a constellation of vital phenomena studyguide

8/17/2019 A Constellation of Vital Phenomena Studyguide

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A Constellation of Vital PhenomenaStudy Guide

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

(c)2015 BookRags, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Contents

A Constellation of Vital heno!ena "t#d$ %#ide ........................................................................ 1

Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 2

lot "#!!ar$ .............................................................................................................................. &

Cha'ter 1 ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Cha'ters 2 ................................................................................................................................ *

Cha'ters 5+ .............................................................................................................................. 12

Cha'ters - .............................................................................................................................. 15

Cha'ters 1011 .......................................................................................................................... 1*

Cha'ters 121 .......................................................................................................................... 21

Cha'ters 151 .......................................................................................................................... 2

Cha'ters 1*21 .......................................................................................................................... 2

Cha'ters 222& .......................................................................................................................... &1

Cha'ters 22+ .......................................................................................................................... &

Cha'ters 22- .......................................................................................................................... &*

Characters ................................................................................................................................. 1

"$!ols and "$!olis! ............................................................................................................ 5

"ettings ......................................................................................................................................

/he!es and otifs .................................................................................................................... -

"t$les ......................................................................................................................................... 5&

#otes ....................................................................................................................................... 5+

2


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Plot Summary

/he stor$ o'ens ith a !an na!ed Akh!ed ho atches hel'lessl$ hile his friendand neighor, 3okka, is arrested and ha#led aa$ in the !iddle of the night. Akh!ed

sees that 3okka4s da#ghter, avaa, is not taken and as soon as the !ilitar$ tr#ck leave,Akh!ed goes looking for avaa in the near$ oods. e finds her and takes her ho!e./he ne6t da$, Akh!ed heads for the near$ cit$ here he has heard of a o!an doctor

ho r#ns a hos'ital. e ho'es this o!an ill take care of avaa.

"on7a is the onl$ doctor re!aining at os'ital 8o. +. "he has one n#rse and a sec#rit$g#ard to hel' her, and she has no interest in hel'ing avaa. "he agrees that avaa canre!ain at the hos'ital on the condition that Akh!ed orks at the hos'ital. e4s a doctor#t grad#ated at the otto! of his class and the$ oth see his shortco!ings ver$9#ickl$. Akh!ed agrees, #t knos he has to e ver$ caref#l ao#t going to the hos'italeach da$.

At ho!e, Akh!ed cares for his edridden ife and tries to hide his activities fro! aneighor, Ra!:an, ho orks as an infor!ant for the !ilitar$. Ra!:an is an infor!antonl$ eca#se he as tort#red and castrated. e hates his role #t feels 'oerless tochange it. is father, ;hassan, is asha!ed and feels he sho#ld kill his son, #t can4tring hi!self to do so. ;hassan never s'eaks to Ra!:an e6ce't hen his son isheavil$ dr#gged and on4t re!e!er their conversations. e does hel' Akh!ed hidehis dail$ tri' to the hos'ital for the short ti!e that co!!#te contin#es.

Ra!:an is the reason for 3okka4s arrest and the reason the !ilitar$ is looking foravaa. Ra!:an is told that a g#n that had once een in his 'ossession as #sed to killa !ilitar$ officer. Ra!:an tells his handler that the g#n had last een in 3okka4s

'ossession and tells the! ho to find 3okka and avaa. /ho#gh avaa is 7#st a child,it4s clear that she4ll e '#nished for her role in the officer4s death.

3okka had 'ossession of the g#n for ahile #t had given it aa$. 3okka4s entire orldis caring for avaa #t he has a h#ge handica'. e is Ra!:an hen Ra!:an isarrested for the second ti!e, and their ca'tors c#t off all of 3okka4s fingers. 3okka4sho#se is knon as a haven for ref#gees traveling toard the ca!'s.


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8atasha4s older sister is "on7a and "on7a reali:es that 8atasha has a connection toavaa hen she finds a n#tcracker a!ong avaa4s 'ossessions. "on7a had given then#tcracker to 8atasha ho had given it to avaa. "on7a acce'ts f#ll res'onsiilit$ foravaa fro! that !o!ent and hel's her gro into a s#ccessf#l, elled#cated $o#ng

o!an. avaa lives to e !ore than 100 $ears old and event#all$ dies at os'ital 8o.

+, the sa!e hos'ital here she as orn.


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Chapter 1

Summary

/he first section is titled >/he ?irst and "econd 3a$s.@ Cha'ter 1 o'ens the da$ after?ederal soldiers #rned don the ho!e of avaa and her father, 3okka. avaa is *$ears old and she is at the ho!e of her neighor and friend, Akh!ed. Akh!ed andavaa stand o#tside and look at the #rned r#le. Akh!ed recalls hel'ing #ild anaddition onto the ho#se for avaa4s roo! and 3okka4s 'ro!ise to hel' Akh!ed #ild onif he ever had a child of his on. Akh!ed also re!e!ers the events of the 'revio#sevening. ?o#r soldiers had e!erged fro! a tr#ck and forced their a$ into the ho#se./he$ e!erged a short ti!e later ith 3okka, o#nd and gagged. Akh!ed heard thesoldiers ask ao#t >the girl@ #t the$ didn4t find avaa. Akh!ed aited, hidden inside hison ho!e, #ntil the soldiers left, efore going into the oods here avaa as hiding.e ke't avaa at his on ho!e for the rest of the night.

Back in the 'resent, Akh!ed tries to i!agine h$ the ?eds o#ld arrest 3okka and h$the$ o#ld e looking for avaa. avaa reaks into this tho#ghts, sa$ing her father'roal$ isn4t co!ing ack. Akh!ed sa$s it4s safer if the$ ass#!e he isn4t ever going toret#rn.

avaa has a l#e s#itcase ith ever$thing she has left. "he4d ke't it 'acked on herfather4s orders and it as the onl$ thing she had ti!e to gra the 'revio#s evening henthe soldiers arrived and her father ordered her to hide in the oods.

Akh!ed and avaa alk thro#gh ldar, the village here the$ live, and on toard the

ton of Volchansk. /he$ see a dead olf, killed $ a land!ine, and Akh!ed ass#resavaa that the olf died eca#se it asn4t caref#l. avaa sa$s the$ ill e !ore caref#land the$ contin#e their 7o#rne$.

eanhile, a $o#ng doctor na!ed "o'hia Andre$evna Raina is aslee' at os'ital 8o.+ here she is the onl$ doctor re!aining. "he is knon as "on7a. /he hos'ital4s onl$n#rse is an old o!an na!ed 3eshi. 3eshi akes "on7a, sa$ing there4s a !an ho

ants to talk to her. /he !an is Akh!ed. e greets "on7a $ her f#ll na!e, hich isso!ething fe 'eo'le kno. e sa$s avaa needs a 'lace to sta$ and 'leads ith"on7a to take care of her. Akh!ed 9#estions "on7a ao#t the hos'ital and she confir!sshe is the onl$ doctor. e is a licensed doctor and offers to ork for her #ntil a ho!e is

fo#nd for avaa. "he sa$s it4s not likel$ the$ can find a ho!e and he 'ro!ises to orkfor as long as it takes. e 'oints o#t that the ?eds are looking for avaa. "on7a9#estions Akh!ed ao#t his !edical knoledge and reali:es he knos ver$ little. eclai!s to have grad#ated in the to' of his class #t as act#all$ at the otto!, arel$earning his degree. "he sa$s the$ need so!eone to hel' ith la#ndr$ and other chores,and agrees avaa can sta$ as long as Akh!ed orks at the hos'ital.

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"on7a s'ends all her ti!e at the hos'ital tho#gh she has an a'art!ent in the cit$. "hetakes avaa to the roo! here the$ ill slee' then t#rns her attention to Akh!ed. "heshos hi! aro#nd the hos'ital and he notices there is a lack of f#rnit#re. "he sa$sever$thing of #se has een !oved to the roo!s here the$ handle tra#!a 'atients andirths. "he o'ens a door on the fo#rth floor and shos Akh!ed that the entire side of

the #ilding is !issing. #st inside that door, the floor falls aa$ and she sa$s 3eshi4ssister as killed in the last.

"he introd#ces Akh!ed to 3eshi. old eno#gh to e !$ !other.@3eshi then sa$s Akh!ed is ins#lting her. Akh!ed is clearl$ #nnerved and "on7a lets itgo on for a fe !in#tes efore ste''ing in.

Analysis

/here is little e6'lanation ao#t the relationshi' eteen Akh!ed and 3okka in this first

cha'ter #t the details ill e revealed over co!ing cha'ters. /heir relationshi' is 'artof one of the ook4s !ost i!'ortant the!es. /he to !en, along ith a !an na!edRa!:an ho also lives in the village, gro #' together and are good friends #ntilcirc#!stances '#sh the! a'art. /his relationshi' is i!'ortant in the first cha'ter asAkh!ed atches 3okka4s arrest. Akh!ed does nothing to tr$ to intervene and it see!sthat this is !erel$ an acce'ted 'art of life in this area at this ti!e. /he civil #nrest isra!'ant and arrests like this are co!!on. As 3okka is eing ha#led aa$, Akh!ed isrelieved that he is safe.

Akh!ed takes a tre!endo#s risk in hel'ing avaa after her father4s arrest. Akh!edco#ld e arrested 7#st for alloing avaa to s'end the night in his ho#se. e is #neas$

and tries to hide his 'artici'ation, #t that4s 'artl$ eca#se he ants to kee' avaasafe. ver the co!ing da$s, he4ll travel to the hos'ital dail$ and he tries to kee' hisdestination secret eca#se he knos that there is an infor!ant in the village.

"on7a is kee'ing the hos'ital o'en $ herself. /his ork is one of the the!es of thestor$ and indicates her level of co!!it!ent to 'roviding at least a asic level of !edicalcare for the 'eo'le of the area. "he is literall$ driving herself into the gro#nd and issta$ing aake so !#ch that she has hall#cinations.

