Responsibility In Najmah's Life

(AGG) Najmah has experienced many tragic events throughout the book that made her realize she had to become more responsible and take on many responsibilities as a young girl.(BS-1) Najmah must learn to be a motherly figure to take care of her mother and baby brother after the Taliban invade Golestan taking Baba-jan and Nur with them.(BS-2) The ambush upon Golestan which killed Mada-jan and Habib had an impact on Najmah’s life because, she feels as though she let her father down in protecting them so she was taken with Akhtar and Khalida. (BS-3) When Najmah knew it was best to leave Akhtar and Khalida, she left and that led to more opportunities after she met Nusrat when she arrived in Peshawar, meeting Nusrat changed how Najmah didn’t trust

anyone but was guided through it.(TS)Throughout the book Under the Persimmon Tree, Najmah learned to become more mature and be responsible after facing tragic incidents and to become more responsible she must make some decisions that may majorly affect her.

(MIP-1)After Nur and Baba-jan were taken by the Taliban, it affected how Najmah acted and how she took the responsibility to take care of her mother and her father's other responsibilities. (SIP-A) When the Taliban took Nur and father it made Najmah realize that she has better things to worry about besides her childish fear of leopards. (STEWE-1) Najmah had many childish fears before Baba-jan and Nur were taken by the Taliban, “I am terribly afraid of leopards, although I have never seen one in my life”(Staples 6). Najmah fears of the imaginary leopard, which is showing how she is still a child in many different ways. (STEWE-2) After Baba-jan and Nur were captured by the Taliban, Najmah gains her strength to become more mature. To become more mature Najmah must put her fears beside her and move on, “I no longer think of leopards at all. I am more worried about leaving my mother and baby brother alone in the house with the possibility that the Taliban might return looking for food”(Staples 62). Najmah has changed already due to the Taliban but is still changing as well, and taking the responsibilities that her father had before the Taliban came. Najmah is willing to risk her life to just see the rest of her family and make sure they are safe. (SIP-B) Najmah’s determination is needed in order to do what her father wanted, she needed to take responsibilities that her father had and become the parental character. (STEWE-1) Najmah had the instinct that something was going to go wrong, “I lie awake the rest of the night in terror, with the Stars exploding in a heaven that seems close enough to touch”(Staples 64). Najmah feels as if it was her fault, that she left Mada-jan and baby Habib behind knowing that something might happen and her responsibilities for her father became more complicated to do more than one thing at once. The night before the bombing which killed her mother and Habib, she thought she saw bombs in the sky. Najmah didn’t do anything wrong, she was trying to be responsible and do as her father might have done in this situation. (STEWE-2) The young girl who is taking big responsibilities and making decisions for her family and works hard to make her father proud,“‘My mother and I will stay’ I say”(Staples 33). Najmah is doing everything she thinks is better for her family, and stands up to her uncle just like her father would have. She is obeying her father's wish to stay in the Kunduz Hills, “Bibi Usmani’s brother and his family have not come, and my mother and I have decided we will stay, as Baba-jan wished”(Staples 57). Mada-jan and Nusrat have made a decision that they will stay there how ever long it takes until Baba-jan returns as long as they’re a family. (CS) Najmah took many risks and responsibilities to do the things her father wanted her to do while her was gone, and she wanted him to be proud of her when and if he returns.

(MIP-2)After the death of Mada-jan and Habib, it was difficult on Najmah and it majorly affected her decisions and changed the responsibilities she had.

(SIP-A) Najmah was forced into leaving Golestan, and was forced into turning into a boy for her own safety.(STEWE-1) Turning into Shaheed was not a choice for her to make, but they had to risk getting caught by the Taliban, “You will be safer dressed as a boy traveling through strange areas”(Staples 85). She knew that the choice Akhtar and Khalida had to make will help them survive, and be safe but also risk of getting caught. (STEWE-2) Her decisions around finding Nur and Baba-jan are very risky, but she is willing to take the responsibilities to see them again. Najmah is being independent and making her own choices, “I feel I must keep my distance from Khalida and Akhtar because I know I will leave them soon”(Staples 151). When she became Shaheed she knew what she was looking for, and that was finding her father and brother after her mother and brother died. Her development is that she became for independent and made the decisions she thought was best for her. (SIP-B) Najmah is building up her strength to make her own decisions by using the help she got from Akhtar and Khalida. (STEWE-1) She knew she had to make her own responsibilities and decisions, so one decision she made was to keep her silence ever since she went up the hill “I still have not spoken since the day I took the animals up into the hills before my mother

