined with mixed feelings mainly because Amar left the family, but also because of his anger towards his father.

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At the very start of the book (pg 1), Amar is preparing for the wedding of his sister. "Amar thought maybe he had been right to come. He could convince them all-the familiar faces, his mother who he sensed checking on him, his father who maintained his distance-he could even convince himself, that he belonged here, that he could wear the suit and play the part, be who he had been before, and assume his role tonight as brother of the bride"
According to the same page, it had been three years since he had interacted with his family, only rejoining because of his sister calling if he wanted to join. He wasn't expecting the most warm welcome from his family, as he had been gone for so many years because of his rocky relationship with his father, but this night he hopes to prove himself to the family. This part speaks to psychology because it shows how people might feel when they return to their family after leaving on not the best terms.
This part of the book tells how he feels somewhat uncomfortable being and talking at the wedding

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"'You instigated this?' his father said, looking only at him..." (pg. 9) This scene, is the first interaction we see between Amar and his father, which is something that should be taken note of. It gives us an insight towards what their relationship must have been like throughout Amar's childhood, and why there is a tension between the two of them at Hadia's wedding. From the information given throughout the book, Amar grew up with a constant parent-child conflict. Amar was a sensitive child, while his father was emotionally distant. His father seemed to constantly hold a low bar for only his son. This caused a torn relationship between the two as Amar grew older, having an impact on Amars confidence and belonging.

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"'Mumma must be so happy. You finally accepted one, '" he said. "'It wasn't arranged,'" Hadia replied (pg. 11).
In A Place For Us, Hadia broke gender roles by choosing her groom rather than the Muslim standard. In traditional Muslim families, the parents of the bride choose the groom for her as part of an arranged marraige. However in this situation, Hadia chose Tariq to marry, to her parents dismay. Since gender roles are greatly significant in Hadia's culture, it was a big step for her to go against the conformity and make her own decision.

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"When he met his fathers eyes from across the crowded hall, Amar understood that an agreement had been made between them: they knew who they were there for and why they would not approach one another beyond the expected salaam. Amar looked away first. He still felt it. His anger, and the distance it caused."

Throughout the book it shows Amars dad as a very strict parent who sometimes lets his temper out and it would get the better of him. Amar has been said to have been away from home for a while and in this text you can see it hinting that it was the dads anger that may have pushed him away and to leave his home or so long. Amar seems to not have the best relationship with his father and he feels poorly towards him perhaps even resenting him. Enough so that he refuses to talk with him. Regardless the text also shows that he has enough self control to put this aside and focus on the larger picture of his sisters wedding. He is not fully controlled by his emotions and this shows how he cares for his sister enough to put aside his anger for her.

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She didnt think it was possible to marrie the one she loved but because she had faith in god it happened, because in the indian islamic culture there are many eranged marriges “I did not think it was possible for me but it is and will be”

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She didnt think it was possible to marrie the one she loved but because she had faith in god it happened, because in the indian islamic culture there are many eranged marriges “I did not think it was possible for me but it is and will be”

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"Please God,  have him come, but only, please god, let my father not deny me this."
(pg.4) This quote shows that Hadia is a very spiritual and traditional person who prays to god that her brother will come to her wedding, and let her father allow him to do so. This implies that she is also not as independent from her parents which is more common in non-western cultures.

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"He touched his tie to make sure it was centered. He smoothed down his hair, as if a stray strand would be enough to call attention, give him away (1)." This quote shows the disconnection that Amar feels the entire duration of Part 1. He tries to look calm on the outside, conversing and greeting guests, even lying to them with fake stories. Psychologically, him coming back to his sister's wedding makes him uncomfortable and very out of place, as seen in small details and his inner dialogue. Not only has he been no contact with his family, friends, and his old lover Amira for three years, he also has a rocky relationship with his father, as seen in small glances they make towards each other. Even with all this, he still manages to show up for his sister, which he seems to have the closest relationship to as he said that he "would have allowed even more years to pass before summoning the courage to return."