"on7a 9#ickl$ reali:es that Akh!ed doesn4t kno !#ch ao#t !edicine #t she acce'tshis hel' eca#se she4s des'erate. "he i!agines that she ill have hi! ashing sheets,

!aking eds, and doing other !enial tasks, #t he does ste' in at ti!es of crisis to hel''rovide !edical care.

Discussion Question 1

3escrie avaa4s reaction to 3okka4s arrest and hat does this indicate ao#t thesit#ation in this ti!e and 'laceD

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Chapters 2!

Summary

Cha'ter 2 reverts ack to 1--+. "on7a recalls leaving her ho!e in =ondon. "he roke#' ith Brendan, her "cottish fiance, resigned fro! her hos'ital residenc$, and !adethe tri' ho!e ith a single "a!sonite s#itcase, a gift fro! Brendan. /he sit#ation asserio#s and she as frightened as her #s crossed !ilitar$ check'oints. "he knockedon her a'art!ent door, ho'ing her sister, 8atasha, o#ld anser, #t fo#nd it e!'t$./he ne6t da$, she enco#ntered a neighor na!ed =aina ho arned "on7a that it

asn4t safe to co!e into the hall hen she heard 'eo'le. =aina didn4t kno here8atasha had gone.

"on7a as hired at os'ital 8o. + and the$ didn4t even ask for a res#!e. /here as littlein the a$ of !anage!ent str#ct#re and she eca!e chief s#rgeon in to !onths. "he

soon had !ore tra#!a e6'erience than !ost of her !edical school 'rofessors and heronl$ interaction as ith 'atients and other hos'ital staff !e!ers. ne evening,8atasha ret#rned.

Cha'ter & ret#rns to 200. Akh!ed is ha''$ as he leaves the hos'ital that first da$. ethinks "on7a is do!ineering and that 3eshi is a l#natic, #t Akh!ed is 'leased thatavaa is safe and he is #sing his !edical training.

Akh!ed eco!es ver$ ca#tio#s as he nears his village. Ra!:an is an infor!ant for the?eds, and Akh!ed knos that he ill tell the! if he learns here avaa is hiding.Akh!ed !akes it safel$ ho!e and his ife, Ela, asks here he4s een. Akh!ed sa$s

he as hel'ing 3okka shear the shee' and Ela acce'ts this #nlikel$ infor!ation as fact.Ela is edridden and seldo! coherent. Akh!ed is re'elled $ her illness #t o#nd $her hel'lessness. e !akes rice for Ela and thinks ack over his da$. e knos "on7ais not i!'ressed $ his ailities and ishes he4d had the foretho#ght to tell her ao#t hisailit$ to co!!#nicate and hel' 'eo'le on an e!otional level.

Back at the hos'ital, "on7a !akes roo! for avaa in the roo! she calls her on. It4s inthe aandoned gerontolog$ ard. "on7a is #'set to find that avaa has sta'led late6gloves all over her clothes and no clai!s to e a sea ane!one. Citing the aste of!edical s#''lies, "on7a #rges avaa to change her clothes. "on7a asks ao#t the l#es#itcase and avaa sa$s she has clothes and so#venirs inside. /he so#venirs are fro!

'eo'le ho sta$ed at her ho!e in ldar.

"on7a and avaa talk as the$ get read$ for ed and "on7a gets so!e s!all insight intoavaa4s life, tho#gh !ostl$ tho#gh hints. avaa falls aslee' 9#ickl$ and "on7a restles

ith tho#ghts and e!otions. "he is gratef#l that Akh!ed is going to hel'. "he thinksao#t 8atasha4s second disa''earance and that her sister didn4t even leave a note.

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In Cha'ter , Akh!ed heads ack to the hos'ital. e sees ;hassan and tries to avoidhi!, #t the sno !akes it eas$ for ;hassan to track Akh!ed. ;hassan is old andAkh!ed recalls eing a!a:ed $ ;hassan4s stories of a >1+$ear od$sse$@ that incl#dedtravels thro#gh several ar :ones.

;hassan sa$s he4s sorr$ ao#t 3okka. Akh!ed asks if ;hassan can get infor!ationfro! Ra!:an #t doesn4t kno hat infor!ation he4d ant. ;hassan sa$s he hasn4ts'oken to his son for al!ost to $ears. ;hassan sa$s no one in the village ill talk tohi! eca#se of Ra!:an and asks h$ Akh!ed still talks to hi!. Akh!ed knos that;hassan is a decent 'erson ca#ght #' in a sit#ation he can4t control. Akh!ed sa$s he4lle gone for the da$ and asks ;hassan to alk aro#nd on oth sides of the road todisg#ise Akh!ed4s foot'rints in the sno.

A onear!ed sec#rit$ g#ard sto's Akh!ed at the door of the hos'ital, !aking hi!re!ove all the glass shards fro! his shoes efore entering. Ahk!ed has convincedhi!self he4s 'la$ing an i!'ortant role at the hos'ital and is #'set at the g#ard4s attit#de.e snidel$ asks if the g#ard is 'aid half rate eca#se of his !issing ar!. /he g#ard!akes a co!!ent indicating he knos that Akh!ed failed "on7a4s rief !edicalintervie the 'revio#s da$.

Inside the hos'ital, avaa r#shes to Akh!ed, ovio#sl$ having orried that he o#ldn4tret#rn. avaa is at a loss for ho to fit in to this ne environ!ent. Akh!ed sa$s theg#ard ants to learn to 7#ggle #t is e!arrassed to ask. e sa$s avaa sho#ld offer toteach hi! and arns that she4ll have to e 'ersistent to get thro#gh to the g#ard.

/hat afternoon, "on7a orks in s#rger$ hile Akh!ed folds sheets. 3okka thinks ackto the eginning of Ela4s illness. e had een e!arrassed to take her to the hos'ital,elieving he sho#ld have een ale to diagnose and treat his on ife. e tried forcing

her to get o#t of ed #t had reali:ed he4d never tr$ that again. /hat !orning, he left Elafood and ater at the edside and knos that avaa4s f#t#re is !ore i!'ortant thanEla4s.

"on7a anno#nces that the$4ll go to the cit$ of %ro:n$ the folloing da$ to 'ick #'s#''lies. /he$ are still talking hen the$ hear the last of a land!ine. "oon, victi!sarrive and "on7a talks Akh!ed thro#gh the 'rocess as she forces hi! to hel' a!'#tate

hat4s left of a !an4s leg. Akh!ed arg#es that he isn4t 9#alified to 'erfor! the s#rger$#t "on7a 'oints o#t that there !ight e !#lti'le victi!s, !eaning he4d have to e read$and ale to hel'.

Analysis

It4s i!'ortant for the reader to #nderstand ao#t Akh!ed4s life 'rior to the da$ of3okka4s arrest to f#ll$ #nderstand his ha''iness as he leaves the hos'ital for the firstti!e. e is a native of the s!all village of ldar. e is the onl$ 'erson in that village4shistor$ to e acce'ted into !edical school and the entire village celerated hisachieve!ent. It see!ed as if ever$one had gained so!ething #t it asn4t even

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eca#se the$ anted hi! to eco!e a doctor and ret#rn to the village. /heir ha''inesssee!ed to e ra''ed #' in the idea that Akh!ed o#ld have the ed#cation ando''ort#nit$ to leave the village and to !ake so!ething etter of his life. oever,Akh!ed as a fail#re in !edical school. e didn4t reall$ have the scientific ailities histeachers e6'ected and he hated !edical school. e ski''ed an entire session of

lect#res to attend art classes and he al!ost fl#nked o#t of !edical school entirel$.Ironicall$, he felt a sense of fail#re eca#se he kne he let the 'eo'le of ldar don.Akh!ed4s lack of !edical #nderstanding is an i!'ortant as'ect of the stor$ and drivesseveral scenes of the ook.

Ahk!ed is not a good doctor #t he is a kind, tho#ghtf#l 'erson. e cites a case of a!an in the village ho had a !edical 'role! #t as too e!arrassed to tell Akh!edao#t it, tho#gh he needed Akh!ed4s hel'. Akh!ed gives the !an a 9#estionnaire andthe !an checks his s'ecific 'role!, alloing Akh!ed to treat the !an itho#te!arrassing hi!. /his is an i!'ortant 'art of Akh!ed4s character and it4s vastl$different fro! "on7a. "on7a has een forced to eco!e harsh and fast ith her !edicaltreat!ent. "he can4t take ti!e to soothe an in7#red 'atient eca#se there are ala$s!ore 'atients and too !#ch de!and on her e!otions. "he thinks she sho#ld forceAkh!ed to eco!e !ore like her #t Akh!ed thinks "on7a sho#ld reali:e his a''roachis also i!'ortant.

rigins of Chechen Civili:ationFrehistor$ to the ?all of the ongol !'ire.@ /hat ook ill tie 8atasha to ;hassan.


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Chapters "#

Summary

Cha'ter 5 o'ens in 200 ith ;hassan %eshilov. e has een orking on a !assive!an#scri't, the histor$ of Chechn$a, for $ears. /he !an#scri't has &,&02 'ages and;hassan has s#!itted it !#lti'le ti!es for '#lication. /he first cha'ter is '#lished as>rigins of Chechen Civili:ationF rehistor$ to the ?all of the ongol !'ire@ ith 'lansto '#lish !ore of the ook later. 8one of the rest of the !an#scri't is ever 'rinted.

;hassan4s relationshi' ith his son, Ra!:an, has never een good. As a child, Ra!:anis not c#rio#s and ;hassan largel$ ignores hi!. ;hassan has not conversed ithRa!:an since the da$ Ra!:an and 3okka ret#rned fro! eing arrested. ;hassanknos that the list of 'eo'le Ra!:an has t#rned in is ritten in an old algera ook.;hassan so!eti!es talks to Ra!:an hen he knos Ra!:an is too dr#gged to

re!e!er. n this da$, he 'leads ith Ra!:an to forget ao#t avaa and Akh!ed. ealso thinks ao#t killing Ra!:an, as he often does.

