Under The Persimmon Tree Najmah Character Analysis

Lots of people around the world go through losses and sit and think about for many days or even months, but Najmah, unlike many regular people that are older than her, took actions to make herself a better person. In the novel Under The Persimmon Tree by Suzanne Fisher Staples, Najmah is presented as a young girl in war torn Afghanistan after the tragic events of 9/11. Najmah loses many things in her long haul and reacts from them as time passes. She finally meets someone that turns her whole world back up. Najmah has encountered many calamities: after all these events she became a completely different girl, in the end Najmah became a stronger person on the inside and outside with the help of her new friends.

Najmah has been shaped by

all the mishaps in her life prior to her trek away from home. The loss of family impacted Najmah the most, she lost her father and brother, "The men shove and drag Baba-Jan and my brother toward the Datsun pickup trucks"(18). After the loss Najmah only has her pregnant mom with her to help her survive. Not only is Najmah a young girl that is afraid to go to the river because of animals, but now she has to protect and take care of her mom from the Taliban and their next door Uncle.

Furthermore, losing her father and older brother means that Najmah had to do most of the chores outside of the house leaving her mom all by herself. Najmah and Mada-Jan were keeping the farm and home up and running, even with the birth of Najmah's new baby brother, until, “My mother lies on the ground nearby with her legs splayed at odd angles to the rest of her. She reaches her hand toward me, and opens her lips to speak. Instead of words, blood pours from her mouth. By the time I reach her she stares with glassy, dead eyes”(67). Najmah does not know what could have gone worse, she has to take care of a farm and home by herself! But luckily Najmah also has other neighbors that haven't lost their families and are traveling to Pakistan. Najmah only agrees to this because she hopes that Baba-Jan and Nur will be there waiting for her. In addition to all this Najmah has forgotten that she will lose the home that she was born in and spent the last twelve years in, " I look back over my shoulder at the path we've ridden all through the night. But they are far, far behind us, and I realize I will never see them

again" (85). She will never see her home again because of the bombings that happened, now the only thing that drives her is the hope that her brother and father are in Pakistan to help. Lastly Najmah has lost something that no one ever would've thought losing, “‘You will be safer dressed as a boy traveling through strange areas’”(85). The true identity of Najmah has been stolen from her, she is not Najmah but now is Shaheed traveling the longest voyage she will ever have to go. Given these facts anyone and almost everyone in the world will be hurt on the inside from any loss in their family, let only the whole family. Najmah is not crying or even screaming that she lost her family, she is changing and recovering.
Najmah's misfortunes had a positive impact on her at first, but as time went on the events changed her into a whole other person that no one had never seen before. Najmah became more brave and put herself in the midst of danger to keep her mother safe from any intruders, “I push aside the curtain and step outside, holding the curved knife in one hand, the blade pointing toward the ground. Uncle turns in surprise”(58). Najmah is not a little girl anymore that is scared of the Taliban, she does not care if the people behind the curtain are trying to hurt her, all that she has on her mind is to keep her mom and baby brother safe. The problems and fears when her father and brother were present are thrown into the void, “I know longer think of leopards at all. I am more worried about leaving my mother and baby brother along in the house with the possibility that the Taliban might return looking for more food”(62). Another example of nobility is demonstrated. Najmah matured after her brother and father were taken away because she opened her eyes to the real world and understood that she had to run the house and protect her mother before caring about herself. Following the process of losing the rest of her family, Najmah is no longer as strong as before and gets help from Khalida and Akthar (neighbors) to get out of the numbness she is in, “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”(110). After the death of her mother and brother, Najmah is showing different attributes. She is still in surprise and is suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Even if she tries to talk she cannot from a combination of fear, shock and fatigue. Najmah has turned to the last resort that no ten year old should do, crime, “A combination of hunger, fright, and shock that I have so easily resorted to stealing leaves me with shaking hands and knees” (167). Stealing food is something that no one ever would of thought Najmah would do, but she is forced to because of a lack of food and surprise. Her heart does not think it is right choice, so she tells herself that she will work for the person she got the pears from to repay him. She is becoming more independent and learning how to live alone. All things considered, Najmah became stronger after her dad and Nur were taken away but changed and had not showed negative thoughts and actions until after her mother and brother were taken out of her grasp.
Najmah met someone that turned her life back upright from the big slide that she plummeted down.

When Najmah met Nusrat she could not believe all the luxuries she had been offered, “I nod my head. It suits me very well, but I can barely believe my ears. She’s giving me a safe, clean place to sleep, food, and an opportunity to go to school. Surely she will ask for something in return” (203)! Najmah is in awe from all the resources Nusrat is providing her with to help her recover. Nusrat is helping a random stranger that showed up at her door, this leaves Najmah to be very cautious because she had never seen this level of kindness from anyone before. Nusrat has made Najmah strong and healthy again through her kindness and patience that one in a million people might have showed in the time war, “It feels so good to laugh! It feels as if the world might very well go on”(244). Nusrat changed Najmah from a girl that had her head down and could not talk into a girl that is laughing and telling stories again. This shows how a little bit of time and kindness can impact a person. Najmah is now willing to go back to the torn Golestan village with Nur to keep her family's legacy rooted, “‘It was our father's last wish that we should keep our farm from the hands of the Taliban or Uncle’”(256). Baba-Jan wants Nur and Najmah to keep the land safe so generations after them can have the same land to work with and love. This is the only way the family got money, resources and food.

Also, Nur and Najmah do not want Uncle M to get the land because they know he is going to sell opium to get money. Although Nusrat does not love the decision of Nur and Najmah going back, she is willing to give the best effort that she can to make their trip successful, “‘ From Mazar-i-Sharif, General Durrani's men will take you on to Kunduz… It will still be dangerous, but having them protect you is the safest way to go’” (264). Nusrat is providing Najmah and Nur more protection as the soldiers will help them arrive to Kunduz. Confidence also grows for the kids because since they are in a big group so, bandits and other groups will not try to rob or kill them. All in all, Nusrat and her relatives helped bring out Najmah and Nur’s characteristics that were lying at the bottom of their hearts.
Najmah has changed from start to finish in the book. She started as a small village girl scared of everything, but soon developed into a noble girl with no regrets. Her losses occurred all in a chain reaction that left her speechless. She soon reacted to all these events either positively or negatively. Lastly she made many new soulmate that helped her get out of shock, fright and depression. Winston Churchill presents loss at its finest,"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm"