Under The Persimmon Tree Najmah Character Analysis

In the book Under the Persimmon Tree, Najmah had encountered various dangerous threats to her life, but she managed to fight through it, and become a fearless machine that’s only purpose was to save her family from falling. Najmah had to become a amazing leader in order to survive. In relation to this, Najmah manages to “lose” her ability to fear something or someone for her loved ones. She also feels that she needs to take back what she believes is hers. The character Najmah had gone through many experiences that changed her drastically from how she was before.

Najmah needs to take on a leadership role in her family rather than being a lazy person because of the loss in her life. When her father and brother were taken away, Najmah felt …show more content…
Najmah had been struck by fear so many times it became a meaningless feeling. Najmah finds out what it feels like to be terrified and almost getting killed. “Next we hear whistling and whining and the thud of explosions all around us. The noise doesn’t seem so loud, but with every thud we feel the ground jump, and rock rains over us. The sound of gunfire is everywhere, and a spot between my shoulder blades begin to quiver with fear” (Staples 105). Najmah almost gets killed in the mountains so she knows what it feels like to come face to face with death, which changes her because she becomes much braver. Now Najmah is not so much in a state of fear now as she is stressed out. “I think of the Malek’s words about how dangerous it is to travel in this area. And I think of the murder of the driver, and I cannot make myself decide what to do” (Staples 160). Najmah is worried that the bandits will kill her,so she is extremely stressed out on her decision making skills. However Najmah remains loyal to her family and will still do anything for them because she still tries to formulate a plan to escape and find them. “I think about Akhtar’s words. He is right. I am no longer the girl Najmah of Golestan that child who was afraid of leopards. I am afraid of nothing after …show more content…
Soon after Najmah meets Nusrat she starts to gain a new temporary family. Nusrat tries to introduce Najmah into her family so she doesn't feel like she is alone, and without someone to help her. “‘So,’ she says, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the flat of her hand, a gesture that seems so motherly that her throat closes. ’Do you need a place to stay?’ The boy nods his head slowly” (Staples 192). Nusrat takes care of Najmah as if she was her mother, which affects Najmah because it makes her feel like she has someone to take care of her and help her in a way that her family did. In order to get Najmah back into a state of happiness,she needs someone from her past life. “I run to Nur and throw my arms around him. His face crumples like a burning piece of paper when he sees me, and we stand face-to-face staring at each other for a long time. I am not aware of anything else in the world except that Nur is here at last” (Staples 251). Nur comes back to Najmah in the school and Najmah finally is reunited with one of the people she truly loves and one of the people that she had risked her life for. Najmah becomes increasingly happy and making new plans to go back. The girl from Golestan kept on regaining skills such as having fun and laughing. “It feels as if the world might very well go on” (Staples 244). Najmah had grown not