Analysis of 'The Mother of God'

The story is about a girl called Amina. She lives with her parents (Mr. and Mrs. Iqbal) in a room in the back of their shop.

One day at school she had to draw Mary and Baby Jesus. She drew a black Mary and Baby Jesus. The teacher got surprised. She told Amina that her drawing was lovely and that she could bring it to her parents. Amina got disappointed because she wanted it to hang on the wall with the other kids’ pictures. Though disappointment she brought it home.

While Amina was sitting in the room her mother came in from the shop where she spent all her time working with her husband. When she saw Amina her faced lightened up. But when Amina showed her the picture the light disappeared. Mrs. Iqbal told her husband that she would take the rest of the day off. She didn’t tell him about Amina’s drawing.

She talked with Amina. She told her that Muslim people don’t draw people. And then she brought a box of coloured pencils. So they sat in the room and drew patterns and looked in the Koran together.

Next day at school Amina had to draw a Christmas-card. She didn’t draw people, only patterns. The teacher told her that it was wrong and that she should do it over. Even though Amina told her that she didn’t draw people the teacher gave her a new paper to draw on and said it would be hung on the wall. And she could also draw a Christmas-card for her parents. Amina didn’t know what else to do than draw the picture.