The Breadwinner Study Questions

Chapter One:
 Why did people come to the marketplace to have Parvana’s father read their mail to them?
 Parvana’s father said, “Afghans cover the earth like stars cover the sky.” Explain this quote.
 In what ways did the Taliban rule affect the lives of Parvana’s family?
 The book says that “with each bomb they (Parvana’s family) got poorer.” Explain.

Chapter Two:
 Why was Parvana the only one who could fetch the water for the family?
 Why wasn’t the family friendly with the neighbors?
 Who was Hossain?
 What was the Taliban looking for? Why did they take Parvana’s father?

Chapter Three:
 Why couldn’t Parvana and her mother ride the bus to the jail?
 Why did Nooria write a note giving her mother permission to leave the home?
 Why was Parvana nervous when her mother showed the photo of her father to people they
met?
 What happened at the jail? Were Parvana and her mother successful?

Chapter Four:
 Why didn’t Parvana’s mother continue her writing career after the Taliban took over?
 How do the girls finally solve the problem of running out of food?

Chapter Five:
 What happened when the soldier spotted Parvana at the fruit and vegetable stand?
 Who questioned Parvana as she ran home?
 How did Mrs. Weera know Parvana’s mother?
 What was wrong with the water that Parvana brought in the bucket? What must be done first
before drinking it? What would happen if you didn’t do this?

Chapter 6:
 What was the brilliant solution to the issue of getting around without father? What would they
do to pull it off?
 What upset mother after the transformation?

Chapter 7:
 Who did Parvana say she was? How did she explain why she (he) was there?
 What was Parvana’s job?
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Chapter 8:
 What did Mrs. Weera and mother decide to do?
 Who was Mrs. Weera taking care of? Where was the rest of her family?
 What did Parvana (as Kaseem), Nooria, Ali, and Maryam start to do after lunch each day? How
long had it been since they had done that?
 What were the two items that Parvana found on her blanket (one on that day and one a few
days earlier)? Where did she think they came from?

Chapter 9:
 Who was the girl from her class? What was she doing in the marketplace?
 What was Mrs. Weera thinking of starting at Parvana’s house?
 What gift arrived from the “Window Woman”?

Chapter 10:
 What was Parvana’s new “job opportunity”?
 What did Parvana learn about land mines from the United Nations representative?
 Did Shauzia and Parvana tell their families what they were doing? What did Parvana do with the
money she earned?
 What did Parvana see every time she closed her eyes?

Chapter 11:
 How did Parvana’s mother react when she learned of her new job?
 When Shauzia and Parvana saved up enough money, what did they decide to do?
 What was happening in the stadium to the thieves?

Chapter 12:
 What is Shauzia’s secret?
 How many girls were in the secret school?
 What is Nooria’s news?

Chapter 13:
 What will Nooria be able to do in the north that she can’t do living in Kabul?
 Why did mother decide to leave Parvana behind?
 What was the present that Parvana bought for her sister?
 What did Parvana hear in the building she was hiding in?

Chapter 14:
 What motivated Parvana to get out of bed and go back to work?
 Who arrived at the apartment when Parvana returned home from work one afternoon?

Chapter 15:
 What did the men say happened to father?
 What is the plan that Shauzia’s grandfather has for her?
 What happened in Mazar that prompted Parvana and her father to travel there?
 What was Parvana’s “present” to the “Window Woman”?