Warm-Up Quiz: From Brooklyn to Karachi via Amsterdam

Remembering (Recall Information)

Where does Afzal live before traveling to Karachi?

• Amsterdam

• Brooklyn

• Karachi

• London

Understanding (Explain Ideas & Concepts)

How does the stream-of-consciousness style affect the way Afzal’s journey is presented?

• It makes the story more fragmented and dreamlike

• It provides a clear and chronological narrative

• It focuses on external events rather than internal thoughts

• It makes the protagonist seem unreliable

Applying (Use Information in New Situations)

Afzal constantly shifts between memories of Karachi and his life in Brooklyn. How does this reflect the experience of diaspora?

• It highlights the struggle of balancing multiple identities

• It suggests that home is a fixed place

• It shows that one can completely detach from their past

• It demonstrates the ease of assimilation into a new culture

Analyzing (Compare & Contrast, Examine Relationships)

4. In what ways do the characters of Afzal and his Baba contrast in their attitudes toward belonging?

• Baba sees home as fluid, while Afzal struggles with cultural identity

• Baba represents tradition, while Afzal navigates a hybrid identity

• Baba embraces Western values, while Afzal clings to Karachi

• Baba and Afzal have identical views on home and identity

Analyzing (Compare & Contrast, Examine Relationships)

5. How does Afzal’s experience at the airport symbolize his position between cultures?

• It represents a literal and emotional in-between space

• It shows his complete separation from his homeland

• It demonstrates his excitement about returning to Karachi

• It proves that he has fully adapted to Brooklyn

Evaluating (Justify a Stand or Decision)

Does Afzal ever truly feel at home in either Brooklyn or Karachi? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

If Afzal were to write a letter to his younger self about identity and belonging, what advice might he give?