Fahrenheit 451

Last fall, Nasreen was assigned to read a book called "To Be a Slave" which is the personal narratives of former slaves, collected by a researcher.  The spelling and grammar are written much as I would imagine them sounding coming from the mouth of someone raised in slavery, so it was very difficult for Nasreen to understand.  I agreed to read it aloud to her, and along the way I explained much of what the writers meant.

This week, she approached me about reading the book "Fahrenheit 451" to her.  This book was written in the 1950's, and at least the part we have read so far is about censorship and one government's attempt to prevent critical thinking in it's citizens.  Parts of it are quite confusing, but I find myself very conflicted about explaining what is really meant by this book.

Pakistan is a Muslim nation, but not in the way that American is a "Christian" nation.  It isn't just their heritage, the Muslim leaders believe the role of government is to make good Muslims of their citizens.  If science contradicts Islam, you ignore the science or just don't think about it.  If a citizen opposes Islam, you don't analyze whether they have a useful point, you silence them.  Good Muslims don't try to understand what the Q'uran means for them, they ask the Imam what it means.  They aren't trained to question and truly understand what they believe, they are trained to just accept.

Along the way this has been a frustration for me with Nasreen.  And now, as I sit reading this book, and want to explain to her that the "evil" government in the book won't allow it's citizens to think for themselves and that it silences those who question and want to learn about other ways of thinking and doing things, I don't know how to handle it.

I'm honestly torn between really wanting to tell her, "Question what you believe!  Question what you see us doing!  Question why American and Pakistan are so different!  If you end up in the same place you are now, so be it, but QUESTION!"  ~or~ "Yes, this was an issue in America, especially in the 1950's.  Don't think about it any more than you have to, because it could get you killed once you go home."

As her temporary parent, I want her to make the most of this year, but at the same time I'm very aware that she is constantly exposed to things that are socially and politically dangerous to her culture.  I wonder how she will re-acclimate to Pakistan after a year of so much freedom and so many new ideas.