Chapters 4 & 5

A conversation between Reza’s mother, Nimtaj, and Reza’s older sisters, Meri and Rasha, gives insights into woman’s issues in Iran.  During a traditional family dinner, Reza addresses his mother with an important question.  The friendship between Ardeshir and Reza is strengthened as they train together. 

1. Tradition
2. Woman’s changing roles 
3. Positive and negative impact of striving for goals.

1. From the dinner conversations, what can you infer about the Abedi family?
2. What are some cultural differences noted between Iran and the West?
3. What are two points made during the dinner conversation that deal with politics. 
4. Reza and Ardeshir’s competitive nature drives them on a death-defying assent up a steep cliff.  At the top, they discuss kings.  Do you agree or disagree with their comments.
5. What does Reza fear? What does he seem to not fear?

Draw a small circle in the center of your paper and write “Reza” in the circle.  Create a cluster of at least five of his character traits.  For each trait, cite an example from the Chapter 1-3 of the story.

Selected text:

1. Abbas paused and then directly at his friend.  “The eye of the tiger, perhaps, but he still has the mind of a raccoon.”
2. But, the eroding king with bow and arrow in hand, stood eternally poised. With a frozen face and a chipped eye, he followed the pahlavan of his bloodline.   
3. Nimtaj also whispered, but in a desperate prayer to herself. “God, you gave me nine beautiful children and one, one untamed warrior.  You made his heart too big for his chest and his soul too big for Kermanshah.”

Foreshadowing provides clues for the reader to be able to predict what might occur later on in the story. 

Using examples in Chapters one, two or three, copy the sentence(s) that could foreshadow a future event and write your prediction as to what that example might foreshadow.   Find three examples total—one example can come from each chapter, or all three can come from one chapter.

Against the dramatic landscape of world altering events, Reza’s heroric journey unfolds.