Amal Unbound

“I knew helping family was what a good eldest daughter did, but this time after school with Miss Sadia wasn’t just fun; it was important.” 

This quote encapsulates several of the novel’s themes: the bonds of family, the inequity of gender role expectations, and the importance of education. Amal must navigate the differing demands that bind her while she pursues her education and the freedom to be independent. 

“This is what I now remember most about my last afternoon at school—the smell of the dusty chalkboard, the sound of the students lingering outside the door, and mostly, how easily I took my ordinary life for granted.” 

Amal foreshadows the loss of everything she holds dear: her family, her freedom, and her educational opportunity. As the novel progresses, she bitterly regrets her failure to appreciate these fundamental freedoms in her life.

“Looking at him, it hit me yet again how unfair it was for God go give me a friend who understood me completely and create him as a boy.” 

Pakistani cultural tradition prohibits Amal from being close friends with a boy at she gets older. The fact that Amal finds a way to be friends with Omar shows her willingness to defy traditional gender expectations and be a force for change. 

“God does what he wants.”

Amal’s father accepts the birth of another girl into the family, assuring her mother that it was not her fault, but both Amal’s parents are “crushed” the baby is not a boy. Seeing their distress, Amal becomes more aware of the unfair preference given to male children, and the unequal opportunities for girls.

“You can read and write. What more do you need to know?”

Amal realizes that Abu does not know her as well as she thought, nor does he understand her life aspirations. Abu demonstrates a traditional attitude towards girls’ education: Amal has already learned enough, since her role in life will be that of wife and mother. In Abu’s mindset, Saeed illustrates both the practice of culturally ingrained gender inequality and a disregard for higher education, especially for girls. 

“I thought hope had vanished. But hope was a tricky thing. It found its way back to me.” 

Hope is a prevailing theme in Amal Unbound. Amal loses and regains hope several times during the story, but hope, combined with action, ultimately restores Amal’s freedom, family, and access to education. 

“Since when has life been fair?”

Abu voices an expression that many characters in the novel agree with. While Amal learns that life is not fair, she also discovers that one can work to effect change. 

“Bite your tongue one minute and prevent a lifetime of burden.” 

Abu’s advice is too late for Amal. She is unable to hold her tongue when faced with injustice, illustrating both her impetuous nature and her desire for life to be fair.

“I wish it wasn’t this way, but this is how the world works.” 

In the patriarchal Pakistani society, girls marry into a new home and are largely subservient to their new husbands. Boys inherit land and power. Although not happy about the tradition, Amma accepts the status quo. Younger villagers, like Omar, Amal, and Hafsa prove more willing to break from tradition.

“My father wanted us to be our own masters.” 

Abu is a product of patriarchal norms. Abu values the independence of owning his own land, even though he is beholden to wealthy Jawad. Amal is sacrificed to keep the land in the family and the family from worse retribution. This quote illustrates two of Saeed’s themes: The imbalance of power caused by social inequity, and gender inequality. 

“You will be strong. You will hold your head up high. No matter what happens, no matter where you are, you’re my daughter.” 

Amma exhorts Amal to find her inner strength. By reminding Amal of her love and pride in her, Amma helps Amal maintain her self-worth. Amal stands up for herself and shows her strength of character. 

“I didn’t realize how memories clumped together. Remembering one unlocked another and then another until you were drowning in a tidal wave threatening to sweep you away.” 

Memories are both bittersweet and inspiring. Amal’s memories are primarily attached to her home and family. They often result in terrible homesickness, but they also keep her connected to her family, and therefore, to her self-identity. 

“Regret, I was learning, was the sharpest knife there was.” 

Amal frequently uses figurative language in her narrative. The metaphor in this quote compares Amal’s feelings of self-reproach and anger about the choice she made to talk back to Jawad to a blade. Her emotions are as painful as the cut of a knife. 

“It was worth the risk to have books in my life again.” 

Books are an important symbol in Amal Unbound. For Amal, they represent freedom, hope, and the future. Books allow Amal to transcend her circumstances, keeping her mind alive and learning. Books are vital to Amal’s mental well-being and worth any physical risk.

“There it was yet again, my father’s words: Life isn’t fair. Maybe it was true, but why was that a reason to just accept everything and go along with it?” 

Over the course of the novel, Amal develops a more mature understanding of social inequities. She learns that one can still challenge unfair norms and work towards positive change.

“But to call me a guest in the only place I ever belonged—the word cut like a jagged stone against my heart.” 

This simile illustrates how deeply Amal’s self-identity is rooted in family. When treated as a visitor, Amal understands that she has lost her role as eldest daughter. Her family has moved on with their lives in her absence, leaving Amal feeling cast out. 

“Nothing with him is free…you of all people know that.”

Hafsa explains that the villagers fear anything to do with the Khans, which is why they boycott the literacy center. Their fear again shows the power imbalance caused by the Khans’ wealth, illustrating Saeed’s theme of class injustices. 

“Her cage was nicer than mine, but it was still a cage.”

Amal realizes that despite her wealth and power over others, Nasreen is as much a prisoner of gender inequality as she is. Nasreen must be submissive to her husband, and accordingly does not visit her family. Similarly, Nasreen’s status precludes her from doing things she enjoys. Although Nasreen has more luxuries, she also has limited freedom. 

“If I thought nothing would change, nothing ever would.”

Change requires conviction—a belief that things can and should be different. Asif encourages Amal to have hope and to never give up. If Amal numbly accepts the status quo, nothing will change. Asif is an example of someone who worked for change: he defied his father and endured hardship to follow his dreams.

“Just because something seems impossible, does that mean we just don’t try?” 

Amal embraces Asif’s advice, encouraging Nabila and Bilal to help her bring Jawad to justice. Amal chooses to take a stand for justice, illustrating the novel’s theme of being the change, no matter what your social position. 

“Making choices even when they scare you because you know it’s the right thing to do—that’s bravery.” 

Amal’s choice to expose Jawad could result in her punishment, or worse. She chooses to endanger herself to help others and fight for injustice, which demonstrates her bravery. 

“No one would ever know it was a girl who helped save our villages. But I knew.”

In the Author’s Note, Saeed explains that many people who fight injustice are never publicly acknowledged, but it is still important to try and do as much good as you can. Amal is proud that she—even though she is from a lower social class than Jawad and considered less valuable because she is a girl—is able to effect change. 

“It’s never too late to see your family.”

In her advice to Nasreen, Amal sums up the essence of family. Family always has your back, and you can always go home.