Fear of Beauty | Susan Froetschel | Afghanistan | Seventh Street Books | 2013 | ISBN: 1616147024
Synopsis:
A woman from a small village in Afghanistan must come to terms with the unexpected death of her eldest son. Along the way she finds a desire to be more than what is expected or accepted within her culture. She desires to read and with this new awareness and knowledge she begins to question her way of living.
Awards of Honors:
- 2014 Mary Higgins Clark Award Nominee
- WINNER! 2014 Military Writers Society of America Book Award, Thriller/Mystery: Gold Medal
- WINNER! 2014 Middle East Outreach Council's 2014 Youth Literature Award
- WINNER! 2014 National Federation of Press Women Communications 2nd Place, Best Novel For Adult Readers
- 2014 Love Is Murder Best Suspense Lovey Nominee
This novel would fit in well with a World Literature English class. It would complement such authors as Amy Tan and Julia Alvarez. The content like the other two authors deal with female issues ranging from our place in society, politics and education. The novel would be a perfect choice to do comparisons of how education and religious freedoms allow women to succeed in life.
Before-Reading Activity:
Students will be given a map of Afghanistan. They will identify the flowing things:
a. Capitol city
b. Language of country
c. Religion of the country
d. Type of government
e. Agriculture of the country
f. Main export of the country
g. Main import of the country
h. Highest income levels
i. Highest education levels
j. Identify the number of wars and times Afghanistan was occupied in the 20th and 21st centuries.
During Reading Activity:
Students will read articles about Malala Yousafzai the young Pakistani girl who stood up to the Taliban to defend her right for an education. They will do comparisons of Sofi and Malala desires for education and the drastic actions they took to secure one.
a. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/12/09/malala-yousafzai-from-a-schoolgirl-to-a-nobel-peace-prize-winner/
b. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/world/asia/teen-school-activist-malala-yousafzai-survives-hit-by-pakistani-taliban.html?_r=0
After Reading Activity:
Students will write an essay about the importance of education for females. They will describe the effects how the lack of education for women diminishes a countries ability to be successful. They will identify the three ways a countries standard of living improves when females are properly educated. They will cite three references from the novel Fear of Beauty and three from the articles about Malala Yousafzai.
Recommended Resources:
Trust In Education
http://www.trustineducation.org/resources/life-as-an-afghan-woman/
Open Security/ Conflict and Peace Building
https://www.opendemocracy.net/opensecurity/shabnam-nasimi/devastating-truth-of-women%E2%80%99s-rights-in-afghanistan
Razia’s Ray of Hope Foundation
https://raziasrayofhope.org/women-and-girls-in-afghanistan.html
Countries and Culture/Afghanistan
http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Afghanistan.html
Afghan women share stories of surviving abuse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X2hGQ7V_Ro
Connections to Other content Areas/Disciplines:
The novel Fear of Beauty would be a great novel to use in any World History course to supplement an understanding of the lifestyle of the natives of Afghanistan. It is a simply told story of people attempting to live peacefully and raise their families in a not so peaceful environment. Also the plight of the US military and their brief reflections of the war torn country gives a very different perspectives on what we are fed in the daily media. It would also do well in a Theology course. The religious content would be a great discussion. Students could identify ways in which religion is often misinterpreted and abused by people. It is also a good study on how everyday people attempt to follow God’s path of peaceful and righteous living but a few agitators can bring a negative light on an entire culture.
