Activity Overview
There are many themes, symbols and motifs present throughout the novel The Breadwinner. In this activity, students will identify themes, symbols, and motifs in The Breadwinner and illustrate examples from the text. Students can explore by identifying these elements themselves or in an “envelope activity”, where they are given one or more to track throughout their reading. Then, they'll create a spider map illustrating what they found!
Examples of Themes, Symbols and Motifs in The Breadwinner
Themes
- Subjugation and Oppression of Women
- Education
- Literacy
- Freedom
- Oppression
- Suffering
- Misogyny
- War
- Family
- Hope
- Friendship
- Courage
- Gender Roles
- Poverty
- Death
- Depression
- Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress
- Refugees
Symbols
- Replanted flowers
- Parvana's red shalwar kameez that is for sale
- Hossain's clothes
- The bones
Motifs
- Fallen trinkets
- Nooria's and Parvana's fighting / sibling rivalry
- "Mount Parvana"
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Identify recurring themes, symbols, or motifs found in The Breadwinner. Illustrate each and write a short description below each cell.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify the themes, symbols, or motifs from The Breadwinner you wish to include and type them in the title box at the top.
- Create an image for examples that represent each symbol using appropriate scenes, characters and items.
- Write a description of each of the examples in the black text box.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify Symbol(s) | All symbols are correctly identified as objects that represent something else at a higher level in the story. | Most symbols are correctly identified, but some objects are missing or are incorrectly identified as significant symbols. | No symbols are correctly identified. |
| Examples | All examples support the identified symbols. Descriptions clearly say why examples are significant. | Most examples fit the identified symbols. Descriptions say why examples are significant. | Most examples do not fit the identified symbols. Descriptions are unclear. |
| Depiction | Storyboard cells clearly show connection with the symbols and help with understanding. | Most storyboard cells help to show the symbols but some storyboard cells are difficult to understand. | Storyboard cells do not help in understanding the symbols. |
Activity Overview
There are many themes, symbols and motifs present throughout the novel The Breadwinner. In this activity, students will identify themes, symbols, and motifs in The Breadwinner and illustrate examples from the text. Students can explore by identifying these elements themselves or in an “envelope activity”, where they are given one or more to track throughout their reading. Then, they'll create a spider map illustrating what they found!
Examples of Themes, Symbols and Motifs in The Breadwinner
Themes
- Subjugation and Oppression of Women
- Education
- Literacy
- Freedom
- Oppression
- Suffering
- Misogyny
- War
- Family
- Hope
- Friendship
- Courage
- Gender Roles
- Poverty
- Death
- Depression
- Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress
- Refugees
Symbols
- Replanted flowers
- Parvana's red shalwar kameez that is for sale
- Hossain's clothes
- The bones
Motifs
- Fallen trinkets
- Nooria's and Parvana's fighting / sibling rivalry
- "Mount Parvana"
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Identify recurring themes, symbols, or motifs found in The Breadwinner. Illustrate each and write a short description below each cell.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify the themes, symbols, or motifs from The Breadwinner you wish to include and type them in the title box at the top.
- Create an image for examples that represent each symbol using appropriate scenes, characters and items.
- Write a description of each of the examples in the black text box.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify Symbol(s) | All symbols are correctly identified as objects that represent something else at a higher level in the story. | Most symbols are correctly identified, but some objects are missing or are incorrectly identified as significant symbols. | No symbols are correctly identified. |
| Examples | All examples support the identified symbols. Descriptions clearly say why examples are significant. | Most examples fit the identified symbols. Descriptions say why examples are significant. | Most examples do not fit the identified symbols. Descriptions are unclear. |
| Depiction | Storyboard cells clearly show connection with the symbols and help with understanding. | Most storyboard cells help to show the symbols but some storyboard cells are difficult to understand. | Storyboard cells do not help in understanding the symbols. |
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Breadwinner, The
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