How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
After the fire, Rasheed was home almost every day. He slapped Aziza. He kicked Mariam. He threw things. He found fault with Laila, the way she smelled, the way she dressed, the way she combed her hair, her yellowing teeth. (3.41.24)
The experience of living in poverty has a profound effect on personal relationships. Rasheed takes out his frustration about money on Mariam, Laila, and Aziza, despite the fact that many of the problems are his fault.
Quote #5
When the money ran out, hunger began to cast a pall over their lives. It was stunning to Mariam how quickly alleviating hunger became the crux of their existence. (3.41.36)
How can you expect people to go about their daily lives without food in their stomachs? To be honest, the Shmoop staff won't even start working until we've had a breakfast burrito and two large coffees each. Speaking of which...
Quote #6
Death from starvation suddenly became a distinct possibility. Some chose not to wait for it. Mariam heard of a neighborhood widow who had ground some dried bread, laced it with rat poison, and fed it to all seven of her children. She had saved the biggest portion for herself. (3.41.38)
People do crazy things when they have no hope. The neighborhood woman from this passage saw poverty as a slow death, choosing instead to take control herself. What she does is unthinkable, but it's not hard to see how her actions were shaped by her circumstances.