1. infer describe the gifts that mr. pirzada gives lilia and how lilia cares for these
gifts. why might she feel she should not eat the candy in a casual manner?
2. interpret how is mr. pirzada's pocket watch different from the watch he
wears on his wrist? what does the pocket watch lilia understand about
mr. pirzada and his situation?
3. infer how does mr. pirzada react to the idea of lilia going out trick-or-treating?
what does lilia mean when she tries to explain it to her friend by saying, "his
daughters are missing"?
4. analyze throughout the story, lilia listens as her parents and mr. pirzada
discuss the war between india and pakistan. why does she become more
interested in the war? what deeper change does this interest represent in lilia?
5. interpret a symbol is something that stands for or represents both itself and
something else. the objects associated with characters in a story are often
symbols that provide clues about who they are and what they are experiencing.
what are at least three objects associated with mr. pirzada, and what do they
symbolize?
6. cite evidence what theme about growing up does the story convey? think
about lilia's experiences and the way she changes during the story.
7. draw conclusions at the end of the story, why does lilia feel she can finally
throw away her remaining candies from mr. pirzada?