“Parvana knew she had to fetch the water because there was nobody else in the family who could do it” (20), describes Deborah Ellis in The breadwinner, as readers learn from the very beginning of the novel the task that Parvana has been given in order, to put it in simplest terms, for her family to survive. It is this constant struggle of responsibility and being Kaseem that Parvana faces in the novel which not only allows her to understand herself as a character and what she is truly capable of, but also comes to the determination that because she is able to, she will do anything in her reach to keep her family with her for as long as she lives. It is through this difficult situation that readers can see Parvana’s growth not only with the…show more content… She knows it is nonsense to argue over this because she knows they are not allowed of attending such responsibility but it makes her feel somewhat better. “Sometimes this made her resentful. Sometimes this made her proud. One thing she knew-it didn’t matter how she felt. Good mood or bad, the water had to be fetched, and she had to fetch it” (20). Intriguingly, she doesn’t question the task she is constantly being given. She has learned to accept it for the better and realises that it is about holding that responsibility which allows her family to function. In part, it is Parvana’s strong will to do and support her family which keeps her running. It is also believed that Parvana gains this strength from Father’s story. “You are all brave women. You are all inheritors of the courage of Malali... We can win this battle” (29), announces Father to Parvana and Maryam as he hopes to brighten the situation. “It serves as inspiration for Parvana to act courageously later on” states Shmoop on the description of Parvana as Malali. Adding on, it is this character which reminds Parvana that she may be young but she still has the power to do great things. It is here during this discussion which Parvana’s life takes a turn, she is forced to pull herself together and be the strongest she will ever have to