Iqbal

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. According to the United Nations, child labor is defined as “work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.” How does child labor affect the well-being of children, families, and citizens of a country? What are some of the devastating effects of child labor?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question invites students to consider the novel’s central conflict of child labor and an associated theme: The Economic Impact of Forced Child Labor. Child labor, which is usually associated with low or unpaid work of children for exploitative means in the global commodity market, is a common source of modern slavery that persists in contemporary society, often in economies with high rates of corruption and insecure systems of justice. D’Adamo’s novel focuses on the negative repercussions of child labor through the eyes of young workers in Pakistan’s carpet industry, most of whom are sold into “bonded slavery” in order to pay off their family's debts; these systems are often skewed, making it difficult for the debtors to pay the creditors. This Short Answer question connects to the post-reading Activity.

• The United Nations shares a brief overview of child labor from a global perspective.
• University of Oxford provides a thorough breakdown with statistics of the presence of child labor in various countries throughout the 20th century.

2. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, corruption is defined as “dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people (such as government officials or police officers).” Consider this meaning of corruption. What are some examples of corruption in a country? In what ways can a leader or a government official be corrupt? How does a corrupt political system affect citizens?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question can be used to introduce an important theme in the novel: The Power of Corruption and its effect on the lives of the citizens. Corruption of government and bureaucratic officials is often a concern in developing countries without consolidated political institutions. D’Adamo’s novel addresses the problem in Pakistan, where corruption and bribery are common practices that citizens must negotiate on a daily basis as they are forced to find money to bribe officials to gain a desired outcome.

• This 2014 BBC article reports on the detrimental effects of corruption on the lives of citizens.
• This 2022 article from The Economist includes a map and graph showing the relative impact of corruption worldwide. (Subscription or registration may be needed to view text of article.)
• This 2021 article from The University of Melbourne discusses the history of corruption in Pakistan.
• This risk report for Pakistan from GAN Integrity, a company that promotes and facilitates ethical business practices, highlights the problems that corruption creates.

Short Activity

D’Adamo’s novel is set in Pakistan. Working in small groups, briefly research information about this country. Use these and other questions to guide your research:

• Where is this country located?
• What languages are spoken there?
• When did Pakistan secure its independence from Britain?
• What are some of the challenges that Pakistani people face in their country?

Summarize the major points you discover and briefly share your findings with the class.

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Activity orients students with the setting of the novel: Pakistan in the late 20th/early 21st century. Located between the Middle East region and the South Asian peninsula, Pakistan is a primarily Muslim country that was formed after the British Empire’s division of the South Asian peninsula after World War II. Since its independence, Pakistan has suffered a multitude of economic problems, including high unemployment, security concerns related to terrorist organizations, and political instability. D’Adamo touches upon these obstacles in his novel, particularly in relation to the themes of The Power of Corruption and The Economic Impact of Forced Child Labor. Groups may want to use visual aids for bulleted points, statistics, and other discovered information.

• This encyclopedia entry shares an overview of Pakistan’s history and culture.
• The Brookings Institution offers a commentary on “Five Major Issues to Watch in 2023” for Pakistan.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who would benefit from an approach that prompts a more thorough understanding of the novel’s historical context, this Activity may be amended to include the following question: How has Pakistan dealt with issues such as The Power of Corruption and The Economic Impact of Forced Child Labor since the novel’s publication in 2001?

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Consider the meaning of the word oppression. How would you define this word? Consider a popular piece of literature or film in which the main characters unite in order to fight oppression. In what ways do these characters fight the oppressor? How impactful is their fight?

Teaching Suggestion: This Personal Connection Prompt invites students to consider the theme Coming Together to Escape Oppression in the context of their own reading or viewing experiences. In the novel, as a result of the corruption and black market economic production methods in the Pakistani carpet industry, many enslaved children do not feel that they have agency to fight back; however, Iqbal’s presence inspires them to organize a collective response and unify against their oppressor. Students may be interested in sharing their examples after independent journaling. This Personal Connection Prompt connects to the post-reading Discussion/Analysis prompt.