Ra!:an gets food and s#''lies as 'a$!ent for eing an infor!ant. ;hassanelligerentl$ gives !ost of the food to a gro#' of stra$ dogs. Ra!:an tries locking #'the food, leaving o#t 7#st eno#gh for ;hassan for one da$ at a ti!e, #t ;hassan feedsthat to the dogs as ell.


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Analysis

Cha'ter 5 is devoted to ;hassan and there is a great deal of infor!ation here ao#t hischaracter. e as once in love ith Akh!ed4s !other tho#gh the$ oth !arriedso!eone else. e !oved his 'arents ones fro! their #rial 'lace ack to their ho!e

village in a s#itcase. e is also a kind !an tho#gh he has failed !iseral$ as a 'arent.e re!e!ers Ra!:an4s constant interr#'tions hile ;hassan is tr$ing to rite.Ra!:an ala$s asks if he can do so!ething and ;hassan sees this as a fa#lt, elievingthat Ra!:an sho#ld e c#rio#s ao#t the orld aro#nd hi!. e ishes Ra!:an o#ldso!eti!es ask >ho@ or >h$,@ and largel$ ignores Ra!:an eca#se he doesn4t ask theright 9#estions. It see!s 'ossile that their lives !ight have een !#ch different if;hassan had taken the ti!e to 'i9#e Ra!:an4s c#riosit$ instead of ignoring hi!.

;hassan rites a !assive !an#scri't and he ants to get it '#lished. e eginsliterall$ efore the histor$ of his co#ntr$ and it4s onl$ that cha'ter that gets '#lished.;hassan rites the entire !an#scri't in long hand and faces a n#!er of challenges in

his 9#est for '#lication. e rerites !#lti'le ti!es to !eet the re9#ire!ents of vario#s'#lishers #t then deals ala$s fall thro#gh efore the '#lication date.


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Chapters $%

Summary

Cha'ter reverts ack in ti!e to 1--+. 8atasha sle't for da$s after her ret#rn. "on7atried to get her to talk ao#t her ti!e in Ital$ #t 8atasha ref#sed. "he had needle!arks fro! 'rolonged heroin #se. "on7a tried to find a 's$chiatrist ho !ight hel'8atasha #t discovered there asn4t a single one left in the cit$. 8atasha o#ld re!ainho!e for seven $ears and three eeks efore disa''earing again.

3#ring this ti!e, "on7a str#ggled to have eno#gh s#''lies to r#n the hos'ital. "hesaved the life of a !an na!ed Al#. Al#4s rother as rich and 'rovided s#''lies and!ental health ooks at "on7a4s re9#est. e said !or'hine as 'rohiitivel$ e6'ensive#t 'rovides heroin as a 'ain killer. ne da$, "on7a as alking in the a:aar hen shesa a h#ge ice !achine that ca!e fro! a hotel. "he later asked Al#4s rother for the

!achine and he got it as ell.

eanhile, "on7a and 8atasha lived in the sa!e a'art!ent #t re!ained at odds."on7a hated that the$ ere not close #t the$ each see!ed #nale to ridge the ga'.ne evening, "on7a arrived ho!e and heard 8atasha talking ith =aina, their neighor.8atasha revealed a fe details ao#t her ti!e in ca'tivit$ and "on7a left eca#se she

as >afraid@ of hat she !ight overhear.

Cha'ter * ret#rns to 200. Akh!ed4s hands shake for ho#rs after the a!'#tation. esees "on7a as a hard o!an, ca'ale of c#tting off a !an4s leg itho#t a secondtho#ght. e elieves this !eans she o#ld thro avaa o#t, regardless of the danger.

Akh!ed enco#nters ;hassan on his a$ ho!e that evening. ;hassan is #rning his!an#scri't. Akh!ed sa$s the !an#scri't is ;hassan4s life4s ork #t ;hassan sa$s hehas discovered he o#ld rather e forgotten than to e re!e!ered.


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reels on. e finall$ decided on Araic. ;hassan sa$s his favorite !e!or$ is of 3okka'eeling a 'l#! hile seated ith avaa, oth of the! $ the chess set.

Analysis

Al#4s rother is an interesting character tho#gh he reall$ doesn4t 'la$ a h#ge role in thestor$. "on7a treats Al# and this connects her to Al#4s rother. Al#4s rother sa$s he hasseveral other rothers, and that Al# is the least favorite of the!. B#t, eca#se "on7asaves Al#4s life, his rother is illing to do a favor for "on7a. "he asks for !edicals#''lies. Al#4s rother then sa$s "on7a can have another favor and she asks h$ she4sgetting to. e tells her a stor$ of his childhood. e had a 'et t#rtle and forgot to feed itefore leaving for several da$s. e sa$s Al# is not ver$ s!art #t it so!eho occ#rredto hi! that he sho#ld feed his rother4s 'et t#rtle. Al#4s rother sa$s that, eca#se ofthat action $ his rother, he4s giving "on7a another favor. /he !an is ver$ ealth$thro#gh his lack !arket connections #t a''arentl$ not ver$ intelligent.

/here are several references to A!erican c#lt#re thro#gho#t the ook and so!e ofthese are so!ehat h#!oro#s. ne of these references is seen hen "on7a is dealing

ith Al#4s rother. "he re9#ests several ooks on !ental health. Al#4s rother sa$s hehas a relative in A!erica ho is ordering the! fro! A!a:on. "on7a asks hi! to e6'lain>A!a:on@ and Al#4s rother sa$s he doesn4t kno hat it is, #t that this relative can'rod#ce ite!s >fro! ether@ thro#gh A!a:on. e then la!ents that A!a:on, hateverthat is, is going to '#t hi! o#t of #siness.

/he fact that Akh!ed is an inca'ale doctor is reiterated thro#gho#t the ook. "on7aliterall$ holds his hands and forces hi! to egin the 'rocess of saing thro#gh the oneon his first a!'#tation. Akh!ed knos that she did it eca#se she anted to force hi!

to face the fact that he o#ld rather let the !an die than to 'erfor! the a!'#tation. /hislack of ailit$ is seen thro#gho#t the stor$ and is a driving force for several of thescenes in the ook.


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/he chess set is not descried in great detail $et #t it ill later e e6'lained that 3okkaloves chess and is ver$ good at it. avaa loves the da$s hen 3okka and his friendsgather to 'la$.



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Chapters 1&11

Summary

/he section titled >/he /hird 3a$@ egins ith Cha'ter 10. /his cha'ter ranges fro!2000 to 200&. 3okka egan o'ening his ho#se to ref#gees fleeing the co#ntr$ and ord9#ickl$ s'read that his ho#se served as a hostel. e gave food and a 'lace to slee' toan$one #t asked that the$ 'aid if the$ ere ale. 3okka took things of real val#e as'a$!ent and gave the trinkets to avaa, hich she ke't as so#venirs.

n alternating "#nda$ afternoons, Akh!ed and Ra!:an arrived at 3okka4s for a ga!eof chess. avaa felt !ore like a $o#nger sister of the three !en than a da#ghter and$o#ng child. 3okka as an e6cellent chess 'la$er. Akh!ed and Ra!:an 'la$ed as atea! and cons#lted each other ao#t #'co!ing !oves. 3okka read hile the$ fig#redo#t their !oves. avaa atched.

Akh!ed hated eing a doctor #t contin#ed to do his d#t$ hen he co#ld. ne da$,reels arrived in the village and there ere so!e in need of !edical attention. ne ofthe! as a co!!ander ho had stitches in his chest. Akh!ed as a!a:ed to discoverthe neat stitches ere dental floss and the co!!ander descried "on7a4s skill. =ater,Ra!:an and 3okka talked to the co!!ander ho '#t the! in to#ch ith a !an lookingfor so!eone to trans'ort g#ns.

A fe da$s later, avaa and her 'arents hid as fighting took 'lace in the village.


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3okka didn4t ret#rn on the nor!al da$ and eight !ore da$s 'assed efore he arrived ith Ra!:an. 3okka4s fingers had een c#t off and Akh!ed r#shed over ith hisdoctor4s ag as soon as 3okka as o#t of the tr#ck. /here asn4t eno#gh skin forAkh!ed to close the st#!'s of 3okka4s fingers, so he had to ca#teri:e the!.

ne da$, 3okka took avaa to Ra!:an4s ho#se. 3okka said he anted a g#n and thathe anted Ra!:an to teach avaa ho to shoot. e said he anted to 'rotect hisfa!il$ #t co#ldn4t even '#ll a trigger hi!self.

Cha'ter 11 ret#rns to 200. "on7a and Akh!ed are traveling to %ro:n$. /he$ talk kindl$to each other at first #t then Akh!ed sa$s that "on7a sho#ld e nicer to 'eo'le. "on7asa$s Akh!ed is a 'oor doctor, hich gives her the right to e harsh ith hi!. eco#nters that he has a level of decenc$ that she doesn4t have, hich gives hi! the rightto 9#estion her. /he arg#!ent contin#es and Akh!ed sa$s he4s sorr$ that "on7a has>so!ething roken@ inside her. "on7a sa$s she has a!'#tated >1,+& legs.@ "he sa$sAkh!ed has a!'#tated &, and that he doesn4t have the ailit$ or the right to diagnoseher.


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singlehandedl$ held the hos'ital together for a long ti!e and she has reall$ '#shedherself farther than hat !ost 'eo'le co#ld end#re. Akh!ed hasn4t reall$ had the sa!elevel of loss, even tho#gh he4s dealt ith the loss of friends and Ela4s failing health.


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Chapters 121!

