Throughout the novel, Fadi feels guilty about what happened to Mariam, since he believes her loss to be his fault. Why does he blame himself? How does he process these feelings of guilt?

Compare your previous response to the Personal Connection Prompt to this Discussion/Analysis Prompt response. Are there any similarities between your feelings of guilt and Fadi’s? If so, explain.

Teaching Suggestion: This Discussion Prompt directly relates to the Personal Connection Prompt, as it encourages students to contextualize feelings of guilt with Fadi’s experience. You might consider having students privately write their responses first, and then give students the option to share. Because some time has passed and students have had more time to consider the motif of guilt and shame, they may be more likely to share.