Summarizer - 5/7/10 - Kelli

In the chapter, Can God Die?, Fazil is interragated by the teacher on information about God. He is asked if he can die, if he can talk, etc. Fazil is unable to answer these questions and becomes increasingly embarrassed. He is puished and forced to better learn his lessons or he wont be allowed to continue in class. As he does his homework, he reads and learns about the prophet. Mariam, the eldest and smartest son, is treated the best because they want to keep his brain healthy. At the end of the chapter, you see Fazil finally understanding his lessons and he knows some of the answers in class, even if he is still too shy to answer.

The chapter, The Dreary Room, focuses on Aimal. The chapter is called The Dreary Room because that is what he calls his little room in a hotel where he sells things in hopes of earning a little extra money. He is Sultan's youngest son and works for twelve hours a day even though he is only twelve himself. The chapter describes the hotel and it's history. It tells the story of how it was built in the 60's and faced terrible times when the Taliban were in control. It also details his daily life and tasks for while he works. Aimal is not obligated to go to school because he runs the shop and his family makes plenty of money that it is not necessary for him to attend classes. However, Aimal wants to attend class, so does Mansur. But, Sultan continues to tell him later and does not let him go to school. At the end of a chapter, a minister is beaten to death by pilgrims and you see Aimal sad and mourning this man in his dark little shop.

In the chapter, The Carpentar, Mansur catches a carpentar stealing 200 postcards, at least that is what it seems. He is carrying a parcel and brings it to his father and reports the theft. Mansur has an entire elaborate story created about hwo he caught the thief and forced him to come clean and empty his pockets, catching him red-handed. However, the story was told quite a bit differently than how it actually happened. In reality, it was Abdur who caught the theif and forced him to open his pockets for Mansur. The man claims that he was going to pay and had forgotten so Sultan agrees that he is going to straighten out the matter and then finds out that Mansur had fabricated part of the story.