"But the man who walks into this room is not the Abba I know. Tufts of scraggly black hair spring from his cheeks." page 131
I don't think that Nadira was prepaid to see Abba again. When she thought about him she used to think about how he used to be and never how he was now.
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I agree, I don't think she was ready. I also think that it probably was a good thing (for Nadira's sake) that she didn't think about him the way he is now. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI think that being in jail can really change a person, and, like Miriam and Talliya said, Nadira wasn't thinking about how that could happen to her father. Earlier in the book it said that she thought that Abba was going to survive and stay the same in jail, because he knew how to breathe. So I think she was surprised to find that he didn't really stay the same.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I feel really sorry for Abba.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Adrienne. Throughout the book Nadira would talk about how Abba always new how to breathe and be patient. Maybe Abba lost hope after being in jail for so long...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Adrienne. Nadira had expected to see her father as this kind and patient person. She had originally thought that he would look this way on the inside. She had never really thought about what jail had done to Abba on the outside.
ReplyDeleteI also feel bad for Abba. But, at least Nadira is there, so he gets to see her! :)
ReplyDeleteI think that it was good and bad that Nadira was there at the trail. It was a good thing because she really cheered up Abba and she helped him get out of jail. This trail might have gone differently (in a bad way) if Nadira wasn't there. I think (like may other people) it was a bad thing that Nadira came because she wasn't mentally prepared to see Abba. She should have realized that people can't take care of their image as well in jail as they can at home.
ReplyDeleteLike Adrienne I too really sorry and bad for Abba.
I also agree with Adrienne. Jail can change anyone, and I think Nadira should have realized that the father she would see was going to be different than before. I feel bad for Abba too. I think with Nadira there, Abba felt a little more reassured that someone was there to support him.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Talliya too. I think it was good that Nadira didn't think about how Abba is now.
Responding to Julianna:
ReplyDeleteWouldn't Abba feel "reassured that someone was there to support him" if Nadira wasn't there? I mean Ma was there. Would she reassure him?
Responding to Elana:
ReplyDeleteThats true... I didn't think about that. I think he felt a little MORE reassured that Nadira came to the trial, but he was also probably wondering why she wasn't with Auntie and Uncle.
Good point Elana!
I think that Nadira handled seeing Abba well. When Nadira started talking to the judge, I was so proud of her. She spoke to him like she was a lawyer herself and she sounded very educated. When she pointed out that her father’s name I spelled with and ‘a’ not an ‘e’, the judge and Abba were surprised that she caught something like that. I think that overall, Nadira really pulled through for her family, and she just made their life a little better, which is a BIG accomplishment for a ninth grader.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anna. It IS a big accomplishment for a ninth grader! It's a big accomplishment for ANYONE! :)
ReplyDeleteI think that Nadira being at the trial was a very suprising thing for Abba.
ReplyDeleteGetting back to Abba, I think that what we need to get out of this quote is that despite his physical transformation, he is still the same person as before his detainment. At first Nadira was surprised to see her father look so unpolished, but she realized that it was still the same Abba she knew before.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Elana. I thought it was a good idea for Nadira to be at the trial because she finally showed how capable she was of helping Abba get through the trial. I am actually still a little confused about whether she was telling the truth during the trial, though. And I also think it was bad that Nadira hadn't thought about how being in a detention center for a while might've affected Abba.
ReplyDeleteI know that if I was in the same situation I would be ecstatic to see my father again. Although if when I saw him he had changed in appearance (and possibly the way he carried himself) I would be very frightened.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Talliya, I don't think that Nadira wasn't ready. I think because she would be prepared at anytime to reunite with her father because she has missed him so much. I think she was just really shocked to see her strong and noble father in such a weak state.
Also (to Anna and Talliya) I think that Nadira pointing out something and being as young as she is/was is very convincing to the judges/jury that they need to give this family a second chance.
ReplyDeleteIf that makes sense.
Yeah, i don't think that Nadira was ready to see Abba the way he was. I think that she was expecting to see him the same as he used to be.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that she was not prepared to see Abba, i think she was hooked up on what Abba used to be like, and never really considered thinking that he might change while in prison.
ReplyDelete