Sami's home in Syria
The novel begins with vivid descriptions of Sami's life in Syria. The streets are teeming with life, the air is rich with the aroma of spices and fresh bread, and the echoing calls of the local street vendors provide a bustling soundtrack to his life. This imagery creates a sense of familiarity and comfort that contrasts with the later turmoil.
The Syrian war
The war in Syria is portrayed through stark and harrowing imagery. Bombs explode like thunder, smoke chokes the air and turns the sky a menacing grey, and buildings that were once homes stand as charred, broken skeletons. This imagery conveys the horror and devastation brought on by the conflict.
England
The journey to England is filled with physical and emotional hardship. The overcrowded boat sways violently on choppy seas, water seeping in through cracks. People shiver with cold, their faces pale and drawn with fear. This imagery emphasizes the danger and desperation experienced by refugees.
Life in England
England is initially described as cold and foreign. The grey skies seem to press down, the buildings loom tall and unfamiliar, and the language sounds strange and unintelligible. This imagery underscores Sami's feeling of alienation in this new country.
Sami's emotional turmoil
Sami's emotional turmoil is portrayed through powerful imagery. His hope is a flickering candle in the dark, his homesickness a gnawing ache, his fear a relentless shadow. This imagery makes palpable the emotional struggles Sami grapples with as a refugee.
