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The character of Saeed’s father symbolizes the sacrifices inherent in migration. In a clear example, he decides to stay behind in their home country in order to give Saeed the best chance of surviving the pressures of refugee life. Because Saeed’s father is a loving, caring man, the unfairness inherent in this choice draws attention to exactly what people give up when they decide to migrate—the support and constancy of family and community. However, there is another dimension to Saeed’s father’s sacrifice. At the first outbreak of violence in the city, Saeed’s father prays not for peace, which would influence his own future as well, but for Saeed individually, firmly prioritizing his son. After Saeed’s mother dies, Saeed’s father spends his time with relatives who remember her in order to feel close to her memory, living in the past. In a sense, Saeed’s father cannot migrate because he has no desire to imagine a future for himself, only for his son.
