Ground Zero

Reshmina is an 11-year-old girl from a small village in Afghanistan. Reshmina dreams of a future as a teacher or translator. She does not want to be married at a young age like other girls in her village, including her sisters. She wants to be independent and to experience other places besides her village. She is focused on her education, in particular learning English. She is skilled at English and can communicate well with Taz. She is intelligent and observant about the state of her country. In the beginning of the novel, Reshmina admires the female translator she sees with the American soldiers. At the end, however, when Taz suggests he can get her into a program to be a translator for the American Army, she declines. She knows that she still wants to create her own life, but she does not want to play a part in the war. She wants to do things her own way.

Throughout the novel, Reshmina is brave, especially given her minimal freedoms as a female in Afghanistan. She asserts her independence by bringing Taz into her home, knowing she is not allowed to do so as a young female. She also spurns traditional gender roles when she travels alone up and down the mountains, looking for Pasoon and risking encountering the Taliban. Further, she is not intimidated to confront Taz, an older man who is also an American soldier, about America’s occupation of Afghanistan.

Reshmina chooses to follow the merciful tenet of Pashtunwali over the tenet of revenge. Reshmina believes that revenge is not the way. She has chances to change her mind about harboring Taz but never does. She prays for Pasoon to change his path and endangers her own life to try to stop him from taking revenge. She is able to be angry at Taz and Americans and still protect him. She believes that killing and fighting are pointless and lead to nothing. She does not want Americans in Afghanistan; she wants them to just leave and the fighting to stop.

Pasoon is Reshmina’s twin brother. Unlike Reshmina, he does not care about going to school. Pasoon is influenced by his older friends, Darwesh and Amaan, who joined the Taliban. At first, Pasoon seems like a child who is copying older boys. However, Pasoon views himself as a man and begins to lose any childish sweetness or innocence. When he strikes Reshmina across the face, Gratz shows that Pasoon is capable of violence. Pasoon is not very different from other boys in the village, though, because joining the Taliban is the path most of them take. Pasoon believes that joining the Taliban is his only real option to make a living and have a purpose.

Pasoon acts as a foil to his twin sister, Reshmina. While Reshmina focuses on the tenet of Pashtunwali that preaches hospitality, Pasoon chooses to focus on the tenet that requires revenge against those who have caused harm. In the beginning, Pasoon seems to want revenge for his family. He hates the Americans for killing his sister Hila with their drone. As his need for revenge against the Americans grows, he chooses revenge over his own family. His need to kill Taz is greater than his need to protect his family. Pasoon lets his anger control him, and he makes it his main focus to rid Afghanistan of any occupiers. Pasoon is convinced he is right and will not allow Reshmina to talk him out of his decisions.

Brandon’s dad is named Leo Chavez. He is “not a big man” but has “a stocky chest and strong arms” with “a quiet power” (2). He works as a kitchen manager in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. His restaurant is called Windows on the World and it is on the top floor. He is a dedicated father to Brandon. He lost his wife five years prior and has raised Brandon on his own. He and Brandon are fiercely loyal to each other. Since his wife’s death, he has told Brandon that they can survive anything when they stick together.

Leo brings Brandon to work with him because Brandon has been suspended. Leo is disappointed that his son was suspended and that he hit a classmate. He does not think this was the right thing to do, even if the classmate wronged Brandon first. He warns Brandon about turning into a bully, which he says will happen if Brandon does not experience consequences for his actions. Leo is separated from Brandon in Chapter 3 when Brandon sneaks away from the restaurant. The few times that Brandon is able to reach his father on the phone, Leo is encouraging and firm. Initially, he is confident and makes Brandon thinks things will be okay. In their last phone call, however, he knows he is going to die. He has become less confident and more urgent. His only wish is that Brandon lives a good life. He does not survive.