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"those were the first times she really felt like a sister. like it was a job she had to do, and that she would do her best at it. and after, she never stopped feeling it" At this time Hadia's mother had to her and Amar, disappeared and they were sent to their Aunties house it was here that we see Hadia really step up as a sister. However it was during this time she assumed a parental role too Amar doing her best not to just be a good sister but be a parent to Amar. This is for anyone household not healthy as it is the parents and adults job to do the parenting and you can see this as while Hadia is parenting Amar she is not even thinking about her mother until she finally sees her after 3 days to which after she feels only obliged to hug her mom not out of anything else. And seeing the way Amar goes to their actual mother and she is somewhat disgusted, wishing that her mother never came back, afterwards she feels horrible for those thoughts and begins to cry and pray that god forgive her. all of this showing the effects of Hadia's mom leaving, and Hadias need to assume a motherly role and how it has already begun to affect the relationships in the family.

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"She hates when anything draws extra attention to her. She already looks so different from them, being the only girl in the entire elementary school who wears a hijab"(Farheen Miriza 27). The idea behind this is that we mistreat and judge people so much by everything that they do in modern day society that people are scared to even represent their religion. This relates to the book because in the book the older sister is very embarrassed to represent her religion and feels judged and does not like to wear it even though she should not be and should feel accepted by society.

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The jewels of Rebekah are  draped over brides and represents the third eye of Lord Shiva representing her culture and religious beliefs.

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"Baba kissed her forehead softly so that the jewels of the teekah did not dig into her skin" (Mirza 13). 

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"Baba kissed her forehead softly so that the jewels of the teekah did not dig into her skin" (Mirza 13). 

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"Amar looked away first. He still felt it. His anger, and the distance it caused." (Mirza 7). Amar came back to his family for the sake of his sister wedding even though he still resented his father. Despite his feelings against his family he put it all aside for the benefit of his sister because his morals and philosophy prioritized his sister during one of the most important moments of her life. During this first encounter with his father his anger came back to him but he was able to put his past aside because of his strong morals in that moment.

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pg 43-44 - "Now Rafiq has taken his seat beside the two of them at the table and is scanning the newspaper as he eats. The girls are not allowed to speak when he is reading the paper, they know this. They listen to him without even being told. They give each other looks and Layla wonders what they communicate to each other. Why is he not talking to her, if this is his last morning with them, with her?" This is the point of the book where the girls' father is about to leave for a trip. Even though he is aware that he is leaving and that he won't see his family for a while he decided not to talk with them. Despite this being their last morning together. This is because Rafiq has a difficult time showing affection. From reading the book I believe that he loves his family very much but is most likely doesn't show it because his personality is overall very closed off.

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"The ghoongat draped over her head was suprisingly heavy" (pg. 10) A ghoongat is a headcovering or headscarf, worn primarily in the Indian subcontinent by some married  Hindu, Jain, and Sikh women to cover their heads, and often their faces. This quote from the book speaks to the cultural aspect because it is worn when a women is married and in the book, Hadia is getting married and is wearing this.

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"Hadia studied her hands, covered in dark henna." (pg. 50). Henna is a brown die that is most commonly made from dried leaves and other natural ingredients. These items are ground into a paste which can be applied to the skin and when left for a while can temporarily give the skin a brown color. In the quote I chose the bride was admiring the henna designs on her hands. These henna tattoos are often used in traditional celebrations such as weddings, birthdays, and other gatherings.

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"When their eyes met he grinned and she knew: I chose this. I chose him. This is my life." Pg. 13. In most traditional Muslim families they have arranged marriages, meaning that the parents of the bride choose the groom for her instead of giving her a choice. However, In A Place For Us, Hadia the main character got to choose her own groom Tariq and went against her parents traditional views. The role of gender is greatly important in the Muslim religion. But Hadia made it clear that this is what she wanted, and she disobeyed her gender roles in her family to find what she truly wanted, instead of what her family wanted.

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"Amira running in a game of tag in the mosque parking lot" P36. A Mosque is a place where Muslims pray. A house of worship.

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"When she returned to the hall, the hadith-e-kisa was being recited and soon it would be her favorite verse:" (pg. 15)

The hadith-e-kisa is the Tradition of the Cloak, in which the prophet Muhammed concealed his daughter's family under a cloak and prayed to God. People today practice this tradition.

Because they are a Muslim family, the hadith-e-kisa is one of the religious traditions they practice. During the wedding, Layla is by herself, praying, when she hears it being recited. Her favorite part is when it talks about how God created the world, and when it talks about his love of his family. I think it hits close to home for Layla, who does her best to support and love her family unconditionally.

