Iqbal Novel

What role does Hussein Khan play in the novel?

• Exploiter of children

• A child labourer

• A helper

• A manufacturer

Iqbal is unfairly described as....

• Kind

• Caring

• Clever

• Arrogant

Iqbal tells the others the debt they owe ...

• will be easily cancelled

• will never be cancelled

• will be cancelled if they work hard

• will be cancelled in a year

Part A: Select an answer that best illustrates Iqbal’s point of view

Iqbal believed that…

• With hard work, children can pay off the debt that forced them into child labor.

• No matter how hard a child works, the debt is never repaid.

• If they were lucky, and worked hard enough, the master would free them for good behavior.

• They could be freed when their families come looking for them.

Part B Select the two quotes that supports your answer for Part A

• “’The debt is never erased’ he said softly. ‘It doesn’t matter how good you are.’” (20)

• “You’ll erase those lines on the slate like the sun erases the snow on the mountains.” (20)

• “…it won’t take you long to pay off your father’s debt. I know-- I’ve seen a lot.”

• “’No,’ we all said, one after the other. ‘No we’ve never seen anyone pay off their debt.” (21)

Why was Iqbal forced into servitude?

• His father was an evil man

• His father's harvest was not good that year and he needed money

• His brother got sick and they couldn't afford the medicine

• His brother refused to work, so Iqbal volunteered

Describe Hussein Khans carpet factory

• clean and friendly

• dark and dirty

• a fun place to work with games and prizes

• an ok place to work with easy tasks to accomplish

When the children were not busy working or sleeping what did they do for entertainment

• Listened to Karim tell stories about movies he had seen

• sang songs and danced

• watched the t.v. Hussien Khan provided for them

• played outside with a ball

1. What can you infer about Iqbal’s past when he replies “I know” to everything that Hussain Khan says?

• Iqbal has lived with Hussain Khan for a long time

• Iqbal is lying

• Iqbal has never worked with carpets before

• Iqbal has experience as a slave making carpets

What was the name of the narrator?

• Hussain
• Salman
• Fatima
• Maria