The novel Breadwinner and comparing nations

By Rechell McDonald
Brooke Naslund, Kennedi Ollenberg, and Jenna Merrifield were asked to complete a project in their grade six class by their teacher, Trista St. Martin. The project, titled “What Does Freedom Mean to You?” required students to compare the novel Breadwinner, a narrative about a young Afghan girl, to our model of Canadian democracy. This particular group thought the most effective means of presentation was through the media.
The girls drew some very insightful conclusions during their deliberations while considering questions like “What has been your favourite and least favourite part of this project?” Ollenberg responded with her favourite part, “My role in the group was to draw pictures comparing the two flags of Afghanistan and Canada. The Canadian flag represents Canadians and the freedoms that we have. The Afghanistan flag represents remembering the past while still having hope for the future.” And, Naslund explained her least favourite part, “Learning about the Taliban and how they rule the country. It wasn’t fair to Afghan people. It wasn’t fair how they were treated, specifically how women and children were treated. For example, the right to education was taken away from children during the Taliban rule.”
Naslund also said something that is indicative of the vast majority of the Canadian population, regardless of age or position on the situation in the Middle East.
“My favorite part was reading the book because I learned all this stuff that I didn’t even know was happening across the world. I wasn’t even aware how these people were getting treated. While I was reading the book I kept thinking how lucky I am to have such a great place to live in, and that I am able to get a good education so that I have a bright future.”
So many Canadians aren’t sure how they feel about Canada’s prolonged involvement in the Middle East and, like Naslund, many of them are unaware of so many of the hardships faced by the everyday Afghan due to the presence of the Taliban. The study of the novel Breadwinner by this class has certainly opened them up to the world and the many issues people outside of Canada face.
So what does freedom mean to these young women?
“I hope that [Canadians] realize that education is power and the most important thing in life, and that we are very lucky to have the rights we do living in Canada. I hope people realize that there is a lot of stuff going on around the world and they realize how lucky we are. And, I hope that after that, they don’t take everything they have for granted. Freedom means everything to me: education, the right to be able to go where I want, to come to school — it means everything to me. Without freedom we would not be where we are today.”