Essay Questions

What is the symbolic meaning of the Hijab?

Hijab is Islamic attire for women that represent modesty and religious traditionalism. The Hijab represents modesty or fashion among Muslim women in the contemporary world. Similarly, the Hijab is a symbol of Muslim doctrine that requires women to dress in a particular way that preserves the traditions of the Muslim community.

How does the author use literary allusion as a metaphor?

Literary allusion is used as a metaphor when the author writes, “She was the portrait to his father’s Dorian Gray-all the anxiety you’d expect him to feel was manifest in her.” The author, in this case, assumes that all his readers are educated to interpret literary allusions from his sentences. For instance, one needs to have a prior understanding of Oscar Wilde's novel to pinpoint out the literary allusion. Dorian Gray never seems to age, and that is he is a portrait to his daughter.

Is terrorism emerging as one of the main themes?

Terrorism is one of the key themes developed by the author in the book ‘Home Fire.’ The twin brother decides to follow his father's path, a jihadist. Jihadists are religious extremists who believe in terrorism and killing people who do not belong to the Muslim religion. The book illustrates how difficult it is for Muslims to travel into some countries because they are suspected of terrorists.