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Fag Ash Lil
Altaf is a Somali boy also in Year 7 at Harri’s school. He is very quiet and doesn’t have many friends, in part due to prejudice against Somalis, whom the other kids claim are “pirates.” Altaf is also teased about his lips, which are perceived as feminine, earning him the nickname “Gay Lips.” Like Mamma, Altaf’s mother does not want Altaf to learn about other religions in religious education, and Harri and Altaf strike up a friendship while they sit in the library during RE lessons. Alta loves drawing superheroes, and Harri finds his knowledge about them impressive. Altaf reveals that his father died in a war.
Altaf Quotes in Pigeon English
The Pigeon English quotes below are all either spoken by Altaf or refer to Altaf. 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:
).
April Quotes
Altaf is very quiet. Nobody really knows him. You're not supposed to talk to Somalis because they're pirates. Everybody agrees. If you talk to them you might give away a clue to where you keep your treasure and the next
thing you know, your wife has been strangled alive and they're throwing you to the sharks. Me and Altaf don't have to go to RE. Mamma doesn't want me to hear about the false gods, she says it's a waste of time, and Altaf's mamma thinks the same thing.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Altaf Character Timeline in Pigeon English
The timeline below shows where the character Altaf appears in Pigeon English. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
April
...as underwear and bras) in the machines. Harri then describes a shy Somali boy named Altaf, explaining, “you’re not supposed to talk to Somalis because they’re pirates.” Both Harri and Altaf...
(full context)
May
Altaf knows all the superheroes and draws pictures of them. He has even invented his own...
(full context)
July
...a junkie but secretly thinks it was Jordan doing it as a joke. At school, Altaf and Harri discuss superheroes again. Altaf confesses that his father died in a war. Harri...
(full context)
In PE, Harri plays a game called rounders, which he hates. Inspired by Altaf’s suggestion, Harri sneaks away through a hole in the fence into a forest behind school....
(full context)
