"Unspoken questions also thud in and out of our minds.
What happens if we get stopped and they see Abba's expired license? Should Ma wear slacks and a sweater so she doesn't stand out so much? Should Aisha drive, even though it's supposed to be a secret that she knows how?"
I think it is kind of ironic that Nadira has all these questions when the title of the book is "Ask Me No Questions."
ReplyDeleteI love the wording in the beginning of this quote. The "Unspoken questions also thud in and out of our minds." part. I can really feel the tension in the car. I can also kind of relate to this part, not with the whole going to the border for asylum and being scared out of their minds part, but the being silent and having questions part. They really do seem to thud in and out of your mind.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alli's 2nd comment..haha. I think Nadira thinks to much. All these questions will be answered soon.
ReplyDeleteBefore I read Ch.2, I didn't understand about Aisha's driving being a secret. Now I understand that it was supposed to be a secret from her parents. (I think). ;) I think that Nadira worries to much. I understand that she's stressed out, but still. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think its weird that Nadira thinks she's so dumb, because I think that she has a really strong voice, and she's always making really cool, descriptive observations.
ReplyDeleteEven though they do need to apply for asylum, they were taking a big risk by going to Canada. Why did they have to move just then? I don't understand the part about the blue Honda.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I love how the author used the word "thud" when writing about thoughts. Thud is more of a sound but when it's used as a verb it's some what powerful. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why Aisha had to take "secret" driving lessons. I would think her parents would be proud, like they are with most things Aisha does.
It makes me sort of sad that Nadira feels that her mother should dress in more non-standout clothes. Ma should be able to wear a "saree", or any thing SHE is used too, not what other people are used to.
Good quote choice, it shows how Nadira feels that her family needs to look more like the common "white" person in order to be American.
it seems like the family is super nervous at this time in the book. i would be super scared in this situation too.
ReplyDeletei have a couple questions about this quote: why would ma be the only one in the family who would "stand-out"? aren't the rest of the family as Muslim looking as ma?
These are unanswered questions that Nadira was thinking. It must be so hard for them to just be waiting. Waiting to see what would happen if they get stopped, if they won't be able to apply for an asylum. Everyone is tense and scared in their car. No one wants to really think about the bad things that could happen, but they have too. They have to have a back up plan. I know that Nadira wants to ask the questions, but she is scared to ask them because she doesn't want Aisha to snap back at her, or get in trouble for thinking of them. I think she is taking the jealousy too seriously because she think she can't ask question any more because of getting snapped back at. She never wanted be the unknown daughter, it just kind of came to her. She wants to stay in the U.S, but Aisha wants to go to Canada, and thats mostly why all of this is happening.
ReplyDeleteI think Nadira just wants everything to go back to the way it was, and eventually call it "home".
I really liked this quote. There are so many questions that the family needs to answer, but many of them are questions that there isn't an answer to. Aisha knows how to drive, but Abba and Ma do not know that she can. Nadira and Aisha are keeping Aisha's ability a secret, I guess because she isn't supposed to. The family wants to make Ma look more american by making her wear a sweater, but they aren't even sure if it will make a difference. All of them are, of course, nervous that Abba will be arrested, and there's nothing they can do. This quote is actually really hard to respond to, but I think this quote gave A LOT of information.
ReplyDeleteI do too Allison, I also think that this demonstrates the fact that their family keeps a lot of things hidden away from other people and from each other. For instance, Aisha is hiding the driving lessons that she has been taking from her family. I also think that they are trying to hide their background from the government. Like how they want Ma to blend in with the rest of the women in their country by wearing other clothing. Then they are trying to hide, also, from themselves. They don't want to remember that they are hiding, I think that they want to be just like everybody else, not hiding as many secrets from everybody
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alli and Kayli, she should calm down and let things happen as they are supposed to. I think they should let their parents have an opinion on what they decide to do, and not go ahead and do whatever they want.
ReplyDeleteLike Elana said, I think the family is very nervous at this point because Abba is going to be put in detainment and the rest of them don't know what to do. I hope they can learn to survive without their father for a while and earn the money so they can cross the border to Canada.
I agree with what adrienne said about how questions really do thud in and out of your mind.
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