The book for the assignment is “The Black Album” by Hanif Kureishi (only the first 8 chapters).
1st part: Explore the characters of Riaz and Deedee, what they symbolize, and how these mentors shape Shahid’s identity. Based on what you have read so far, how far does he allow their influence to sway him?
2nd part: As readers, the more stories we are exposed to, the more we become aware of literary elements at play, such as the main conflict, the protagonists, antagonists, leimotif (theme), et cetera. Equally important in stories are secondary characters. In general, how do secondary characters and circumstances shape the main protagonist? How can such characters affect or hinder the main protragonist’s development? You can tie this into this week’s reading or bring up other examples.
