Under The Persimmon Tree Najmah Character Analysis

(AGG) Few people think about how turmoil can change a person on the inside, their primary focus being on whether that person survived the event or not. (BS-1) In Staples’ Under The Persimmon Tree, Najmah experiences many terrifying events as a result of the war raging around her, which lead to the development of PTSD in her and several major internal conflicts. (BS-2) Her symptoms of PTSD are later witnessed changing Najmah and further developing her conflicts. (BS-3) Finally, Najmah endures yet more change as she finds peace and resolves her conflicts and PTSD symptoms. (TS) In the novel Under The Persimmon Tree, Suzanne Fisher Staples uses the accurate effects of post-traumatic stress disorder to largely shape Najmah’s character, both through

how her character changes and how her internal conflicts are resolved.

(MIP-1) The bombing that killed Najmah’s mother and Habib accurately led to her developing PTSD, and led to several major internal conflicts that Najmah had to deal with. (SIP-A) The feelings Najmah experienced in those few seconds of turmoil changed her forever, and are proven causes that lead her to develop PTSD. (STEWE-1) Early in the book, Najmah endured a terrible event that greatly shaped her character. This was the bombing by the Americans, and afterward she saw that “By the time [she] [reached] her she [stared]with glassy, dead eyes. Habib [laid] motionless a few feet behind her, facedown in the dirt, his little arms flung out to his sides in the way her throws the wide when he lies naked on the cot swimming for joy in the fresh air” (Staples 67). The terrifying experience of the bombing and the loss of her mother and Habib was a major factor in the changes that Najmah later endured. (STEWE-2) Staples uses this event, as well as several other events, as correct triggers for the PTSD symptoms that Najmah endures. The article Post-traumatic Stress Disorder proves this, stating how PTSD “may occur when an individual experiences or witnesses an event perceived as a threat and in which he or she experiences fear, terror, or helplessness” (Frey).

Additionally, PTSD is very likely to develop following an intentional act of human cruelty, such as the bombing that took place, or if one is to witness the death of a loved one (Frey). Najmah had been exposed to all of those factors during the bombing, and experienced sheer terror in those moments and the moments after the bombings. Najmah’s development of PTSD was indeed based upon facts that later led to several important developments in the plot. (SIP-B) This loss, coupled with the effects of the disorder that Najmah later deals with, establish key internal conflicts within Najmah, which prove to be driving forces in the paths that she takes. (STEWE-1) One of the most important conflicts is how Najmah feels truly alone in the world, and is haunted by the fact that she may have no one left to love her. On her journey with Akhtar, Najmah is found constantly pondering this notion, “The thought that I might be an orphan hovers around me like a wicked djinn…” (Staples 103). This inner conflict of what she is to do with her life is a result of the same events that cause PTSD in her, and are the foundation for her quests to find family and return home throughout the novel. (STEWE-2) Her

transition from being alone and scared to knowing how she must reunite with her family and return to her village is a gradual one. During her time in the refugee camp, she thinks “...I am not inclined to call any place home, except for the farm where I've always lived with my father and mother and brother in the Kunduz Hills, below the rim of the Koh-I-Dil” (Staples 147). Her conflicts turn out to be her motives for continuing onward, as Najmah remarks, “Reuniting with them is my one and only reason for existence…” (Staples 150). Najmah is also seeking peace, and she knows in her mending heart that the only way for her to find it is to be with her family in her home. As seen throughout the book, the person who Najmah comes to be is almost entirely shaped by PTSD and these internal conflicts, both of which originated from the loss of her family. (CS) Clearly, the event of the bombing not only triggered PTSD in Najmah, but also helped develop key internal conflicts that she faced.

