Prayer

Throughout the novel, prayer symbolizes stability. Whenever Sammar is feeling lost, alone, or depressed, prayer is the only thing that centers or grounds her. No matter how numb or isolated she may feel, prayer always has the power to comfort her. When Sammar returns to Khartoum, sounds of the evening prayers in the streets also grant her a sense of peace and belonging.

Sammar's Room

Sammar's room in Aberdeen acts as a symbolic representation of Sammar's moods throughout the novel. After Tarig's death, Sammar strips the room of all its decorations, throwing away any evidence of Tarig and the past. The room's sterility illustrates Sammar's desire to detach from her former life. Later, she redecorates, deciding that she no longer wants her empty space to define her. She transforms the room into a truer version of home, thus illustrating her newfound energy and hopefulness in her...