A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza Essay

A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza Essay

Background: As a class, we’ve read A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza, and discussed the characters, themes, and some of the symbolism in the book. We’ve looked closely at some of the passages in the book, and key moments in the plot.

Your Task: Choose one of the essay prompt questions:

  1. From a young age, Amar fears that he has a “black stain” on his soul. What do you think was the root cause of this fear? Why do you think he questions his own inherent goodness, and how does self-doubt affect his behavior? Support your argument using specific examples from the novel, and cite them using MLA citation format.
  1. Hadia comes to see the watch she received from Rafiq, an heirloom that was her grandfather’s, as a symbol of the competition between herself and Amar. How might the watch also be symbolic of their complex relationships with their father? Support your argument using specific examples from the novel, and cite them using MLA citation format.
  1. In his late teenage years, Amar strives to prove himself as a worthy partner for Amira Ali, deserving of her parents’ approval. Where else did you see characters behave in certain ways, compromising their desires and making major life decisions, to please their family and community? How did this affect their personal happiness? Support your argument using specific examples from the novel, and cite them using MLA citation format.
  1. At Hadia’s wedding, Amira mentions that her brother, Abbas, had been a “moral compass” for her parents. What lessons did you see children teach their parents (and grandparents) in A Place for Us? Support your argument using specific examples from the novel, and cite them using MLA citation format.
  1. In the final section, Rafiq expresses his fear that his grandchildren will experience the effects of racist hate and violence, which Amar had been exposed to in school. Do you think that A Place for Us, depicting the personal lives of a Muslim family in America, has an important social message? Support your argument using specific examples from the novel, and cite them using MLA citation format.
  1. Your choice—choose a theme that’d you like to discuss and analyze how that theme is addressed in the book.

Criteria For Success:

  • Underline your thesis statement.
  • Have an introductory paragraph that has a hook, introduces the book and the topic you’ll discuss, and has a thesis statement that relates to the essay question.
  • Have a concluding paragraph that answers the “So What?” question.
  • Each body paragraph should contain a point that supports your argument and follows C,E,X format. Include evidence (quotes, passages, characters, events) from the book that is relevant to your paragraph point and supports your thesis statement.
  • Use MLA format to cite quotes from the novel.
  • Proofread, carefully checking for grammatical and surface errors.