Summary

Cha'ter 12 reverts to 1--. 8atasha as fo#r $ears $o#nger than "on7a. "he as'rettier and ever$one loved her. "on7a as st#dio#s #t 8atasha as ovio#sl$ going toeco!e a ver$ ea#tif#l o!an. It as said that ever$one see!ed to e aiting for8atasha to gro #', #ns#re hat to do ith her #ntil that ha''ened. 8atasharecogni:es "on7a4s intellect #t also recogni:es that "on7a is sociall$ ine't.

rigins of Chechen Civili:ationF rehistor$to the ?all of the ongol !'ire@ ritten $ ;hassan %eshilov. "he and "on7a talked $'hone and "on7a told the details of her life, incl#ding her o$friend. As 8atasha4s lifeeca!e !ore diffic#lt, the$ fo#nd less to talk ao#t. 8atasha didn4t ant to hear ao#t"on7a4s onderf#l life. 8atasha egan leaving the 'hone off the hook to avoid "on7a4scalls. "he th#!ed thro#gh one of "on7a4s !edical ooks and fo#nd that the definitionof life is >a constellation of vital 'heno!ena G organi:ation, irritailit$, !ove!ent,

groth, re'rod#ction, ada'tation.@ "he folloed nes hen she co#ld get it and knethat the sit#ation in her co#ntr$ as going to get orse. "hortl$ after she '#t the 'honeack on the hook, it rang, and "on7a said she4d een calling for eeks.

Cha'ter 1& is set in 200. Back in the areho#se, Akh!ed sa$s he doesn4t kno hatthe o!an4s na!e as. e sa$s he !et h#ndreds of ref#gees and sto''ed asking theirna!es. Al#4s rother sa$s he doesn4t elieve Akh!ed is an infor!ant. After the$ leave,Akh!ed asks ao#t Al#4s rother. "on7a has learned the !an4s na!e is R#slan, #t sheala$s refers to hi! as Al#4s rother.

Before the$ leave the cit$, "on7a sto's at an old sho''ing center here there4s a 'hone

ank set #'. "he tele'hones Brendan #t he isn4t in. "he doesn4t reall$ have a !essagefor hi!, #t ants hi! to kno she4s still alive.

Cha'ter 1 is set in 1--5. Brendan and "on7a !et and fell in love hile 8atasha asslee'ing in the 'ark eca#se it as safer than eing in a #ilding. "he str#ggled tos#rvive. "he enco#ntered a !an na!ed "#li! ho as >in #siness ith oth ?edsand reels,@ and ho even so!eti!es orked ith Al#4s rother. 8atasha egged "#li!to hel' her get o#t of the co#ntr$. e had called on her once for hel' and she denied

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hi!, #t he still agreed to hel' her. "#li! told her there ere things she co#ld do to earnher a$, incl#ding 'rostit#tion. 8atasha kne that she o#ld event#all$ e forced into'rostit#tion for the R#ssian soldiers, and decided that eing 'aid as a 'rostit#te in=ondon as the etter of her o'tions.

"he oarded a vehicle ith several other o!en. /he$ ere taken to "eria.

Analysis

/he relationshi' eteen "on7a and 8atasha is e6'lored riefl$ in Cha'ter 12. /he$gro #' together #t eren4t ver$ close, 'artl$ eca#se of their age difference #t!ostl$ eca#se the$ liked and anted different things fro! life. 8atasha recogni:ed"on7a4s s#'erior intellect and ad!ired her for it, #t she hated it hen "on7a left theco#ntr$ to st#d$ at =ondon.


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o does the relationshi' eteen 8atasha and "on7a change over the co#rse of theirlives, es'eciall$ hile "on7a is in =ondonD


24/58

Chapters 1"1$

Summary

Cha'ter 15 is set in 200. Akh!ed and "on7a are contin#ing their 7o#rne$ to thehos'ital. "on7a a'ologi:es for interrogating Akh!ed at g#n'oint. e #nderstands. etalks to her honestl$ ao#t his 7ealo#s$ of 3okka. e sa$s Ra!:an didn4t reall$ need3okka4s hel' r#nning g#ns, #t elieves Ra!:an took 3okka so that Akk!ed ase6cl#ded fro! that 'art of their lives.

In Cha'ter 1+, set in 1--+, 8atasha sta$ed at her a'art!ent in the eeks after herret#rn. "on7a as living there as ell and tried to >diagnose@ her sister. "he s#ggested8atasha had ost /ra#!atic "tress 3isorder. 8atasha shr#gged off "on7a4s atte!'ts tohel', sa$ing onl$ that she end#red the ti!e in ca'tivit$ and that "on7a didn4t have theright to tell her hat to do no. "on7a co#ntered, sa$ing she had given #' her life in

=ondon to ret#rn to 8atasha, and that !eant 8atasha oed her res'ect. 8atasha said"on7a !ade a !istake $ ret#rning, 7#st as 8atasha !ade a !istake $ tr$ing to leave.

"on7a gave 8atasha a B#ckingha! alace 8#tcracker. "he then asked 8atasha to 7oinher at the hos'ital the folloing da$ and 8atasha rel#ctantl$ agreed. "on7a shoed8atasha aro#nd the hos'ital, ending at the !aternit$ ard. A ne !other dre 8atashao#t, getting her to hold the neorn a$. 8atasha as !oved $ the e6'erience.

3eshi as a n#rse at the hos'ital along ith her tin sister, aali. aali as $o#nger$ 1* !in#tes and 8atasha eca!e close to aali, !ore so than 3eshi. 8atasha egangoing to the hos'ital ever$da$ and as soon orking a lot in !aternit$. ne da$,

8atasha dre a !#ral on the oards covering a 'artic#lar indo. 3eshi and aalicritici:ed it, sa$ing it asn4t acc#rate. Ender their g#idance, 8atasha redre it ith theirhel'.

ne da$, "on7a as tied #' hel'ing tra#!a victi!s hen a o!an arrived in laor.8atasha delivered the a$ and learned that her na!e as to e avaa. /here ereto !en ith siila hen she delivered, tho#gh that asn4t the c#sto!. ne of the!

as 3okka and the other as ;hassan. 8atasha recogni:ed his na!e and said she4dread his ook.

Cha'ter 1 is set in 200& and 200. siila ore agg$ clothes that ke't her ne6t

'regnanc$ secret. avaa kne here Aki!4s 'ortrait as and ent there often. "hefo#nd a scarecro od$ and connected it to the 'ortrait. siila had co!'lications ithher laor and died at a check'oint on the a$ to the hos'ital. In the 'resent, avaadoesn4t feel g#ilt for her !other4s death #t does for her father4s.

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Analysis

In Cha'ter 15, Akh!ed descries eing 7ealo#s of 3okka. e sa$s he anted 3okka4so''ort#nities, his fa!il$, and his life. /his see!s odd eca#se Akh!ed had theo''ort#nit$ to attend !edical school, !eaning he co#ld have een an i!'ortant 'erson

if he had a''lied hi!self. It see!s that Akh!ed is 7ealo#s that 3okka has a ife hocontin#es to f#nction as a ife and that 3okka has a child. Akh!ed lacks those things.It4s left to the reader to decide hat this sa$s ao#t Akh!ed4s character.

/he connection eteen 8atasha and avaa is first seen in this section. 8atasha asalone in the !aternit$ ard hen avaa as orn. /he irth scene is descried and8atasha had a fe an6io#s !o!ents, orr$ing if avaa o#ld e alright, #t then shereathed nor!all$ and it as clear that she as health$.

;hassan4s 'resence in the deliver$ roo! hen avaa as orn is never e6'lained. /hissee!s another e6a!'le of ho close the fa!ilies ere efore Ra!:an eca!e an

infor!ant. It co#ld have een that ;hassan as the onl$ one in the village ith a tr#ck,#t it see!s likel$ that he o#ld have aited o#tside the roo!, if that had een thecase.


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o does avaa4s !other die and ho does she feel ao#t the deaths of her 'arentsD

Discussion Question 23escrie avaa4s irth.


27/58

Chapters 1'21

Summary

Cha'ter 1* is set in 200& and 200. Ra!:an str#ggled to s#rvive in the $ear 'rior to3okka4s arrest. e ala$s !anaged to get ins#lin for his father. e event#all$ !adecontact ith a sheik ho hired Ra!:an to carr$ s#''lies. e so!eti!es had to carr$s#''lies on foot and he took 3okka ith hi!, #t never Akh!ed. ne da$, he and3okka enco#ntered and #ne6'ected check'oint. /here ere g#ns in the tr#ck and the$

ere arrested.

/he ere taken to the =andfill. It had literall$ een a landfill #t to h#ge 'its, it A andit B, ere #sed for ho#sing 'risoners. 3okka and Ra!:an ere held se'aratel$.


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!arriage and their affair that ended hen she eca!e 'regnant. ;hassan talks ao#this relationshi' ith Akh!ed, as a sort of an #ncle. e co!'ares that to his relationshi'

ith Ra!:an and sa$s he as etter to Akh!ed than to his other son.

Back at ho!e, ;hassan s'eaks to Ra!:an, conde!ning hi! for the 'eo'le he4s had

arrested. Ra!:an is ha''$ to hear his father talk to hi!, even in conde!nation.;hassan is soon on the defensive. e then sa$s he4s sorr$ that Ra!:an ill never havethe o''ort#nit$ to eco!e a h#sand and father. ;hassan sa$s he is - and that his lifeis orth less than the lives of 3okka or avaa. Ra!:an sa$s he4s t#rned in his friendsand neighors eca#se ;hassan is his onl$ fa!il$, and that4s i!'ortant. Ra!:an sa$she4s ala$s knon ;hassan ants Akh!ed to e his tr#e son. ;hassan sa$s Ra!:an

ill t#rn so!eone in, then e forced to t#rn in !ore na!es. ;hassan then leaves theho#se.

