The Breadwinner Companion Book by Gabrielle V. https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w Padlet and paragraphs written by Gabrielle V. en-us 2019-03-07 20:25:40 UTC 2025-04-14 13:27:43 UTC hello@padlet.com Introduction The main character from “The Breadwinner” is Parvana. Parvana lives in Afghanistan, which is occupied by the Taliban. She is stubborn, determined, and hopeful. One day, the Taliban take her father and put him in prison. Since there is no man or boy in the house (besides a baby), she must disguise herself as a boy so that she can make money and help her family survive. 71346 https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339084339 2019-03-07 20:33:11 UTC https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339084339 Ch.1: Don’t Lose Hope The theme from “The Breadwinner” is not to lose hope, even if it gets hard. For example, when Parvana’s dad got taken to prison, she was sad and it was a hard time for her family, but eventually, her dad came back. Also, the theme is not to lose hope because Parvana was able to make more money digging graves up, and selling stuff on trays than reading letters; so she was able to get a better job and make more money - allowing for more chance of survival for her family. Finally, Parvana planted a flower in Kabul below the Window Woman’s home, which shows that there can be beauty in a war zone. That is a metaphor of sorts of the theme of not losing hope even if it gets hard. I think of it like this: even when life seems hopeless and its raining, persevere and have hope, because at some point, the sun will come through the clouds and make the sky blue again. That is the more complicated, metaphor version of the theme. For Parvana and her family, life in general was not easy even with Parvana’s dad there, because they could be arrested for no reason, lose someone in the family, or be in danger any ordinary day. Her mom did go through a wave of depression when Parvana’s dad got arrested, but even though it was hard sometimes, their family made it through the days without her dad with the help of Mrs. Weera and her perseverance, and a little bit of hope that Parvana’s dad would come back. There are many examples from the book about not losing hope. For example, one part of the book says, “‘Afghans love beauty,’ he said, ‘but we have seen so much ugliness, we sometimes forget how wonderful a thing like a flower is,’”(Ellis163). The flower, like in the paragraph above is a signal of hope in a war zone. No one thinks that it will be possible to grow a flower in the deadness of Kabul, kind of like no one thinks that it will be possible to have hope when its almost impossible, but then the encouraging man came and told everyone how it was possible and said the statement above, just like hope can come and prove that it is possible to have hope when it seems impossible. Parvana has hope, and you can tell because the Breadwinner says, “Whatever it was, she was ready for it,”(Ellis166). So clearly, Parvana still has hope or else she wouldn’t be ready for it, or have planted the flower by the Window Woman’s house. There are more examples of having hope, but I am not going to list all of them because there are a lot. Well, I have told you a lot about the story “The Breadwinner”, and the theme about not losing hope, even in the tough times, but it can be hard to believe that when you don’t have a real life example. So, I will give you a real life example. Just think World War 2. It was devastating, with unimaginable horrors. America was bombed by the Japanese, London and many other places in Europe were bombed by the Nazis. General Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, and the Allies could have given up hope of ever winning the war, let alone having a chance to. But they were determined and had hope to win the war, which is why they planned D-Day. They planned it for months, trying to be thorough with training troops and planning. Finally, on June 6th, 1944 thousands of Allied troops went to Normandy, and other places along the French coast. Many died in the battle, but because of the battle, the Allies were able to get more land and work their way inward towards Germany from the West while the Soviets worked their way inwards from the East. And, eventually, the Allies won World War 2! That is a real life example with real people and real events. The people in this non-fiction story did not give up hope for brighter days, and were determined to do whatever they could to make the brighter days come at all. You don’t have to be the Prime Minister of London to have hope, or even to do your part to help others to have hope. You can be an ordinary person to have hope and determination. In conclusion, the theme from “The Breadwinner” is not to give up hoping even if life gets really hard. There are several examples from the book that support this theme. And, there are real life examples of the theme from the book. I hope you have learned something, and that you apply the theme of “The Breadwinner” to your own personal life. 71346 https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339085155 2019-03-07 20:35:12 UTC https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339085155 Ch. 2: Compare/contrast There are many similarities and differences between Parvana and myself; we are similar in reactions and different in bravery and courage. Parvana and I are both very stubborn. For example, when her mom asks her to go get water from the well and Parvana doesn’t want to is like me with all chores. “‘ You will rest better when your work is done. Now go. The water tank is almost empty.’ Parvana groaned. If the tank was almost empty, she’d have to make five trips to the water tap. Six, because here mother hated to see an empty water bucket,”(Ellis 19). This is the way I respond especially when my dad asks me to do the dishes, I can be stubborn and reluctant like Parvana. Also, Parvana gets emotional about her dad coming back. If I was in the same situation as Parvana, I would react the same way as she did. But, Parvana is brave and courageous and I am not. Like when she took in the woman who was crying is something that I would never have been brave enough to do. I am kind of a scared y cat when it comes to a lot of things, including the dark. But Parvana wasn’t scared of the dark or of being kind and helping the woman. “‘I’m Malali, leading the troops through enemy territory,’ she murmured to herself,”(Ellis148). She doesn’t feel very brave in this moment, but she is being brave anyways. Another time when Parvana was brave is when she saw the girl from her school and talked to her. If I was in hiding and trying to keep my identity a secret, I don’t think I would ever be brave enough to talk to someone who I might recognize, because if I had mistaken them for someone else, I would be in big trouble. In conclusion, Parvana and I have the same kind of emotions, but Parvana is definitely more brave than I am. 71346 https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339086313 2019-03-07 20:38:17 UTC https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339086313 Ch. 3: A Ripped Piece of Paper 71346 https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339087933 A symbol that really represents “The Breadwinner” is a ripped piece of paper taped back together, to make the paper (mostly) full again.
