Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis Cultural issues that alter the life of the main character in Afghanistan

The first and foremost difference between the life of Parvana and that of a child in the United States is the extent to which gender defines the girl's life. Parvana lives in Afghanistan, under the rule of the Taliban. Because of her gender, she cannot obtain an education or work to help her family. Her entire life is defined and limited by the fact she is a girl -- her future destiny, the way people treat her, and the restrictions placed upon her life by the government. In the United States, although sexism still exists, women are not judged first and foremost by their sex by their employers, because to do so is against the law, and all children are entitled to an education.

Another difference between Parvana and a United States child of the same age is the way war encroaches upon every facet of her life. Although the United States...

The conflict often 'feels' very far away in the United States. For Parvana, war is a constant presence in her life, and something that must be dealt with every day. When she was very young, she was able to live with her relatively well-educated family in a decently-sized house. She still remembers what her family's cars looked like. However, now, thanks to the war, the family has lost everything. It is dangerous to be outside without a man, and the women of the family struggle to find food and water because of the physical limitations of the burquas they are forced to wear. However, they are considered the 'lucky' ones -- some women who have lost limbs as a result of the war have had their prosthetics taken away by their husbands, to further limit their ability to be free, go outside, and to be functional in society.
Religion permeates Parvana's…