and Habib were killed”(Staples 150). Najmah is still in shock and it's going to take a very long time for her to recover because, she feels like a disappointment to her father. She did not keep the promise that she was told to do by her father, “Take care of your mother”(Staples 14). (STEWE-2) It was hard for Najmah to gain her strength back, and just start talking again she had to work hard to get it back. It must have been hard for her to let it go, but harder to gain it back. By not talking, it can protect her from anyone finding out that she is a girl dressed like a boy. Najmah is gaining her independence by protecting herself, “My silence has protected me, saved my life, and I am afraid to let it go”(Staples 181). Her fear of letting it go is her independent responsibility. (CS) It is hard for Najmah to keep going to go after Nur and Baba-jan because, she feels as though she let down her father of protecting Mada-jan and the baby and is suffering for it.

(MIP-3)Meeting Nusrat had a big impact of Najmah’s life because Nusrat helped Najmah to trust and fight through her PTSD but, also made her more responsible in making her own choices.

(SIP-A) With all of the major responsibilities Najmah had, her silence made it difficult to trust people along her way of her journey. (STEWE-1) Nusrat helped Najmah to learn to trust, “‘Really, you are safe here,’Nusrat says. ‘ I don’t want to make you talk if you don’t want to’”(Staples 197). After watching her mother and baby brother die, Najmah stayed silent and made it safely to Peshawar and after facing the silence she feels as though she is responsible for those choices. (STEWE-2) Najmah needs to try to let people in and at least has to try,”’It’s difficult to know who to trust. I don’t know that I can trust you. But I have no choice’”(Staples 209). She finally opens up and talks about what has happened but knows that Nusrat may or may not help her, but hasn’t completely let her in. Najmah knew that it could give her a chance to at least find out some information about where her brother and father were. The responsibility of learning to trust was a major issue but she knew it was best to learn. (SIP-B) Nusrat was there and was willing to help Najmah and give her a successful future, but with the return of Nur it is best to get their father’s land back which was his last wish. (STEWE-1) Nusrat was the first to know that Najmah was a “girl-dressed-as-a-boy”(Staples 194) at the refugee,

Nusrat wants to protect Najmah and make sure nothing happens to her. Nusrat feels as though it is her responsibility to help Najmah and also let her make decisions on her own. Najmah has someone who believes in a future for her, “I could take Najmah to New York and give her a good life there”(Staples 237). Nusrat wants Najmah to have a great life without the conflict of war. (STEWE-2) With the return of Nur, he was looking for help just like Najmah. Now that they have each other and have a chance to get their father's land back, “‘We have no choice but to return to Golestan,’ says Nur quietly. ‘Uncle or someone will surely take our land if we don’t go back. It was our father’s last wish that we should keep our farm from the hands of the Taliban or Uncle’”(Staples 256). They know the must do what their father wished now that he is dead, and they want to be responsible and make the right choice. (CS) Najmah developed her full responsibility by making the choice that would make her father proud but had to make the decision to leave Nusrat after all she has done, it will help her stay determined of what will come next.

(RTS) Najmah had to face some terrifying incidents that affects the decisions she made and the responsibilities she had control over.(BS-3) Leaving Golestan made Najmah suffer because she did not want to leave it all behind, until she met Nusrat when Najmah finally learned that she was safe in the refugee camp.(BS-2) With the risks that Najmah had to make, she had to face the death of her mother and Habib which led to her leaving Golestan with Akhtar and Khalida. (BS-1) With no man in the house, and a pregnant mother it was Najmah’s responsibility to take care of what her father would have done in order to keep everyone safe, and he need to take many risks just like Najmah did. ® If your father said “Take care of your mother”(14), what risks would you make to take those responsibilities and do as he said.