My Forbidden Face by Latifa

“Growing up under the Taliban – a young woman’s story”

The book includes – a dedication, a brief chronology, a map of Afghanisten and the story

Vocabulary

Level 1 – target, fear, strange, horrible, mosque, terrible, survival, meant, teacher, careful, caution, prepare, faction, vacuum, prisoner, fodder, despite, prison, corpse, leader, service, thieves, relative, journey, window, content, custom, scared, urgent, invade
Level 2 – fatigue, shivering, government, dangerous, manifest, neighborhood, traditional, thought, principle, curriculum, Koran, patriotic, negotiating, pious, television, communication, immediately, frightened, chador, fertile, security, discussion, Afghanistan, depression
Level 3 – agitated, Kabul, communist, exclusively, clandestine, designated, calculations, clairvoyant, bombarded, transmitted, humanitarian, demoralising, Mazar-e-Sharif, citadel, regime, aberration, inevitable, exhaustion

Chapter 1 – The White Flag on the Mosque (p1-26)

1. After reading the opening chapter, fill in the blanks:
______________ brought news to the family that the ________ were in Kabul. Father had seen a _______flag indicating this as well. __________ and his brother had been hung on ___________ square. Latifa went to the square to see this for herself. The ______________ were hitting people with ______________. Latifa (whose birth date was _____________) was shocked. She and her sister had to wear long __________________ for their trip to the square. The doors to the American ___________, the ______________ headquaters and the Air _______________ building were shut. Najibullah’s face was covered with ____________________ and his mouth was stuffed full of __________________. His pockets were full of ________________, indicating his greed.
Latifa’s mother had worked in a ____________________ because she had earned a _______________ diploma. Now she was __________ years old, retired and had brought up _______________ children.
Latifa and her sister told their mother what they had seen in the square. Their father planned to go out to get a ________________ of batteries. Radio ______________ came on at eleven o’clock. The family heard religious ______________ and information about the Taliban. This included the statement : “we ask women not to _____________ their houses for the time being”.
Father must surrender his ________________ which had belonged to his grandfather. Latifa tells us what her room looks like and what her sister, _______________, is like. Latifa tells her sister she wanted to see what had happened in the square for herself to ______________ herself it was real. ______________ went out to get the batteries instead of Father. Latifa tells us her father had lost his business twice before.

2. What are your first impressions of Latifa?
3. List all the members of her family that are mentioned in chapter 1.
4. How would you describe the life that Latifa had lead in the past? How would you describe the events that are unfolding at the moment?
5. Why is her life about to change dramatically?
6. How is her life going to change?
7. What is shocking about what has happened in the Square?

Activity

What information can you find about Afghanistan? Research the country and its history and develop a list of 20 important facts you have discovered.

Chapter 2 – Canary In A Cage (p26-54)

1. Why do you think Latifa is interested in her sister’s postcard?
2. What was the Latifa’s special subject in her journalism exam?
3. Why were most doctors in Kabul female?
4. What decreed on p31-32 do you find the most shocking? Explain why you find them shocking, unbelievable or offensive.
5. How do you think women in Australia would respond if these decrees were made here?
6. “I take refuge” – What is Latifa trying to escape from?
7. What is your reaction to the cartoon (p34) that Latifa describes, given what we know has happened so far in the novel?
8. How does Latifa feel about setting the canary free? Why does she feel this way?
9. What is Latifa’s reaction to wearing a burqua?
10. What types of things are broadcast on Radio Sharia? Why?
11. Why were the women in the street whipped (44/45)?
12. What are two new facts we learn about Latifa’s mother in this chapter?
13. Why did Latifa leave the house for a second time in February? What happened?
14. Is it understandable that mother would rather have her medication than face reality? Explain.

Back to The Wonderful World of ER

To Purchase this Guide in Full, please Email me using the link below. Thank you.