The Other Side of the Sky

Consider the title of Ahmedi’s memoir. Why do you think she chose the title The Other Side of the Sky? How does the motif of the sky, the stars, and other astral imagery serve as a motif in the book? Reflect on these points as you analyze the text to answer the question.

• What is the origin of the title? What does “the other side” refer to, both literally and metaphorically?
• Are there any correlations between Ahmedi and her religion in the motif of the sky?
• Are there any geopolitical connotations in the motif of the sky, concerning Eastern versus Western society?
• In the final sections of the book, is there any “closure” with regard to the sky motif? Does Ahmedi ever reach the “other side”?

Teaching Suggestion: The title of Ahmedi’s memoir may be the most important motif of the book. When in second grade, Ahmedi remembers daydreaming what would happen if she had a long, tall ladder that reached the sky; she wondered what she’d see if she looked through the sky at the top of the ladder, looking through to the “other side.” When Ahmedi became a bit older (and more mature), she learned about actual astronomy and came to understood that people cannot touch the sky physically and that the stars are part of a larger, wider solar system.