The story takes place in two different environments. One of them is Aminas home and family, which also includes her parents shop. The other place is the art-room in Aminas school.
The environment of Aminas home is influenced by their religion, which is Islam. Amina is raised with Islamic ideas and values. On the other hand I have got the impression that Aminas mother compared to many other women in Islamic families, has some influence in in making decisions. For example does Mrs. Iqbal decide, that she wants to spend the evenings with Amina, instead of working in their shop, because she finds, that this is Aminas need. She gives Amina drawing pencils as well, even though her husband doesn’t approve it. Still Mrs. Iqbal frightens her husband’s reaction, if he sees Aminas drawing of the Holy Mary and Baby Jesus, so you can`t sat, that there is a total equality between husband and wife in this family. The family is a lower class family in the society, and they have to work late nights to manage economically. That’s the reason why Aminas parents are forced to sell Christmas-stuff, even though its against the norms of their religion and culture. In this way Amina lives in a family with contradictionary signals and double-standards. The shop is very small, and the rooms they live in, are messy and dingy.
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