Boy overboard
Jamal's journey
1. Why must Jamal, Bibi and their parents flee Afghanistan? How do they manage to escape?
Jamal and his family must flee Afghanistan because they had been running an illegal school since the government had banned going to school. Then, there house was blown up as a warning and they knew they have to go. When the government found out they were running a school they went after them and tried to imprison them or even worse kill them.
When Jamal’s Mum has been captured she is to be executed but, Just before that happens Jamal’s Dad drives onto the pitch and throws oil cans to distact the soldiers. On the way through he picks up Jamal’s Mum and they go back to the shop where Jamal and Bibi are meant to be waiting. Then, they drive as far away as possible where Jamal’s Dad sells his taxi that they had been traveling in and uses the money to get smuggled into a camp where they had to wait until they had enough money to buy a trip to Australia. Then they traveled by boat to Australia.
2. Find three examples of Morris Gleitzman using humor and naivety.
Jamal says, I’m Manchester United and I’ve got the ball and everything is good.
There’s no smoke, or nerve gas, or sand-storms.
I can’t even hear any explosions.
“Want to play?” I ask.
The boy nods, not smiling.
I kick the ball to him.
He picks it up and runs off with it.
I can’t believe it. He’s stealing my ball!
“Are girls allowed to play soccer in Australia?” I ask.
‘Course,’ he says, chuckling. ‘The government wants them to.
I gasp again.
I think Morris Gleitzman uses humor because it is a children’s book. Also because it is about a very serious topic. By adding the humour it adds something special to it.
3. What do you think should happen to Jamal’s family and other families like them?
The story ends with the family being reunited but, you don’t know what happens to them in the future. In my opinion I think the story should end with them being aloud into Australia because I don’t think its far that they had traveled that far and then they were denied entry. I think if people come from a country where it is dangerous they should be aloud in because by not letting them in you are putting their life’s at risk again. Also I think that if you had been traveling for weeks on a crowded boat and then when you arrived at your destination you were turned down you would feel very upset.