Compare and contrast the opening memory of Baba Haji with the version that Sima recounts to Daniel at the novel’s end. How are they similar and different? What does this say about the theme of storytelling as remembering and surviving?

What role do myths and legends play in this story? How does Daniel’s understanding of them change over the course of the book? Use at least three examples to support your argument.

How important is religion to the plot of this story? How does it help with understanding Sima as a character?