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The Candlestick
Jamal’s football embodies his dreams, hopes, and aspirations. Throughout his journey, he often envisions himself playing on one of Australia’s professional teams, sharing the field with Bibi—something which would be impossible in Afghanistan. This vision sustains him during his difficult travels, motivating him to keep moving forward. In this regard, Jamal’s football represents not only his athletic aspirations, but also his hope for a better life in Australia; through football, Jamal believes he can create a better future his family.
However, Jamal’s football also symbolizes his deep connection to Afghanistan. Gifted to him by Yusuf, a friend from his home village, the ball connects him to his past and reminds him why he wanted to become a professional football player in the first place—to return home and help fix his country. As such, Jamal’s football is the symbolic bridge between his old life and his new beginnings, embodying his dreams for finding a better life in Australia and, ultimately, an improved Afghanistan. With the football by his side, Jamal can have hope for the future while preserving his ties to the past.
Jamal’s Football Quotes in Boy Overboard
The Boy Overboard quotes below all refer to the symbol of Jamal’s Football. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 1
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I’m Manchester United and I’ve got the ball and everything is good. There’s no smoke, or nerve gas, or sand-storms. Which is really good. Bomb wind can really put you off your football skills.
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The others are still backing away and looking at me and I realize I have to do something. This person who is putting us all in danger is a member of my family.
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Bibi must have forgotten that girls aren’t allowed to leave the house without a parent. She must have forgotten that females have to keep their face covered at all times out of doors. And it must have slipped her mind that girls playing football is completely, totally and absolutely against the law.
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Chapter 5
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“I hate this whole country,” says Bibi after a while. “This country is camel snot.”
I’m shocked.
Nine-year-old kids shouldn’t hate their country. They should love their country and want it to do well in the World Cup and earn the respect of other nations so they’ll stop bombing us.
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Chapter 8
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I wish I could go to the city and get the government out of bed and tell them what they’re doing to our family. How they’ve made my mum cry. How they’ve stopped me from getting lino. But I can’t. I don’t even know where the government lives.
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Chapter 9
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A wonderful thought hits me. We can do it together. We can improve out skills and impress the government and start a national team and win the hearts of Afghans together. When the government sees how talented Bibi is, they’ll change their minds about girls playing football. They’ll have to.
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Chapter 11
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If Mum and Dad are really going to convince that government football official, they need us there too.
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Chapter 13
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We look at each other. And suddenly I know that if Dad can be a desert warrior in the football stadium, so can I.
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‘If a person goes somewhere else and becomes a huge football star,’ I say to Yusuf’s grandfather in my imagination, ‘and so does his sister, and they play regularly on TV, and then they come back to Afghanistan with their parents, do you think they’d be popular enough to help form a new government? A kind and fair government that wouldn’t murder anyone?’
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Chapter 14
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I feel like crying too, but instead I reach out and touch my rucksack. I want to check that my football is still packed safely. Just because I’ve never heard of any Australian football teams doesn’t mean there aren’t some good ones. I want to get all the practice I can on the way there, so I’m ready.
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Chapter 22
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I want to go back to Australia. I saw it. Green football pitches and goalposts of solid gold and little stools for one-legged goalies to sit on. Me and Bibi winning the cup final for Dubbo Abattoirs United. I was there. Now I’m here on this deck shivering.
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Chapter 24
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A pirate stops right in front of us, studying the ball as it goes back and forward. I pray he doesn’t know how brilliant females can be at football. I pray he assumes anyone with knee skills like Bibi and Rashida must be male.
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Chapter 39
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Bibi’s asleep at last. That’s why I’m lying out here on the football pitch. So I don’t disturb her while I try and plan our future. It’s hard to plan quietly when you’re crying. I don’t want to think about the future. I don’t want to think at all. But somebody’s got to do it and Bibi’s only ten.
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Get the entire Boy Overboard LitChart as a printable PDF.
Jamal’s Football Symbol Timeline in Boy Overboard
The timeline below shows where the symbol Jamal’s Football appears in Boy Overboard. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
Jamal plays football (soccer) with his friends. His team pretends to be Manchester United, and the other team...
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Jamal is worried that they are in trouble with an Afghan official for playing football. When he looks behind him, however, he sees his sister, Bibi. Wanting to join the...
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Chapter 2
...Bibi says they won’t because she left them a note saying she went to play football. Jamal is shocked and tells her they need to rip up the note. If someone...
