The Breadwinner

The Breadwinner

By Deborah Ellis

 In ELA class, we are reading the book called “The Breadwinner.” This book takes place in Afghanistan. It is about a family who live in a small, one room apartment, and their only source of income is from Parvana’s father’s job as a reader and writer. When her father is arrested by the Taliban for no apparent reason, the family no longer has anyone to make money and buy food. Parvana’s older sister and mother cannot go into the market because the Taliban have restricted women from going outside without a male escort, and her mother also can’t do anything because she is depressed that she cannot get her husband back.

      Parvana is young enough to go into the market and but food, so they made her go out. Unfortunately, a Talib sees Parvana and hits her. She runs home and bumps into her old P.E. teacher. She comes home with them and she cheers up her mother. The two of them make a plan to turn Parvana into a boy so that she can go out into the market. The next day, they cut her hair and make her wear her dead brother’s clothing. She goes out into the market and nobody suspects a thing. She sets up her father’s stall and continues to sell things. The family is now doing much better, and is less sad about their dad’s arrest. That is about how far we have gotten in the story.