Images of Survival
The book conveys the images of Lilly’s survival. She travels a lot and it was during on of the travels that she lost her parents. Her parents were murdered in Bilal al Habash and she was saved by Muhammad Bruce. Lilly survived the loss of her parents and she was raised in part by the Sufis. When she reached the age of sixteen, she moved to Ethiopia in a quest to find herself and started teaching the Holy Quran. During the Ethiopian revolution, she had to move away from there and it was again a journey of survival. She has been portrayed as a survival of the traumatic experiences of life. Along with the loss of her parents, she suffered from the loss of a dear friend and the love of her life, Aziz.
Images of Islamic Culture
Camilla Gib has given a portrayal of Islamic culture and civilization. Muhammad Bruce embodies the teachings of kindness for orphans and empathy in Islam. He looks after Lilly after the death of her parents and provides her the best possible means for her existence and survival. The mystics also conveys the images of generosity by teaching Lilly. The images of Islamic culture and the dress code are propagated by the appearance of Lilly. She wears the traditional grab of a Muslim woman and covers her head. The aspect of chastity in Islam is also depicted by Lilly. The Islamic teachings of fraternity, brotherhood and social work provide an impetus to Lilly for moving forward in her life. There are images of Lilly helping her neighbors and other people.
Violence Imagery
The images of violence are evident from the murder of Lilly’s parents and the Ethiopian revolution. Lilly’s parents were brutally murdered during one of their trips in Bilal al Habash. Lilly was left behind as an orphan with the memories of her parents. The Ethiopian revolt also conveys the images of persecution, violence and chaos. The revolution forced Lilly to leave her home once again. There is an imagery of Lilly leaving her loved once. She was again stripped off her identity and the love of her life. The murder of her parents left her as an orphan and the revolution left her as a person without a loved one like Aziz. The author has depicted that despite of violence in her life, Lilly stands up again and again as a practical Muslim, who has a firm faith and unflinching moral values.
