Chapter 2: pages 30-42 Summary and Analysis

After that night with Miss Iqbal, Firdaus wants to talk to her, but Miss Iqbal treats her like the other students. At night, Firdaus wonders if she has forgotten, but when she tries to explain what happened to Wafeya, there is nothing to talk about. She tries to recall the scene until the images become confused and she cannot distinguish between the faces of her mother, father, uncle, Wafeya, Mohammadain and Miss Iqbal. When Wafeya asks if she is in love with Miss Iqbal, Firdaus says that is impossible because Miss Iqbal is a woman.

Firdaus studies hard during the few days before her final exams, but when her name is called at the completion ceremony, she is unable to move to collect her secondary school certificate. Miss Iqbal takes Firdaus by the hand and signs for...