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"after years of wondering if they would make it to this moment, they had arrived. What she even dared to believe possible for her was coming true: marrying a man she had chosen for herself.” (pg 4) Regular arranged Islamic marriages through negotiation are typically according to parental wishes, although sometimes the son will also suggest a woman of his choice. Sofia Danos

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The Brother and the sister in the beginning of the book have a strained relationship. A Strained relationship is a awkward relationship that falls apart in all aspects of their life. "He hasn't hesitated. His tone so sincere she felt sure she had been right to invite him." (pg 11) this quote from the book speaks to Psychological because it talks about why a certain character acts a certain way. The Brother had been away from a family for a long time and the sister inviting him to her wedding was awkward and hard because they havent seen each other in so long and the brother left the family in a way because of his hard relationship with his father. At this point in the book we read about how he feels uncomfortable at the wedding and to talk to his sister.

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"She adjusted her hijab to hide the remaining stain, and reapplied some lipstick." (pg. 15) a hijab is a head covering for Muslim women. They can be worn in many forms and it is a symbol of modest and faith for Muslim women. This quote focuses on her culture since it is a huge part of her religion. Although in her culture it was expected for an arranged marriage and she did not obey she still practiced cultural expectations among her religion and family.

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Layla says, "I might be getting married," to her sister on the balcony (pg. 23). The marriage is an arranged marriage, which is very popular in India because they provide financial stability and equal stature. In this case, Rafiq comes from a good family and lives in America, which will allow for him and Layla to have a better chance of success. In the book, Layla also says, "Mumma tells me it is a great proposal. That I have no reason to refuse it." This quote from the book shows Layla's hesitation about marrying and especially moving all the way to America away from her family.

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"They were told not to question the way God worked...that it was a mystery...She pictured a dark sky with the fog in front of it, how her mother had once explained it to her: we don't have to see past the fog to know there are stars." (pg. 15) This passage talks about the way that all her life Layla had simply followed god because she had been told to. It's almost like she was living the 'ignorance is bliss' life so that she didn't have to think about whether or not it was real. Also, questioning the entire premise of your life like this every day wouldn't turn out well. Up to this point in the book, the kids kind of struggle with what parts of their religion resonates with them and which don't.

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"But he had come home for his mothers sake, his sister's sake, and this might was the only one asked of him" (pg. 9). Amar was given the option to get a drink so he could calm his nerves for the wedding but he decided not to calm his nerves because he wanted to be for his family (background info). Moral: someones base standards for behavior of what is right and wrong. Amars morality is connected to the word sake because Amar's morality rides the line between good and bad, Amar has a difficult time deciding if something is morally good or bad. another example is on the same page when he pushed out the screen, he was young but he also had trouble knowing right from wrong.

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She finally knew: she wanted Amar there in any state, under any circumstance, regardless of what anyone had to say about it. “He thought: if the fires exist and I am to burn, let me burn for my own actions rather than force me to behave another way and be saved by a lie.”

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Tariq is trying to remember something when he says "Please god, let me remember this" on page 13 this shows that he is a very religious man and believes in a God. Being religious is a very spiritual thing, as there is no proof that one religion is better than another or more right than another on certain topics such as the creation of Earth or the human speices, or which ideals and values of one religion are better, so being religious and choosing a religion is a very spiritual process.

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"Sister Mehvish says. "Why don't you begin our class by reciting the surah you had to memorize." (pg. 50) A surah is the equivalent of a chapter in the Qur'an. There are 114 surahs in the Qur'an, each divided into ayats. This quote from the book speaks to the spiritual/religious practices woven throughout the text serving as a reminder just how devout Hadia's family is and the expectations she uphold her family spiritual practices faithfully. At this particular point in the book we see Hadia is shamed for not reciting this surah to the class.

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The main character, Amar, hates almost everything about family functions. Mirza writes, "Even the segregation annoys him- males confined to one side of the house, females to another, sometimes divided by a wall or a cloth pinned between walls." (pg. 34) Gender segregation is the physical, legal, or cultural separation of people according to their biological sex at any age. This quote from the book illuminates how different genders are somewhat segregated in Amar's family and their overall culture, and people of different genders experience family events differently. This annoys Amar - he views this as problematic because he doesn't believe that males or females should be divided. Overall, this quote shows how gender plays an extremely important role in the Islamic religion.