Fadi (Shooting Kabul) – Hero’s Journey

The Mundane World

Fadi lives in Afghanistan with his mom, dad, two sisters, and brother. Fadi helps his mom around the house a lot by cooking and cleaning because his mom is very ill. Fadi does not want to leave Afghanistan or his family because he likes them and his home very much.

The Call To Adventure

Fadi and his family were trying to get onto a truck that would take them safely away when some soldiers came. In a rush to get into the truck, Fadi lost grip of his sister’s (Marriam) hand and his sister was left behind in Afghanistan.

Crossing the Threshold

To enter the new world Fadi’s second sister offers to give Fadi fifty dollars so he can join the photography club. He wanted to get in the club because the winning prize was a trip to the Great Wall Of China, The Taj Mahal, or on a Safari in Kenya. He was going to try to win because India is right next to Pakistan. If he won he was going to look for Marriam.

The Path of Trials

Fadi loved photography and had a natural talent for taking photos. Then the contest came – one picture, one chance. Fadi put all his effort into taking pictures that would please the judges. All the students turned in their pictures and a few days later the results came. Fadi crossed his fingers and waited. The teacher announced the grand prize winner and Fadi almost fainted, he had failed, this had been his chance to save his sister and he had failed. Although he didn’t want to go to the awards ceremony he went after being pushed to go by a friend. As he was viewing the pictures, one of the judges that had loved Fadi’s photo came up to him and started talking.  He showed Fadi a photo album of his collection of photos taken at different refugee camps. Seeing the pictures made Fadi think about his sister, and just as he was about to cry, a picture caught his eye. It was a picture of a little girl carrying a little Barbie doll. It was Marriam.

The Master of Two Worlds

When the journey is over the family reunites in San Francisco with Mariam. Fadi has changed by being more mature, smarter, more careful, happy to have his sister back, and not feeling guilty anymore for losing his sister.

Submitted by: Kaitlin B. and Akash W. from Baker Middle School

Tags: Afghanistani, Books, Children, Female

About matt

View all posts by matt →