Many of the important characters in the narrative dislike and distrust one another: Khalifa and Amur, Asha and Nassor, and Hamza and the German sergeant. What role do mistrust and misunderstanding play in the novel in terms of plot, characterization, and/or themes? What is the significance of these misunderstandings?

Analyze the experiences the main characters have with colonialism and their attitudes toward the colonial system. How is colonialism depicted? How do characters differ in their attitudes and beliefs toward colonialism?

Language and literacy play subtle, but important, roles in the text. How do language and literacy reflect systems of power in the novel? How do they affect the lives of the individual characters, and why?