Analysis Of Suzanne Fisher Staples Under The Persimmon Tree

Currently, thousands of refugees are seeking safety and shelter in refugee camps that offer little aid, and struggle to support the many refugees. This is not the case for the refugee camps in the Under the Persimmon Tree, and the refugee camps only depict very few elements of real world refugee camps. These are present issues portrayed by Under the Persimmon Tree by Suzanne Fisher Staples. In this fictional version of Afghanistan, Najmah, a young girl, is separated from her family because of the war. Najmah then embarks on a grueling and long journey with numerous people, and sometimes her self. She pushes forwards because of the hope of reuniting with her remaining family. While on her journey, Najmah encounters many challenges and moral

decisions that show the impact of war on Najmah. While in fact, in the book Under the Persimmon Tree, refugees are gladly accepted into refugee camps that protect them from the Taliban, while in real life, there are still thousands of refugees waiting for permission to enter a shelter. Suzanne Staples uses refugee camps to relate the development and struggles of Najmah's character to real life.

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In the novel Under the Persimmon Tree, almost all refugee camps gladly give shelter and safety for all who show up, and they have abundant supplies of food and shelter for the residents of the camp.

Najmah enters as a refugee and is given food and water. She describes her and Khalida’s experience this way as they “sleep for two more nights under the stars, and during the day milk and ghee and lentils from Pakistan are handed out in addition to the fruit bars and grey biscuits” (Staples 146-147). The good nutrition and a safe place to stay helps them regain their health. Along with food and water from the first refugee camp, at the second camp, Najmah is able to "slip through the gate quickly without asking, not wanting to give the guard a proper opportunity to turn me away” (Staples 182). Najmah was able to walk into a refugee with considerable ease, while in real life, many refugees await permission to enter a refugee camp. Lastly, when Najmah was moving through the refugee camp, she could "tell by looking at them that they have little food and no clean water, and the only thing they live on is the dreams of their farms, which no longer exist” (Staples 186). Najmah is surprised by the very poor living conditions of the refugee camp after her positive experience living in one herself. Although many characteristics of the refugee camps portrayed in the book are not entirely accurate, some examples clearly represent different aspects of real world refugee

camps.

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Although most refugee camps in the book were depicted as a safe haven, but many refugees are under the constant threat of disease and violence, and the camps struggle to provide safety and supplies for the massive crowds of people. Refugee camps are not always a safe haven for refugees. Many refugees struggle through great distances in order to “find shelter in these camps that have a possibility of being worse than it was in your home country” (megan mckay). Refugee camps are not always a safe haven for refugees, but can be almost as challenging to thrive in one as it was back survive back home. Along with poor conditions, many refugee camps scramble to provide for the thousands of refugees within the camp. Refugee camps are not always “planned out well and leave many people needing water and/or food” (Megan McKay). Many refugee camps do not have enough supplies for all refugees, and thus struggle to provide for the refugees, making it a difficult place to both survive and thrive. As well as a struggle for supplies and shelter, many refugee camps have many different dangers. A great number of refugees who become “weak become targets for bad forms of violence. People, are violated by and exposed to bad people because they are in such close proximity” (Megan McKay). Not only is there a lack of supplies, but many refugees are threatened by theft and violence towards them from fellow refugees while they are vulnerable, making these camps a challenging place to stay safe. Lately, there is a huge risk of disease getting passed around theses refugee camps. Many refugees, including the “Weak, poor, sick, young, and old all live together in a tiny space. Leading to many illnesses from different people” (Megan McKay). Because of the incredibly close proximity to each other, illness is a standing threat to thousands of refugees, making these an even more dangerous place than it was once thought to be. In conclusion, the refugee camps portrayed in the book are not nearly as realistic as it hey are in real life and do not emphasize the troubling aspects of the camps such as a lack of supplies and a dangerous environment for refugees.

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Staples used real life representations of the refugees journey and refugee camps to demonstrate the development and changes of Najmah's character through the her journey. Najmah has developed different skills to help her survive. While on her journey, Najmah has "proved very adept at finding food when there seems to be none” (Staples 150). Najmah has had to learn how to scavenge for food and supplies while traveling to Peshawar to find her family. As well as developing different skills, Najmah has become much more audacious. Before sneaking out of the truck, Najmah was able to “stuff several pears into [her] shirt pockets, then pull the canvas aside” (Staples 163). Najmah demonstrated an act of courage when she stole two pears from the truck she was in, proving a change in her character. Along with a new sense of courage, Najmah has set aside her childish fears. Najmah does not “think of leopards at all. [she is] more worried about leaving [her] mother and baby brother alone in the house with the possibility that the Taliban might return looking for more food” (Staples 62). Instead of worrying about something unrealistic such as leopards, Najmah has begun to fear real incidents such as the Taliban harming her family, which is a new trait for Najmah. Lastly, Najmah has formed a new sense of maturity. Najmah thinks of asking “keepers of the larger shops whether [she] can earn money by sweeping or delivering things for them” (Staples 167). When Najmah thought about asking shops for a job, she indicated she had grown much more responsible and daring in order to sustain herself while traveling as a refugee. In Under the Persimmon Tree, Staples integration of real world examples of refugee children's different lifestyle on Najmah was able to accurately show many changes in Najmah's character through the her journey.

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It has become obvious that war has numerous impacts on many people experiencing them. The ongoing war has displaced many people from their homes, forcing them to retreat to refugee camps. These refugee camps portrayed in the book do not completely relate to real world refugee camps. While the refugee camps in the book seem harsh, Staples did not use many elements of real life refugee camps, which posses many more momentous issues. Mainly due to Staples depictions of refugee camps in the book, she was able to clearly show the development of Najma's character. Clearly, Staples use of refugees and refugee camps was able to accurately show a change in Najma's character, but her representation of them in the book did not highlight many important factors that they have in real life.