Analysis

Ra!:an see!s to e a traitor and the reader !a$ find it i!'ossile to like hi!.oever, it4s i!'ortant to reali:e that Ra!:an is a victi! of the ar, 7#st as !an$ of theother characters are also victi!s. Ra!:an as arrested 'rior to his ca't#re in 200&

hen he as ith 3okka. In that first arrest, he as r#tall$ tort#red and castrated.3es'ite this, he contin#ed to ref#se to eco!e an infor!ant. is ref#sal as the onl$reason he as alloed to live. /he soldiers tort#ring hi! ere a!a:ed that he didn4t'ro!ise the! an$thing the$ asked. /he soldiers got others to atch, and the$ ere alsoa!a:ed. In the end, Ra!:an as ret#rned to his ho!e and alloed to live.


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Ra!:an co#ld have given the !ilitar$ false infor!ation ao#t the onershi' of the g#nand the !ilitar$ o#ld a''arentl$ elieve hatever infor!ation he gives. e notes thatthis is the first ti!e he4s een tr#thf#l hen giving infor!ation, !eaning he has sentinnocent 'eo'le to their deaths over the to $ears that he has een orking for the!ilitar$.

It4s clear $ this 'oint that no one knos that Ra!:an has een castrated other thanAkh!ed, ho hel'ed ens#re the o#nd healed, and ;hassan. /his is an i!'ortantas'ect of Ra!:an4s character. eo'le of the village onder h$ he has never taken a

ife and started a fa!il$ of his on. /he$ also onder h$ he still lives ith his fatherrather than eing o#t on his on. Ra!:an hates the gossi', hich incl#des the idea thathe !ight not e interested in o!en. /his !ight e6'lain, at least to a degree, h$Ra!:an has invited 3okka to 'artici'ate in his s!#ggling r#ns instead of Akh!ed.Akh!ed knos this detail ao#t Ra!:an, !eaning their relationshi' is no different.

"on7a asks Akh!ed to dra the o!an ho told hi! "on7a4s f#ll na!e. e agrees #tit4s ovio#s fro! the eginning that he can4t reall$ re!e!er the o!an4s feat#res. It is8atasha, #t neither of the! are reall$ certain of that. As Akh!ed dras, "on7a hel'shi! get the 'ortrait correct. "he >gentl$ corrects@ hi! hen he dras feat#res that aren4tright and she reass#res herself that she4s hel'ing hi! re!e!er, #t she4s act#all$ 7#stdirecting hi!. "on7a needs to kno hat ha''ened to 8atasha and she ill gras' ontoan$thing that gives her ho'e of the tr#th. =ater, she starts to sho the 'ortrait to avaa,ho'ing that avaa can identif$ 8atasha. "on7a ad!its to herself that there4s a 'art ofher that 7#st doesn4t ant to kno. /his is all 'art of the !an$ losses e6'erienced $ thecharacters, hich is a the!e seen in the stor$.

/here4s an interesting state!ent in Cha'ter 20 hen all the o!en ere called8atasha. /his as si!'l$ a co!!on na!e for o!en of this ethnicit$ and indicates

that the$ ere all considered to e e6'endale and interchangeale.

;hassan4s decision to s'eak to Ra!:an is significant. ;hassan hasn4t s'oken toRa!:an in al!ost to $ears. e onl$ does so no in an atte!'t to a''eal to Ra!:an4ssense of honor, asking hi! not to t#rn in Akh!ed or avaa. Ra!:an res'onds that he isdoing it to 'rotect ;hassan, hich is onl$ 'artl$ tr#e. /heir lives are l#6#rio#s co!'aredto !ost and Ra!:an is ale to get the ins#lin that kee's ;hassan alive onl$ eca#se heis orking as an infor!ant. Ra!:an is also afraid for hi!self.



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31/58

Chapters 2223

Summary

Cha'ter 22 is set in 200. ;hassan catches #' ith Akh!ed and sa$s he tried toconvince Ra!:an to forget ao#t avaa. Akh!ed knos that s'eaking to Ra!:an at allis an i!'ortant ste' for ;hassan, and he4s !oved $ the gest#re. Akh!ed knos this!eans that he4ll e arrested eca#se he on4t tell Ra!:an avaa4s location. e alsoknos that !eans there on4t e an$ connection eteen the village and avaa, hich

ill !ake her safer. ;hassan sa$s he4s considered killing Ra!:an and asks Akh!ed ifhe sho#ld. Akh!ed 'ro!ises to think ao#t it and to tell ;hassan his anser later.

;hassan gives Akh!ed an envelo'e. e sa$s there is a letter inside that containsinfor!ation ao#t 3okka. e elieves avaa !ight ant to kno these details ao#ther father so!eda$.

At ho!e, Ela talks ao#t another visit fro! Akh!ed4s father. Akh!ed takes this to !eanthat she is still deteriorating. e has a needle and a vial of heroin he took fro! thehos'ital, and he 'laces it in a cigar o6 #nder the ed.

At the hos'ital, "on7a allos avaa to ask 9#estions. avaa asks ho "on7a ried togain entrance into !edical school and "on7a sa$s she si!'l$ st#died hard and got in onher on. "on7a tells avaa that her life ill e different as an ad#lt and that she caneco!e an$thing she ants.

avaa then allos "on7a to ask so!e 9#estions. "on7a asks if she re!e!ers a girl

na!ed 8atasha. avaa sa$s she re!e!ers lots of girls na!ed 8atasha. "on7a goesto retrieve the 'ortrait dran $ Akh!ed #t avaa is aslee' efore she ret#rns.

Cha'ter 2& is set in 2001. 8atasha recalled the da$ at the hos'ital hen the sec#rit$g#ard r#shed thro#gh the hos'ital sho#ting that the reels had arrived. /his as 'rior tothe onear!ed sec#rit$ g#ard and the g#ard never ret#rned to his 'osition at thehos'ital. /he reels ca!e in, de!anding !edical hel'. /he co!!ander insisted that allhis !en e treated ahead of hi!. "on7a a!'#tated the ar! of one of the !en and that!an o#ld eco!e the sec#rit$ g#ard for the co!ing $ears.

B$ the ti!e "on7a treated the officer, she as o#t of so!e of her s#''lies, incl#dingthread for stitching. e had a h#ge gash on his chest and she o#nd #' seing itclosed ith dental floss. /he reels sta$ed onl$ long eno#gh to regro#'. ver$one're'ared to !ove on #t the$ ere leaving ehind the a!'#tee. /he co!!ander toldhi! that he as relieved of d#t$ and 'ointed o#t that the hos'ital as in need of a nesec#rit$ g#ard.

"i6 da$s later, the ?ederal ar!$ arrived. /he$ kne the reels hid o#t in the hos'ital fora ti!e and the ?eds o!s one side of the hos'ital, 'ro!'ting the colla'se of a section.aali as in that section at the ti!e of the last. 8atasha r#shed to get a s$ringe of

&1


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heroin #t aali died efore 8atasha co#ld finish the in7ection. 8atasha in7ected there!ainder of the dr#g eteen her on toes.

Analysis


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3escrie aali, 3eshi, and 8atasha, and their relationshi's ith each other.

Vocabularyaritraril$, !onochro!atic, ins#fferale, se9#estered, e6as'erated, vocifero#sl$

&&


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Chapters 2!2#

Summary

/he final section is titled >/he ?o#rth and ?ifth 3a$s.@ Cha'ter 2 is set in 200.Akh!ed forgets to 'ick #' the letter for avaa. avaa is elated hen he arrives at thehos'ital. /he$ don4t talk ao#t the fact that he !ight e arrested at an$ 'oint, 7#st as3okka as, #t the$ oth kno it4s tr#e.

Akh!ed gives "on7a a ook titled >ad7i #rad.@ /he$ talked ao#t the ook in the 'astand "on7a i!!ediatel$ fli's to the ack 'age. "he sa$s she never reads a ook #nlessshe knos it has an ending she4ll like. "he sa$s the character of this ook getsdeca'itated at the end, so she on4t read it.

Akh!ed, avaa, and 3eshi go to the eekl$ >aid distri#tion@ so "on7a is at the hos'ital

alone hen a !an arrives ith a >tail'i'e lodged in his chest.@ "on7a can4t do an$thingfor hi! #t talks to hi!, asking if he can see his sister herever he is no. Akh!edfinds her talking to the cor'se and insists she rest. "he sa$s she can4t #t he gives hera !edical dictionar$, sa$ing that ill '#t her right to slee'. "on7a is s#r'rised to find thedefinition of life circled in red. "he leaves the roo! #t 'asses o#t.


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the letter to avaa and he hides it in the onl$ 'lace he can think of G #nder Ela4s od$.e also 'laces an envelo'e there ith the letter >;@ and ;hassan4s address. e 'ra$sfor avaa as he4s eing arrested #t as the soldiers egin eating hi!, he 'ra$s forhi!self.

Cha'ter 25 is set in 200&. 8atasha had feigned illness that !orning so that she o#ldn4thave to go to the hos'ital ith "on7a. "he had een #sing !or'hine for !onths $ that'oint. orn ithin the !e!or$ ofa kinder 'ast.@ e re!e!ers that the n#rse 'resent at the deliver$ as na!ed8atasha and that she hel'ed avaa take her first reath. e sa$s oth her 'arents heldher d#ring her first !o!ents of life, and that her father as the first to sa$ that the$

ere na!ing the a$ avaa. ;hassan then rites that 3okka held avaa on the!orning of her irth and that he held onto her as he as arrested.

After she finishes, "on7a reali:es that her sister delivered avaa and she feels a drive tokee' avaa safe, at least 'artl$ eca#se of 8atasha4s role in avaa4s irth. "he goes tothe address on the s!aller envelo' and asks for >;.@ e asks ao#t Ela and "on7a sa$sshe4s dead. ;hassan acce'ts the envelo' and "on7a leaves itho#t aiting to find o#t

hat4s inside.

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Analysis

avaa r#shes to Akh!ed as soon as he arrives at the hos'ital each !orning. "he isthrilled to see that he4s ret#rned and knos that he !ight not co!e ack at an$ ti!e./his is an e6a!'le of the sit#ation of the ti!e and 'lace. avaa has gron #' ith this

instailit$ and doesn4t reall$ see it as #n#s#al.

