Analysis Of Suzanne Fisher Staples Under The Persimmon Tree

There are thousands, if not millions, of diseases in the world. PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is rarely heard of, but affects millions of people worldwide. This disorder causes mood changes and angry outbursts. Patients are haunted by past memories, just like characters from the book. Patients struggle to accept their own flaws, and people have conflicts that go to a deeper meaning. Throughout the novel Under the Persimmon Tree, Suzanne Fisher Staples uses real life scenarios of PTSD to create conflict between characters, which connects to real-life scenarios.

In the novel, author Suzanne Fisher Staples uses real life scenarios that stand out from the rest of the passage in characters. The author uses many situations to show

After Akthar told Najmah not to speak, she was tried using any form of communication besides talking. She felt the moment the bombs dropped, she would be forever silenced. Najmah is afraid to let go of her inability to speak. “Although I am sure I can speak, the thought of it overwhelms me. My silence has protected me, saved my life, and I am afraid to let go of it.” (Staples 181). Many victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have disengaged themselves from any social interactions. Najmah realizes just how much the silence helped her, and she isn’t willing to give that up. The choice Najmah had to make here was to maintain her safety, or get help. Najmah tries to communicate through gestures. “‘Can you work?’ he asks. Suddenly I know how to answer...I nod my head vigorously and hold out my hands so he can see the calluses…” (Staples 183). This is a very important quote: Najmah is putting herself through hard labor in order to distract herself from realizing the fact that she might have no family. Once Nusrat realizes Margaret is gone, she is hurt by every memory of her and tries to avoid thinking of when they were together as children. Nusrat was hurt that nobody bothered to talk with her. “Until she met Faiz she felt nobody but Margaret-including her mother-had ever gotten to know her.” (Staples 54-55) This is

Nusrat’s family not accepting her new beliefs drive her to feel she has made bad choices, and that puts her down. Nusrat is hurt that her family won’t accept her for who she is. “When she and Faiz first came to Peshawar, her mother wrote to say how heartbroken she and Nusrat’s father were that she had become a Muslim and moved so far away.” (Staples 44). This is showing that Nusrat had a major conflict: her parents refused to accept her as a woman who would make bold choices, even if it was life-threatening. Nusrat not being accepted by her parents might cause her PTSD to act up: she might feel hurt and realize she will never live up to her parents expectations. Nusrats internal conflict is her family not accepting her. Nusrat’s family not accepting her drive her to have dreams of how happy she was before she moved away. “Nusrat’s heart is filled with happiness to see her [Margaret] after so many years...Nusrat stretches to hold on to her sister, but she floats away, out of sight.” (Staples 231) This shows how Nusrat is dreaming, wishing, hoping that she could go back to the days when she was with Margaret. She is in desperate need of acceptance, especially after her Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Nusrat wishes she could make her family proud, and have them still like Faiz and her new way of life.