The setting of a story is the location and time, or the where and when. Settings often play a crucial role especially in the case of historical fiction as is the case in the book The Breadwinner. The story begins about a year and a half after the Taliban has taken control of Kabul, Afghanistan and the main character, Parvana, and her family are living in poverty under the Taliban's oppressive and violent rule. Students will create a setting chart to identify the time and place of the story to gain a deeper understanding of the characters and their situation. Students can use a grid where they can illustrate and describe each aspect of the setting.
The Breadwinner takes place after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 1996. Parvana says that her mother and sister have not left the house in a year and a half. The Taliban forbade women to leave the house unattended. Therefore the time period is about 1997 or the late 1990s.
The book takes place in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Kabul has been devastated by the war and most people live in poverty. At one point, Parvana's mother and siblings go to Mazar-e Sharif, a city to the north that has not yet fallen under Taliban control.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard identifying the settings in the book The Breadwinner.
Student Instructions:
Gather photos, news clips, or interviews from 1990s Afghanistan to provide authentic context. Displaying real images or stories helps students visualize daily life and deepens empathy for characters in The Breadwinner.
Prompt students to think about how Parvana, her mother, and her brother each experience Kabul. Encourage students to note differences in freedom, safety, and emotions. This approach builds critical thinking about how setting affects everyone uniquely.
Ask students how Kabul’s environment shapes Parvana’s actions and her family’s decisions. Connecting setting to character motivation promotes deeper literary analysis.
Have students list or draw what Parvana might see, hear, smell, or feel in Kabul. Using senses brings the setting to life and supports descriptive writing skills.
Divide the class into small groups, assigning each a chapter or section. Instruct them to create a timeline noting key changes in time and place, then assemble all timelines for a complete class view. This reinforces sequencing and setting comprehension.
The Breadwinner is set in Kabul, Afghanistan during the late 1990s, specifically after the Taliban took control in 1996. The story follows Parvana and her family as they navigate life under strict Taliban rule.
The setting is crucial because it shapes the characters' experiences and challenges. Living under Taliban control in Kabul impacts every aspect of Parvana's life, from her family's freedoms to their daily survival.
Students can make a setting chart by drawing a grid to illustrate and describe key locations and time periods in the story, such as Kabul under Taliban rule and trips to Mazar-e Sharif. Adding images and brief descriptions will deepen understanding.
Key locations include Kabul, where Parvana's family lives, and Mazar-e Sharif, a northern city not yet controlled by the Taliban. These settings highlight the contrast between areas affected by war and those less impacted.
The Breadwinner takes place in the late 1990s, about a year and a half after the Taliban seized Kabul, placing the events around 1997.