At one 'oint, Akh!ed is talking to ;hassan ao#t Ra!:an. Akh!ed sa$s he on4t tellRa!:an here avaa is hiding. ;hassan sa$s Ra!:an o#ld rather not kno. ee6'lains that Ra!:an o#ld rather tell the ?eds that Akh!ed can give the! theinfor!ation so that the ?eds can force Akh!ed to tell. /hat a$, Ra!:an can tellhi!self that he hasn4t directl$ ca#sed avaa4s death. /his is #ndo#tedl$ a a$Ra!:an is ale to deal ith his g#ilt #t it4s a lie designed to deceive hi!self.

"on7a knos that she has never !arked in the dictionar$ #t she recogni:es the red inkas eing the sa!e kind of 'en she ke't on her nightstand. "he see!s to #nderstand

that 8atasha !#st have circled the definition #t she doesn4t voice that tho#ght. /his isan i!'ortant revelation eca#se it gives "on7a a rief 'iece of insight into 8atasha, #tit4s also i!'ortant eca#se it4s the definition of life hile "on7a is s#rro#nded $ death.

8atasha4s death is finall$ revealed and the reader discovers that her death as a directca#se for 3okka4s arrest. 3okka gave 8atasha his 'istol eca#se he anted to hel' here safe.


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Vocabulary

as'ersions, s#terf#ge, orthodo6$, inci'ient, tethered, !alaise, regression, i!!#tale,'en#lti!ate, circ#!navigation, corroorating, ref#tation, a''ease!ent, 'rofligate

&


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Chapters 2$2%

Summary

In Cha'ter 2, Akh!ed is at ho!e hen the ?ederal soldiers arrive. ;hassan atchesfro! his ho!e, #nale to sto' hat4s ha''ening #t hating hi!self for alloing it. efeels a lack of 'ride and honor, knoing that Akh!ed is on his a$ to die. e takes aknife and 'lans to kill Ra!:an.

e sits eside Ra!:an, ho is in a dee', dr#gged slee'. ;hassan talks ao#t a !an ho had felt honoro#nd to kill his son. /he village sh#nned the !an #ntil he killed hisson #t then elco!ed hi! ack into their societ$. /he !an, hoever, co#ldn4t live iththe horror of hat he4d done. ;hassan knos that Ra!:an ill slee' !ost of the da$and decides to '#t off the !#rder for ahile longer.

e hears a knock and finds "on7a at the door. /he$ talk for onl$ a !o!ent, then;hassan takes the envelo' and "on7a leaves. Inside, ;hassan finds to lettersinstr#cting that the earer sho#ld have safe 'assage. ne is fro! a ?ederalco!!ander and the other is fro! a reel co!!ander, !eaning ;hassan sho#ld e safein al!ost an$ sit#ation. /here4s also a s!all scra' of 'a'er ith Akh!ed4s handritingand the single ord >!erc$.@

e goes to see Ela one last ti!e then ret#rns ho!e here he 'acks a fe essentialsand gets into Ra!:an4s tr#ck. ;hassan doesn4t kno that he4s alread$ s#ffering fro!de!entia that ill erase his !e!ories in a fe $ears. Ra!:an ill re!ain in the villagefor three $ears efore !oving to a lonel$ ha!let here he4ll live o#t his life, 5 !ore

$ears.

Cha'ter 2* is set in 200. "on7a re!e!ers 8atasha asking once if she o#ld go ackto =ondon, if that o'tion ere o'en. "on7a sa$s she has tried to fig#re o#t the >!a'@ ofher life that ro#ght her to this 'oint, #t that it4s all h$'othetical.


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ears ill 'ass. ne da$ a 'orter on a train ill !istake "on7a for avaa4s !other and"on7a on4t even think that she sho#ld correct hi!. avaa ill go on to college and herdissertation ill e ell received. "he4ll acknoledge the roles of 8atasha, "on7a,3okka, and Akh!ed in her life. "he ill !eet a !an and !arr$. "he ill live to e 10&and ill die in os'ital 8o. +, in the roo! that "on7a had #sed as a edroo!. /he$

o#ld never kno hat ha''ened to 8atasha.

In Cha'ter 2-, the !en in it B at the =andfill are ho'eless and hel'less. 8o one antsto kno the na!es of the other !en #t one !an has no fingers. she4s safe.@

Analysis

"on7a has several letters g#aranteeing her safe 'assage in vario#s 'laces. "he kee'sthe! in the glove o6 of her tr#ck. Akh!ed takes to of the! and these are the letters

he gives to ;hassan, knoing that ;hassan can #se the! to get aa$ fro! ldar andfro! Ra!:an.

/he ord >!erc$@ indicates that Akh!ed is reco!!ending that ;hassan have !erc$ onRa!:an. It4s interesting that Akh!ed is so gracio#s hen he knos that he4s going toe arrested and ill die eca#se of Ra!:an. It4s left to the reader to decide h$Akh!ed tells ;hassan to e !ercif#l to Ra!:an. It see!s likel$ that Akh!ed is at'eace ith his life and his sit#ation, and that he is satisfied ith the fact that he 'la$ed arole in saving avaa.

/here are indications that avaa and "on7a live ha''$ lives, tho#gh it can e arg#ed

that there isn4t a >ha''il$ ever after@ considering the horrific events the$4ve end#red."on7a re!ains at the hos'ital after the co#ntr$ egins re#ilding and is acce'ted as ani!'ortant !e!er of the !edical tea!. avaa is elled#cated, !arried, ands#ccessf#l in her on right.

/he n#tcracker is not a #ni9#e 'iece. aving the n#tcracker !ight indicate to "on7a thatavaa has seen 8atasha #t it4s also 'ossile that the n#tcracker didn4t co!e fro!8atasha. /he fact that avaa sa$s the n#tcracker is na!ed Al# !akes it certain thatshe got the n#tcracker fro! 8atasha. 8atasha o#ld have knon ao#t Al# fro! "on7aand that he as considered >an idiot.@

/he fact that the a#thor incl#des infor!ation ao#t the f#t#res of so!e of the characters'rovides a higher level of ho'e than o#ld otherise e6ist. It see!s necessar$ to avoidhaving a stor$ that is !erel$ one of ho'elessness and #ncertaint$.


!erc$@ !ean on the 'a'er fro! Akh!ed, and h$ do $o# elievehe rote itD

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Characters

A(hmed

Akh!ed is a !an ho lives in the s!all village of ldar. e is friends ith 3okka and hetakes avaa to safet$ after 3okka4s arrest tho#gh it !eans '#tting hi!self in danger./he ne6t !orning, he decides to take her to the hos'ital here he ho'es "on7a ill takecare of her. e is a kind !an and elieves that eing decent to others is !ore i!'ortantthan an$thing else. /his elief is tested as he riefl$ eco!es a !e!er of "on7a4sstaff.

e is a doctor #t his first love is art.


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life not knoing ho 8atasha died or that she loved "on7a for giving #' her life in=ondon.

"on7a is critical and anal$tical. "he is the onl$ doctor at os'ital 8o. + for a long ti!eand she has to eco!e so!ething of a !achine hen it co!es to treating 'atients. "he

has no ti!e to get to kno an$ of her 'atients and she doesn4t care ao#t the! on ane!otional level. /his is her a$ of 'rotecting herself fro! total #rno#t hile she tries tokee' the hos'ital f#nctioning.

+atasha

8atasha is "on7a4s $o#nger sister. "he as ver$ ea#tif#l and as envio#s of "on7a.


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ca't#red for the second ti!e, he ca'it#lated as 9#ickl$ as his ca'tors o#ld let hi!. isonl$ act of defiance as to eg for 3okka4s release.

As an infor!ant, Ra!:an is granted necessities that others are denied, incl#ding food,!edicine, and electricit$. e never feels good ao#t his role and often tries to dron his

g#ilt in dr#gs. e hates that 'eo'le in the village kno that he4s an infor!ant. e alsohates that 'eo'le s'ec#late ao#t the reason he never !arries. e !anages to kee'the level of tort#re a secret and one of his greatest fears is that his castration !ighteco!e '#lic knoledge.

.hassan Geshilo)

;hassan is Ra!:an4s father. e lives in the village, ldar. e is a scholar and a riter,and rote a h#ge !an#scri't ao#t the histor$ of his co#ntr$. ne s!all section of theook as '#lished #t the changing 'olitical and social sit#ations !eant the rest of hisook never ent to 'ress.

is greatest regret in life is that he asn4t a good father to Ra!:an. e hates that hisson is an infor!ant and sto's talking to Ra!:an as a !eans of '#nishing the! oth.e elieves the honorale thing o#ld e to kill Ra!:an #t can never ring hi!self todo it. e acce'ts the ins#lin Ra!:an gets for hi! #t feeds the !a7orit$ of the food tothe dogs that have een aandoned in the village.

;hassan is Akh!ed4s iological father tho#gh that fact is never o'enl$ revealed toAkh!ed or to the co!!#nit$.

Deshi

3eshi as a n#rse at os'ital 8o. + long efore "on7a4s arrival. "he is as'ish ando'inionated, #t is also highl$ ca'ale and dedicated. "he often re!inds "on7a that sheretired fro! n#rsing $ears earlier as a threat #t the$ oth see! to kno she ill neverfollo thro#gh. "he is the older of tins and her sister, aali, orked at the hos'ital#ntil her death.

Maali

aali as a n#rse at os'ital 8o. + #ntil she died in a retaliator$ attack on the hos'ital.

"he as 3eshi4s tin sister, $o#nger $ onl$ a fe !in#tes, #t had ala$s felt that she as ehind. "he ondered hat her life !ight have een if she4d een orn first, andsee!ed to elieve that it o#ld have !ade a difference. aali and 8atasha connected,'roal$ at least 'artl$ eca#se of their roles as $o#nger sisters of o#ts'oken,s#ccessf#l o!en.

