Prayers for the Stolen Flashcards
How is violence represented in this novel, and how do characters respond to it? Use examples.
Violence is presented as the norm. The characters have become num to any news of violence. One example is bullet holes in the building’s walls. No one bothers to fix it because shootings are a norm aspect of these characters’ life. In addition, violence can be stemmed from machismo. So, women could be mistreated by men through the book and no one is surprised by this.
Compare and contrast the setting in parts 1,2,3. How do these spaces affect the characters’ experiences?
In a way, all the settings feel like prison. At home she’s restricted. At the mansion, she is contained (she’s more free, but never going out) and in actual prison, she has a community. All these places are dangerous.
How do the characters survive physically and emotionally?
Throughout the book, the characters were numb to the violence. The art they created in prison was a way of self-expression. The survived by dressing up as boys to prevent themselves from getting kidnapped.
What does beauty mean in these spaces? How are norms of femininity upheld and challenged? What does it mean to be a girl or a woman in these spaces?
Beauty is rejected because it is dangerous to be beautiful on the mountain. “Outed place of beauty parlors.” Going to these parlors gives these woman some sense of normality. Femininity was still upheld through TV. e.i. Paula was more beautiful than JLo. Their standards came from TV.