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Chapter 3
...and tries to channel their bravery, asking the tank to return the ball, claiming that football is going to be his career. The tank does not respond, however, and Jamal goes...
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Chapter 5
...for breaking his front window. They deny it, and Jamal shows his skills with the football to prove he’s too good to make such a mistake. Bibi makes a commotion, however,...
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Chapter 8
After packing, Jamal and Bibi spend the night at Yusuf’s grandfather’s house. Jamal watches a football game with Yusuf’s grandfather. Since Yusuf’s grandfather’s TV uses illegal satellite, the game is in...
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...to carry out his plan. He thinks if he can become the star of Afghanistan’s football team, his family and people like his family will never be hurt or bullied again.
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Chapter 9
Jamal practices football in the street. It is the middle of the night, and he realizes what a...
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Bibi says she wants to play football and then steals the ball from Jamal. Jamal realizes what a natural talent Bibi is...
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Chapter 11
...to an abandoned shop and explains he’s going to pick their mom up at the football stadium. Privately, he gives Jamal money and instructions for returning to their village in case...
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Chapter 12
Jamal and Bibi arrive at the football stadium. There are lots of people around and Jamal tells Bibi there must be a...
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...Jamal and Bibi believe it is a warning from the government about letting women play football, and that the guns are fake. Still, they are scared. A woman breaks away from...
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Chapter 13
...parents arrive in the taxi, and the family embraces. Bibi reveals they were at the football stadium, but their mom is not upset and thanks them for having a candle burning...
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...Jamal imagines another conversation with Yusuf’s grandfather. In it, he asks whether becoming a famous football star would allow his family to come back to Afghanistan and start a new, kinder...
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Chapter 14
...mom cries, and their dad comforts her. Jamal checks his rucksack to make sure his football is still safe. Even though he hasn’t heard of any Australian football teams, he believes...
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Chapter 15
...help, though no one takes him seriously, so he spends a lot of time practicing football. At the camp, people are constantly trying to sell things, though luckily Jamal’s mom packed...
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Jamal asks him what it’s like in Australia and whether there are any good football teams. Gav says there are and that girls are also allowed to play soccer. Jamal...
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Chapter 19
...Jamal’s family seems happy. Jamal thinks of Yusuf and vows to buy him an amazing football when he gets to Australia. The plane is old and rickety, and Jamal worries that...
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Chapter 20
...be safe until they get to Australia. He believes that if it lets girls play football, the government must be nice. There are two boats in the water, and Bibi keeps...
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...Bibi asks when they can get on the boat, and Jamal takes her to practice football to give his parents a break. The other refugees watch in shock as Bibi practices,...
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Chapter 25
...his parents will pay for the food in Australia and offers to teach her a football trick in the meantime. Omar keeps on interrupting with annoying comments, but they all ignore...
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Chapter 30
...disguise as boys. To ward off suspicion, the three of them start playing with the football, hoping that the pirates assume girls can’t play football well. A pirate walks by and...
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Chapter 31
Jamal dreams he is playing on Dubbo Abattoirs United, an Australian football team. In the dream, he has the ball, the sun is shining, his parents are...
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Chapter 34
...Australia. As Jamal eats, a voice speaks to him from the doorway. He hears a football bouncing and realizes it’s Omar. Omar asks if the food for Bibi is for him.
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Chapter 36
Jamal and the other refugees play a football game against the “Aussies.” It is Andrew’s idea, and Jamal is having a lot of...
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Chapter 38
Rashida gives Jamal his football, saying it got punctured earlier on a barbed wire fence. Rashida sits in silence and...
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Chapter 39
Jamal lies on the football field planning his and Bibi’s future. He does not want to, but as the older...
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...and Bibi could do alone. He thinks that if they traveled around, meeting losing Australian football teams and explaining their situation, the players might feel better about their own situations and...
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Chapter 41
...and thank them for their help. Jamal explains his and Bibi’s plans to become famous football players and create a new government back in Afghanistan. Their parents look happy and begin...
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Chapter 42
...Australians don’t want people like him and his family in Australia. Andrew gives Jamal his football back, saying he mended it. Jamal thanks Andrew, giving Andrew a significant look so that...
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...it turn out to be harder than you thought. He tells Andrew the secret of football is never giving up, even if it seems hopeless. Andrew smiles at Jamal and Jamal...
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