“And then…but there’s nothing more.”

The novel’s structure places the death of the narrator at the beginning, including a fractured timeline in which the first scene described portrays the death of the protagonist. This has a discombobulating effect on the audience. By prefacing the narrative with the detailed account of the death of the narrator, the novel introduces a sense of inevitability around the tragic circumstances that take hold of the narrator’s life.

“In those days, it was hard for the son of Bedouins to join the brotherhood of the highly educated elite without provoking a sort of reflexive disgust.”

From the opening paragraphs of the first chapter, the novel establishes the difficulty that Amin faces because of his race. This theme will return at numerous points throughout the novel, experienced differently by Amin and his wife. Through his narration, Amin notes the intersection between class politics (the “highly educated elite” (6)) and racism (“the son of Bedouins” (6)). While Amin has successfully navigated this intersection, he is not to be considered a typical case.

“You manage it technically, not humanely.”

The response of Amin and the other doctors to the terrorist attack is one of weary experience. Such attacks have become commonplace in the city, to the point where the doctors and medical staff have a practiced and somewhat muted response to the violence.