Family Influence In Najmah's Journey

(MIP-1) The author uses family influences through the stars to represent how Najmah and Nusrat’s vision of family connect with the stars. (SIP-A) The author introduces family concepts of how the stars are present in times of Najmah’s journey, through which she is reminded by her father’s words of wisdom about the stars. (STEWE-1) Firstly, Baba-jan’s teachings of the stars are reflected in Najmah’s mind as she does take this information for granted and uses it to remind herself that as long as the stars are with her, she knows she will be guided because of her father’s words. “As long as you know the stars, you will never be lost,’ he said” (10). Najmah is referring back to Baba-jan’s words and connecting them to the presence of the al-Qutb. The author is demonstrating
(SIP-B) The author also associates the stars with Nusrat’s family in the text. (STEWE-1) For example, The stars reappear at the thoughts of Nusrat’s missing husband, Faiz. The author continues to demonstrate symbolism of family throughout Nusrat’s dreading of Faiz. “Several times I have seen her lying at night under the stars on the cot, talking to her husband and crying” (54). By communicating aloud with Faiz while peering at the stars, Nusrat feels a connection to her Faiz through the stars. (STEWE-2) When Nusrat was once Elaine, she spent many nights with a telescope watching the stars at night, as she “continued to long” (54) for her sister. “But Elaine continued to long for her sister, and so she spent many nights alone with her grandfather’s telescope watching the stars”(54). Margaret had passed away and the author associated Nusrat’s sister with the stars to represent this symbolic family meaning. (CS) The author is able to convey a meaning regarding the presence of the stars and their symbolic meaning of family influence and