(MIP-2) Staples realistically portrays Najmah as she demonstrates her symptoms of PTSD in several ways, which further affects the growth of her internal conflicts. (SIP-A) Throughout much of Najmah’s journey with Akhtar, she shows clear signs of the disorder in her disconnection from others. (STEWE-1) However, the most influential symptom Najmah endured was her silence, which was her tool for shutting the rest of the world out. She herself has been seen reflecting on her inability to speak, “It's been more than two weeks since I've last spoken, and I’m not certain I will ever be able to speak again” ( Staples 110 ). Her silence is a clear symptom of disconnection and PTSD. She refuses to communicate with others as a result of the trauma she endured, as she does not want to grow close to others for fear of losing someone else who she loves. Najmah also uses her silence to shut the rest of the world out, and does not want to experience any more events that could lead her to relive the day of the bombings. (STEWE-2) Another clear symptom of Najmah enduring PTSD was her emotional numbness. After the traveling party on the road is attacked, Najmah displays this symptom when passing the bodies of those who have fallen, thinking, “I do not feel anything about them at all-only a curiosity about who they are and where they come from” ( Staples 106 ). As her feelings demonstrate, Najmah goes emotional numb after her experience, choosing not to feel for fear of someone else being taken from her. (STEWE-3) Staples uses definite examples from the real world to demonstrate Najmah’s PTSD. Freys article validates this by describing how victims of PTSD commonly disconnect themselves from others and the rest of the world, and avoid any stimuli that might trigger flashbacks or memories of the horrifying experiences, all in efforts to minimize the risk of losing someone else they love or hurting themselves more (Frey). Staples clearly used true statements in her descriptions of Najmah’s emotions. (SIP-B) Najmah’s silence and her symptoms are not just effects of PTSD, as they play a key role in further developing Najmah’s character and the conflicts she faces. (STEWE-1) Najmah’s silence and her disconnection is part of the reason she longs for reuniting with her family, and progress her conflict of being truly alone. She is found constantly thinking of them while enduring PTSD on her way to the refugee camps, “I think of Nur and my father, and look up for al-Qutb, the star that never moves…” (Staples 107). Her silence isolates her and forces her to realize that she is alone, and increases her drive to find her family. (STEWE-2) Her symptoms not only advance her internal conflicts, but transition to helping Najmah fight for what she desires. When in Peshawar, she reflects on how her silence has been used as a tool to help her, “My silence has protected me, saved my life, and I am afraid to let go of it” (Staples 181). Her PTSD symptoms are now seen being used by Najmah to fill the void left by the passing of her mother and Habib, and to resolve her internal conflicts. (CS) It is evident that Najmah portrays symptoms of PTSD, and they are seen advancing Najmah’s conflicts and as being the major driving force behind many of the decisions she makes.

(MIP-3) These aspects of the novel build up to Najmah’s encounter with Nusrat, which allows her to resolve the war against herself and no longer suffer from PTSD; she finally lets go of the past. (SIP-A) The first instance where Nusrat is seen being able to help Najmah is when she coaxes her to speak again. (STEWE-1) Nusrat was able to get Najmah to speak again by being able to relate to Najmah. When Najmah handed Nusrat the piece of paper, Nusrat remarked, “‘Why is it not Shaheeda?’” (Staples 193). After an initial second of fear, Najmah replied “‘How did you know?’” (Staples 194), the first time Najmah had spoken since the bombing. (STEWE-2) Nusrat later explained how she figured out Najmah was a girl by showing her identical calluses. Nusrat asked, “‘Your work is carrying wood and cutting grass and sweeping, is it not?...That's girls’ work’” (Staples 194). As Najmah's bond grew stronger with Nusrat, she realized that Nusrat was someone who could truly relate to her, and understood what she had been through. Nusrat was able to help Najmah resolve her conflict of how no one could understand what she had gone through, shaping Najmah's character by once again allowing her to hope and to have something to live for, and teaching Najmah that she would never be alone. Though her silence was used as a tool, it was still a symptom of PTSD, and was preventing Najmah from moving on by trapping her in the moment of the bombing. PTSD allowed this change in Najmah to happen, and had a major influence on Najmah's character. (SIP-B) Nusrat again helps Najmah to move on from her past by showing Najmah the truth in the world. (STEWE-1) When witnessing the meteor shower, Najmah again displays symptoms of PTSD in her extreme response. She reacts to it saying, “‘That sword...I know it means something evil will happen. Someone will die!’” (Staples 224). This certain stimuli triggered Najmah's memory of the night before her mother and Habib were killed, and created intense fear inside of her. (STEWE-2) The article on PTSD backs up this accurate event with evidence, stating that the extreme startle response is one of the most common traits of PTSD (Frey). Staples clearly uses proven details in her novel, and ties it into the greater plot which changes Najmah completely. (STEWE-3) Nusrat is a large influential factor in these changes, as seen when she gets Najmah to speak again. She calms Najmah down after she reacted to the meteors by explaining, “‘The swords are a made up story to explain meteors...Meteors are ice and stone-they’re real...How can it be evil if it's part of the world’s holiest shrine?’” (Staples 225-226). Nusrat uses science and religion to get to Najmah, and teaches Najmah to see the world differently. This understanding finally allows Najmah to look ahead to the future, and no longer be stuck within her she'll, dwelling on the turmoil she has experienced. (CS) Overall, Najmah's internal conflicts have been greatly developed by PTSD, and with Nusrats help, Najmah frees herself from the grip of post-traumatic stress disorder and resolves her conflicts.

(RTS) Post-traumatic stress disorder plays a major role in the book Under The Persimmon Tree, as Najmah realistically portrays symptoms of the disorder to develop her character. (BS-3) She endures change when Nusrat helps her to resolve her conflicts and symptoms. (BS-2) Her conflicts were also advanced previously, as Najmah exhibited symptoms of the disorder while traveling with Akhtar. (BS-1) Finally, Staples include a factual based trigger for both Najmah’s internal conflicts and her development of PTSD. (RINGER) Suzanne Fisher Staples’ Under The Persimmon Tree sheds a new light on the horrors of war and conflict, and spurs one's thinking as to how turmoil can change a person, even if they survived.