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Part 1, Chapter 7: Five Minutes
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Marginalization and Belonging
Time, Memory, and Transition
Gender and Power
Tradition and Change
Religion, Political Conflict, and Identity
Summary
Analysis
Six minutes after Leila’s heart stops, her memory whisks her back to June of 1963 and the smell of a wood-burning stove. It’s the wedding of Uncle’s eldest son, who is marrying a girl from a wealthy family whose fortune comes from trade on the Silk Road. Watching the bride in her wedding dress, Leila feels a pang of sadness, knowing she will never get to wear one herself. No man would marry a girl who is no longer pure, no longer a virgin. She begins picking at her cuticles until they bleed, a habit she’s adopted—along with cutting her legs and arms—to distract from her most painful thoughts.
Leila’s self-harm is a physical manifestation of her internal pain and suffering, and it speaks to how deeply her uncle’s abuse has affected her self-worth. The wedding triggers her feelings of shame and loss, reminding her that she’ll never be considered “pure” like the bride, nor will she ever become a bride herself, as her uncle’s violation has stolen that possibility from her. His abuse is so impactful, Leila has internalized the blame, wrongly believing her pain is ultimately her own fault.
Themes
Since his son’s engagement, Uncle has behaved as if he were wealthier than he truly is, trying to impress his daughter-in-law’s affluent family. One afternoon, during a meal at an upscale restaurant, Uncle repeatedly berates and condescends to the nervous, innocent waiter. Leila, enraged by his behavior, suddenly realizes that Uncle’s treatment of the waiter mirrors the power dynamic between them. In response, she boldly and loudly praises the waiter’s service, startling Uncle, who reprimands her. When her father subsequently sides with her uncle, he makes it clear that he will always choose his brother over his daughter.
This moment reflects Leila’s growing awareness of her uncle’s abuse of power and need to assert dominance—not just over her, but anyone he deems beneath him. By publicly defending the waiter—someone who, like herself, is more vulnerable within the social hierarchy—Leila symbolically rejects the oppression she’s endured, as though trying to retroactively protect her younger self from her uncle’s advances. Ultimately, her outspokenness is a testament to her evolution and resilience, though her father’s loyalty to his brother deepens her understanding of how deeply entrenched patriarchal structures are.
Themes
After Haroun quits his work as a tailor to devote himself to spreading the word of Allah, Leila’s family faces financial hardship. One day, during a discussion about the torments of Hell, Baba tells Leila that God punishes all sinners—without exception. This worries Leila, who, after numerous encounters with Uncle since that unspeakable night at the holiday house, has been made to believe—through her uncle’s manipulation—that she is to blame for his actions. She declares that she wants nothing to do with her father’s merciless God, and in a pivotal moment that forever alters their relationship, Baba nearly strikes Leila in anger.
Leila’s rejection of Haroun’s merciless interpretation of God represents more than a theological disagreement—it’s a final rejection of his growing fanaticism and the oppressive control that comes with it. Her declaration is also a profound act of self-preservation; she refuses to further internalize the guilt her uncle has forced upon her and instinctively rejects the shame-based moral framework her father espouses.
Themes
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