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Father / Saboor
The second wife of Saboor, the sister of Masooma, and the mother of Iqbal, Parwana is the main character of the third chapter of And the Mountains Echoed. As a young woman, Parwana develops a rivalry with her sister, Masooma, whom Parwana considers to be prettier and more likeable than she. After Parwana learns that Masooma is preparing to marry Saboor—a man Parwana has liked for many years—Parwana spitefully causes her sister to fall out of a tree, injuring her and causing her to spend the rest of her life an invalid. Parwana spends many years caring for her sister, guilty but unwilling to admit what she’s done. In the end, Saboor begins to court Parwana, and—partly with Masooma’s encouragement—Parwana marries Saboor, leaving her sister to fend for herself.
Parwana Quotes in And the Mountains Echoed
The And the Mountains Echoed quotes below are all either spoken by Parwana or refer to Parwana. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 2 Quotes
He wished he could love his new mother in the same way. And perhaps Parwana, he thought, secretly wished the same, that she could love him. The way she did Iqbal, her one-year-old son, whose face she always kissed, whose every cough and sneeze she fretted over. Or the way she had loved her first baby, Omar. She had adored him.
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Chapter 3 Quotes
All her life, Parwana had made sure to avoid standing in front of a mirror with her sister. It robbed her of hope to see her face beside Masooma’s, to see so plainly what she had been denied. But in public, every stranger’s eye was a mirror. There was no escape.
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Parwana Character Timeline in And the Mountains Echoed
The timeline below shows where the character Parwana appears in And the Mountains Echoed. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
Abdullah turns to thinking about his stepmother, Parwana. She is a kind, wise woman, but he can’t force himself to love her. Abdullah’s...
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...Father, Abdullah, and Pari are riding out to perform. Uncle Nabi is actually Abdullah’ step-uncle, Parwana’s elder brother. The job, which will take a month to complete, involves building an extension...
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Chapter 3
As the chapter begins, Parwana sees “it” smeared down Masooma’s buttocks and thighs. Parwana “wants to howl,” but she forces...
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As Parwana goes about her usual business, she sometimes sees Saboor. Saboor, as Parwana sees him, is...
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When Parwana was born, she was a surprise. She and Masooma are twin sisters, but their mother...
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By the time Masooma and Parwana are 11 years old, Masooma has begun to attract attention from the local boys. One...
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...Masooma asks Nabi if he’s found a wife yet, and he laughs off the question. Parwana remembers a recent trip that she and Masooma made with Nabi. On the trip, Nabi...
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During Nabi’s visit, he tells Parwana that the rumors are true: Saboor is looking for a new wife, following the death...
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When Masooma and Parwana were 13 years old, they used to enjoy going to bazaars to run errands for...
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In 1949, Parwana carries Masooma outside for some fresh air. She is careful to take perfect care of...
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When Parwana and Masooma are 17 years old, they sit in the branch of a tall tree...
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Back in 1949, Parwana and Masooma are talking. Masooma tells her sister, “You have to do it now. If...
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After staring into Masooma’s eyes for a long time, Parwana decides to leave her sister and marry Saboor. She walks away from her home, in...
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Chapter 4
...to make pleasant conversation, and praises a large rug in Saboor’s house. She also asks Parwana how far along she is: at the time, Parwana is pregnant with Iqbal.
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