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. In 1979, Iran experienced a revolution that transformed their political and social institutions. What do you know about the 1979 Revolution in Iran?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt will help students develop a contextual understanding of the events in the book. It will also contribute to students’ understanding of the unique aspects of the author’s experiences involving the themes of Coming of Age During Revolution, Civil Unrest, and War and Family Resistance and Heroism.

• a detailed overview of the events pre- and post-revolution in Iran from Britannica
• HistoryPod describes the timeline of the Iranian Revolution succinctly

2. Communist ideology is prevalent in many societies around the world, and it has inspired many rebellions and revolutions in the 20th century. Describe what you know of the fundamentals of the communist ideology. What type of political, economic, and social structure do communists believe in and advocate for?

Teaching Suggestion: This question encourages students to think about a political ideology they may not be entirely familiar with. Since the author mentions this ideology frequently in the novel without a detailed explanation, it is important that students have an understanding of the fundamentals as well as its relation to the revolution in Iran.