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As a n#rse, aali as constantl$ reco!!ending a!'#tation, even hen it as notnecessar$, hich eca!e so!ething of a 7oke at the hos'ital. It see!ed likel$ that this

as aali4s a$ of co'ing ith the constant death that s#rro#nded her.

Do((a

3okka is avaa4s father. e is friends ith Ra!:an and the$ ere together henRa!:an as ca't#red ith a tr#ck load of ea'ons. 3okka as released henRa!:an as released, #t his ca'tors c#t off all his fingers efore alloing hi! toleave. 3okka as elled#cated and devoted to avaa. e ansered her 9#estionsand enco#rageed her to think 'ast the t$'ical o#ndaries of girls of this ti!e and 'lace.


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Symbols and Symbolism

he 0lue Suitcase

/his is the s!all s#itcase that avaa has 'acked as her >7#stincase ag.@ "he gras itthe night 3okka is arrested. /he s#itcase and it4s contents are all avaa has left afterthe ?eds #rn don her ho#se.

,a)aa/s Sou)enirs

/hese are things avaa carries in her l#e s#itcase. /he$ are ite!s given to her $ thevario#s 'eo'le ho have sta$ed at her ho!e on their a$ o#t of the co#ntr$. /hen#tcracker "on7a gave to 8atasha is a!ong these so#venirs.

he Mar(aro) Pistol

/his is a g#n that 3okka oned #t gave to 8atasha. "he #sed it to kill a !ilitar$ officer ho as ovio#sl$ ao#t to ra'e her. /he g#n as then traced ack to the village,ldar, and to Ra!:an, ho said it had een in 3okka4s 'ossession. /his is the reason3okka is arrested and the reason the ?eds are searching for avaa.

Do((a/s iners

3okka4s fingers ere c#t off after he and Ra!:an ere arrested and held at the =andfill.

/he fingers re'resent loss eca#se 3okka4s fa!il$ as changed after this. At one 'oint,3okka had avaa learn to shoot a g#n eca#se he anted to find so!e a$ to 'rotecthis fa!il$ in the volatile sit#ation, and he can4t '#ll a trigger itho#t his fingers.

he !1 Villaers

/hese are 1 'eo'le ho ere killed or arrested in a single night fro! Akh!ed4s village.e 'ainted the 'ortraits of each on a 'iece of oard and '#t the! thro#gho#t the villageas sort of a !e!orial to the!.

4riins of Chechen Ci)ili-ation5 Prehistory to the allof the Monol 6mpire

/his is a s!all ook ritten $ ;hassan %eshilov #t it is 'art of a h#ge !an#scri't./he entire ook is tho#sands of 'ages #t there are a !illion 'role!s ith it, incl#dingthat the 'olitical sit#ation changes so 9#ickl$ that he can4t kee' #' ith it. e event#all$

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#rns the !an#scri't, deciding that he o#ld 'refer to die as an #nknon than to ere!e!ered.

Chess

/his is a ga!e 'la$ed $ Akh!ed, Ra!:an, and 3okka a co#'le of ti!es each !onthat 3okka4s ho!e. avaa sees the ga!e as eing an i!'ortant 'iece of a civili:ed life.er father sa$s hands are an i!'ortant 'art of 'la$ing chess, hich !akes avaa even!ore #'set that her father loses his fingers.

he 7ce Machine

/his is a h#ge contra'tion that Al#4s rother o#ght for the hos'ital at "on7a4s re9#est. Ithad re'ortedl$ een #sed for so!e fa!o#s 'eo'le thro#gh the $ears, incl#ding thesinging gro#', the Bee %ees. /he !achine is a s$!ol for hat4s !issing in the lives of

the 'eo'le living d#ring this ti!e. "on7a relishes the fact that the hos'ital has ice andclean ater availale.

6thnic *ussians

/his gro#' controled the !a7orit$ of the 'oer hen 8atasha and "on7a ere children./he$, as !e!ers of this class, ere set a'art to so!e degree. /he R#ssians of thisera in this region ere i!'ortant 'eo'le #t their hold as ten#o#s. B$ the ti!e8atasha as orking the lack !arket, the sit#ation had changed dra!aticall$. At one'oint, 8atasha4s friend said that their fello R#ssians ere >dro''ing o!s on #s.@

he Mural at the ,ospital

/he hos'ital had een da!aged $ the ti!e 8atasha egan orking there, and so!e ofthe indos ere covered ith ood. ne da$, 8atasha egan draing a scene onone of the indos. 3eshi and aali ere critical of it, forcing 8atasha to redra it sothat it as a reasonale rendition of hat as act#all$ o#tside that indo efore the

ar. /hat !#ral 'ro!'ted Akh!ed to dra the 'ortraits of the 1 villagers ho aretaken one night.

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Settins

Volchans(

/his is the cit$ here the hos'ital is located. It4s several !iles fro! the village hereAkh!ed lives and there is a great deal of r#le as a res#lt of $ears of ar and #nrest.


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Gro-ny

%ro:n$ is a larger cit$ here "on7a goes to get !edical s#''lies fro! the lack !arket.%ro:n$ is #nder !ilitar$ r#le 7#st as the other 'arts of the co#ntr$ are at the ti!e of thisstor$. /here is a h#ge areho#se in this ton here "on7a 'icks #' her s#''lies.

Akh!ed has never een to %ro:n$ efore his tri' there ith "on7a and he i!agines thatit4s a !ore attractive destination than it reall$ is.

*


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hemes and Motifs

Sa)in ,a)aa/s 9ife

/he entire ook is devoted to the 'eo'le ho ork to save avaa4s life. avaa is theda#ghter of 3okka. ;hassan r#sheed 3okka and his ife to the hos'ital for avaa4sirth and ;hassan talked ao#t the deliver$. /ho#gh dictates of the da$ 'rohiited !enfro! eing 'resent for the irth, oth 3okka and ;hassan re!ained for avaa4s irth.;hassan rote ao#t those !o!ents after avaa4s irth, incl#ding ho tenderl$ her'arents held her.

8atasha served as !idife for avaa4s irth. avaa as one of do:ens of aies shedelivered, #t 3okka never forgot 8atasha4s role.


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Ra!:an as arrested and held as a 'risoner earl$ in the conflict. e st#ornl$ref#seed to eco!e an infor!ant tho#gh he as eaten and cr#ell$ tort#red. isca'tors ere a!a:ed at his resistance, and that4s 'roal$ the onl$ reason he asreleased. e even contin#eed to ref#se hen his ca'tors castrated hi!. /his o#nd ishorrific and he as d#!'ed in his ho!e village, leeding and in danger of d$ing. is

father took hi! to Akh!ed, the onl$ doctor in the area, and Akh!ed tended the o#nd./his !eans that Akh!ed is the onl$ 'erson, other than Ra!:an4s father, ho knosthat he has een castrated. It strains their ad#lt relationshi' eca#se Ra!:an isasha!ed of his sit#ation.

3okka and Ra!:an are also close friends into ad#lthood. Ra!:an egan r#nning g#nsand he often took 3okka along, leaving Akh!ed ehind. /his gave Akh!ed theo''ort#nit$ to slee' ith 3okka4s ife. /his as the reason 3okka as ith Ra!:an

hen he as ca't#red and held at the =andfill.


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has acco!'lished so !#ch and she asks if it4s 'ossile to reach so!e of those goalsherself. "on7a ass#res avaa that she can eco!e an$thing she ants to e if she 7#sta''lies herself toard those goals. avaa4s goals eco!e a co!ination of "on7a4s and3okka4s, and oth are !entioned in her dissertation.

Maintainin the ,ospital

Before the ar, os'ital 8o. + as r#n $ so!e 500 e!'lo$ees ho kee' the hos'italo'erational. /here ere so!e 'role!s even then, #t the hos'ital see!ed to !eet atleast the asic !edical needs of the 'eo'le of the cit$. nce the ar tr#l$ egan, !ostof the hos'ital staff !e!ers left. "o!e left on their on #t so!e ere killed orarrested. /he hos'ital is event#all$ o'erating ith a skeleton cre of to 'eo'le andthe$ are !eeting onl$ so!e of the asic !edical needs ith ver$ r#di!entar$e9#i'!ent and s#''lies. "on7a is the onl$ doctor in residence and she is the onl$reason the hos'ital re!ains o'erational at all.

"on7a !ight have given #' on the hos'ital if not for the hel' of a 'air of n#rses hore!ained on staff. 3eshi and aali are sisters and the$ orked together #ntil aali4s

as killed d#ring an attack on the hos'ital. 3eshi re!ains, even tho#gh she 'eriodicall$re!inds "on7a that she retired $ears earlier. ?or a long ti!e, "on7a and 3eshi kee' thehos'ital going.


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ro#ght to os'ital 8o. + here "on7a is the onl$ doctor availale. "on7a is a skilleddoctor #t she is li!ited $ the lack of s#''lies, another effect of the ar.

Ra!:an4s actions are re'rehensile #t can e traced directl$ ack to the ar. e astort#red r#tall$ d#ring his first arrest hich !ade hi! read$ to do hatever it took to

esca'e that a second ti!e. e tried to give infor!ation even efore the$ egan theirtort#re, and he illingl$ eca!e an infor!ant eca#se he as so afraid. /his changedthe lives of !an$ 'eo'le, incl#ding avaa, 3okka, and Akh!ed. Ra!:an4s father is alsoa cas#alt$ of this sit#ation. e is ostraci:ed eca#se Ra!:an is an infor!ant and hesto's talking to Ra!:an, tho#gh the silence ovio#sl$ h#rts the! oth. Akh!ed evenconsiders killing Ra!:an as a !eans of '#tting a sto' to his infor!ing.