 In the beginning of the book, Parvana’s father is taken away, but she is still able to make money by taking his place reading and writing letters. It kind of show the paper ripped and then some of the pieces being found and taped back together. Most of the paper is still missing, but things are slowly starting to work out.
 Towards the middle of the book, Mrs. Weera and her grand baby come to live with Parvana and her family, to help around the house, since Parvana’s mom was going through depression, and won’t do anything. This shows more of the pieces being found. 
 Then, in the end of the book, Parvana’s dad comes back, her mom and siblings left for the other city, which they didn’t know was a dangerous choice, but Parvana and her dad are going to catch up with them. Here most (99%) of the pieces of the ripped piece of paper are nicely taped back together, but there is still one piece that is missing. That piece is that the family as a whole is still separated. They are in two different places and not together as one big happy family. Family means a lot in this book. “‘I’m working to get my family back,’”(Ellis158).
 In conclusion, I think that a symbol that represents “The Breadwinner” nicely is a ripped piece of paper taped back together.


]]> 2019-03-07 20:42:39 UTC https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339087933 71346 https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339089755 2019-03-07 20:47:50 UTC https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339089755 71346 https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339092507 Conclusion: Author’s Purpose
The author definitely had a purpose in writing “The Breadwinner”. Now, I’m not her, so I don’t know the specific reasons right down to the nitty gritty details, but I think I have the general reasons right.
The first reason why Deborah Ellis wrote this book could be to show the importance of family and friends. Sometimes we can take our family for granted. Then, when they are not with us, or something has happened to them, we realize the importance of that person. For example, when Parvana’s dad is in jail, her family changes up their whole lifestyle, taking Mrs. Weera in, disguising Parvana as a boy, etc. Also, Parvana and her friend Shauzia work together to make money. They got to know each other better, and they were all the friends that each other had. This shows that friends are very important, and can help a lot.
Another reason why the author wrote this might be to show life in the Middle East on an everyday basis. We can also take for granted the fact that in America, we are free to do as we please (as long as we follow the rules). In the Middle East, women cannot drive, cannot go outside without a burqa or a boy/man, must stay home to cook and clean, etc. The women in America can work, drive, and go outside as they please. Maybe the author wanted to show that war is bad, like when Parvana goes to the destroyed Kabul, and that other countries have different culture, tradition, and rules. Parvana ate naan and I eat toast. Which brings me to another point: the author may have written the book to show the contrast between the Middle East and America.
The author could have had many reasons for writing the book, these above might be included, and there may be many more. In conclusion, I think the author mainly wrote the book to show the importance of family and friends, and to show the contrast between America and the Middle East.


]]> 2019-03-07 20:55:45 UTC https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339092507 The Breadwinner Companion Book 71346 https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339467706                                                                                                                                                           Padlet made by Gabrielle V.]]> 2019-03-08 20:12:56 UTC https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339467706 Table of Contents 71346 https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339470362                                                                                                                                                                              Introduction
                                                                                                                                                                   Ch.1: Don't Lose Hope
                                                                                                                                                                Ch. 2: Compare/Contrast
                                                                                                                                                          Ch. 3: A Ripped Piece of Paper
                                                                                                                                                          Conclusion: Author's Purpose]]> 2019-03-08 20:19:20 UTC https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339470362 71346 https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339475451 2019-03-08 20:35:28 UTC https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339475451 71346 https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339477068 2019-03-08 20:40:50 UTC https://padlet.com/71346/r7la3hq7pg3w/wish/339477068