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Styles

Point of Vie:

/he stor$ is ritten in third 'erson fro! an o!niscient 'ers'ective. oever, eachcha'ter is li!ited in 'ers'ective to the characters that a''ear in that cha'ter, !eaningthe reader knos onl$ hat those characters kno at that ti!e. ?or e6a!'le, "on7aa''ears in several of the cha'ters thro#gho#t the ook and she is driven $ he desire tokno hat ha''ened to her sister, 8atasha. /he reader sees so!e of 8atasha4s earl$actions #t doesn4t see her inner tho#ghts #ntil late in the ook hen a cha'ter is'resented fro! her 'ers'ective. It4s onl$ then that the reader learns that she died evenefore Akh!ed took avaa to "on7a. /he reader also learns at that 'oint that 8atasha

as connected to 3okka4s arrest and is, therefore, the reason avaa is an or'han ho inds #' in "on7a4s care. oever, "on7a never learns all the details of 8atasha4s finalda$s or that she4s dead.

/he o!niscient 'ers'ective !eans the reader knos the inner tho#ghts of the vario#scharacters. An i!'ortant e6a!'le of this is seen in ;hassan and Ra!:an. Ra!:an isan infor!ant and ca#ses the arrests of several of his neighors and friends. It see!s acoardl$ thing to do and the reader 'roal$ doesn4t like Ra!:an fro! the earl$ 'agesof the ook. It4s onl$ later, hen the reader sees Ra!:an4s inner tho#ghts, that heeco!es a !ore s$!'athetic character. Ra!:an as r#tall$ tort#red the first ti!e he

as arrested, and that !akes it easier to #nderstand that he did hatever it takes to getaa$ fro! his ca'tors after his second arrest.

/he 'ers'ective is a''ro'riate to the stor$. /here is no a$ for the 'ers'ective to e

!ore li!ited itho#t leaving the reader in the dark ao#t s'ecific events and characters.?or e6a!'le, "on7a never learns the fate of her sister. If the 'ers'ective as rittenfro! "on7a4s 'oint of vie, the reader o#ld also never kno hat ha''ens to 8atasha.

9anuae and Meanin

/he overall tone of the stor$ is one of fear and des'air tho#gh there is an #nderc#rrentof ho'e. an$ of the !ain characters are foc#sed on kee'ing avaa alive. "he is theonl$ child seen a!ong the !ain characters and the$ all ho'e that she ill have a etterf#t#re. avaa herself changes her o#tlook to a !ore ho'ef#l f#t#re after seeing that

"on7a is an ed#cated and s#ccessf#l o!an.

/here are rief sketches of so!e of the characters4 f#t#res and !an$ of these also'rovide an ele!ent of ho'e. ost notal$ are avaa and "on7a. avaa gros into anad#lt, finishes her doctorate degree, and lives to e !ore than a h#ndred $ears old."on7a also lives a long life and is recogni:ed as an i!'ortant 'art of the !edical staffeven after the hos'ital is again f#ll$ o'erational. oh!ad, the g#ard at the hos'ital,re!ains at ork for !an$ $ears to co!e. It4s noted that he doesn4t get a single

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'a$check #ntil after the co#ntr$ and econo!$ are restored. /he ?irst and "econd 3a$s,@>/he /hird 3a$,@ and >/he ?o#rth and ?ifth 3a$s.@ ach section is divided into cha'ters

that are titled $ n#!er onl$. Cha'ters 1- are incl#ded in the first section. Cha'ters102& are in the second section and the final section incl#des Cha'ters 22-. /hecha'ters var$ greatl$ in length and in content.

/here are five !ain da$s in the stor$. n the first da$, Akh!ed atches hile 3okka isarrested and he then takes avaa into his on ho!e. n the second da$, Akh!edtakes avaa to the hos'ital and egs "on7a to take care of her. n the third da$,Akh!ed and "on7a travel to %ro:n$ here "on7a has hel' 9#estioning Akh!ed4s tr#e!otives. "he is tr$ing to !ake certain he isn4t a s'$ and she leaves convinced that heisn4t. n the fo#rth da$, Akh!ed ret#rns to the hos'ital for his final da$. e kills his ife

ith an overdose of heroin that night 7#st efore he4s arrested. n the fifth da$, Akh!ed

doesn4t arrive at the hos'ital and "on7a !akes the decision to !ove on ith her life,incl#ding the acce'tance that she4s res'onsile for avaa.

/he stor$ is not 'resented in chronological order tho#gh the five !ain da$s of the stor$'rovide a asis for the other events. /he !a7orit$ of the ook act#all$ occ#rs efore thefive !ain da$s, hich are set in 200. ?or e6a!'le, the first cha'ter of the final sectionis Cha'ter 2. It4s set in 200 ith "on7a and Akh!ed headed for %o:ne$ to gets#''lies. Cha'ter 25 is set in 200& and descries 8atasha4s rief sta$ ith 3okka and

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her death. /here are also rief looks at the f#t#re, s#ch as the infor!ation that avaagoes on to earn a doctorate degree and to live a long life. /he ti!e setting for thecha'ters is indicated at the to' of each cha'ter here there4s a ti!eline ith the $ear ofthis setting highlighted.

/here are !an$ r#non sentences that ra!le to the 'oint that so!e readers on4t eale to follo the !eaning. ne of these occ#rs in the first cha'ter of 3a$ & and itconsists of !ore than 500 ords. /hese !a$ e a 'role! for so!e readers ho !a$not e ale to f#ll$ follo the !eaning thro#gh the ra!les.

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Quotes


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o#ld 'refer to deal ith 'atients on a less invasive level #t reali:es that he has eenchanged eca#se of "on7a4s insistence that he 'erfor! the a!'#tation.

I4ve a!'#tated one tho#sand si6 h#ndred and fort$three legs. o#4ve done three, and$o# think $o# have the right to diagnose !eD

"on7a (Cha'ter 12 'aragra'h )

7mportanceF "on7a is talking to Akh!ed after he sa$s that so!ething inside her isroken. Akh!ed is tr$ing to !ake "on7a reali:e that she can choose to react differentl$to the orld, ith !ore kindness toard the 'eo'le she enco#nters. All "on7a can see isthat she has 'erfor!ed these h#ndreds of a!'#tations and that she4s s#rro#nded $death. "he is also dis!issive of Akh!ed4s 'rofessional ailities, !eaning she doesn4tsee! to reall$ res'ect hi! as a 'erson. /his changes later in the stor$.

/he inter Brendan and "on7a fell in love, all of Volchansk eca!e ho!elessJ eventhose like 8atasha, hose ho!es hadn4t een hit, fo#nd the cold easier to slee'thro#gh than the fear of falling r#le. 8arrator (Cha'ter 1 'aragra'h 1)

7mportanceF /his is !eant to sho the vast differences eteen the lives of the sisters."on7a is living in =ondon, is in love and ha''$. 8atasha is slee'ing o#tside for fear hera'art!ent ill e o!ed.

I as ha''$ there. B#t I ca!e ack for $o# and that entitles !e to $o#r res'ect. "on7a (Cha'ter + 'aragra'h 1)

7mportanceF "on7a is talking to 8atasha. "he4s angr$ at 8atasha #t she4s also tr$ing toreak thro#gh to reach 8atasha ho has fallen into a dee' de'ression.

"he s!iled at these to #ffoons G the onear!ed g#ard threatened to kick Akh!ed4sass ith his to orking legs G and the$ had to e #ffoons, eca#se ever$ hos'itale!'lo$ee ith a ko'ek of co!!on sense had left. 8arrator (Cha'ter 1- 'aragra'h 1)

7mportanceF /his is an e6a!'le of one of the lighter !o!ents of the stor$. Akh!ed andoh!ad are arg#ing and there is goodnat#red teasing ao#t oh!ad4s !issing ar!and Akh!ed4s lack of !edical knoledge. /he to act like good friends tho#gh the$4ve

7#st !e and are #nited onl$ $ their lo$alt$ to "on7a.

It co#ld e the slee'ing 'ills $o# take to fall aslee' a!ong ghosts. It co#ld e Al!an, or#sa, or !ar, or Aslan, or A'ti, or ans#r, or Aslan the irs#te, or R#slan, or A!i, orA!ir 8#!er /o, or Isa, of ;halid, or even 3okka. roal$ 3okka. ;hassan (Cha'ter 21 'aragra'h 2+)

7mportanceF ;hassan is talking to Ra!:an for the first ti!e in !onths and he egins $sa$ing an$ of these co#ld e the reason Ra!:an is having digestive iss#es. /he 'eo'lehe lists here are the 'eo'le ho have een arrested on Ra!:an4s sa$so.

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/hen, halfa$ thro#gh the ook, at the otto! of the 1,&22nd 'age, circled in red inkF=ifeF a constellation of vital 'heno!ena, organi:ation, irritailit$, !ove!ent, gron,re'rod#ction, ada'tation. 8arrator (Cha'ter 2 'aragra'h 2-)

7mportanceF "on7a has 7#st co!e across the !ark !ade $ 8atasha. It4s not clear hether she f#ll$ reali:es that 8atasha circled the ords, hich o#ld !ake it aconnection to 8atasha. It also co#ld e si!'l$ that "on7a s#ddenl$ acce'ts that she isstill alive and that she has !ore to live for than 7#st aiting for 8atasha to ret#rn.

"he o#ld die at the age of one h#ndred and three, in the geriatrics ard of os'ital8o. +, in a roo! that had een the director4s office, then "on7a4s edroo!, and finall$ areg#lar hos'ital roo!, a roo! avaa o#ld re!e!er as !an$ tho#sands of ref#geesre!e!ered her on childhood edroo!, as roo! that had een there hen it asneeded. 8arrator (Cha'ter 2* 'aragra'h -*)

7mportanceF /his is an indication that avaa lives a long and ha''$ life and that shere!e!ers eing taken in at the hos'ital hen she had no here else to go. /here4s areference here to the !an$ ref#gees ho s'ent a night or to in avaa4s childhoodedroo! and a''reciated that safet$ 7#st as avaa a''reciated the roo! at thehos'ital. /his is also a sign that the sacrifices !ade so that avaa co#ld s#rvive erenot in vain.

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