What does each family in People of the Book teach us about the impact of families on individuals and society?

The various families presented in People of the Book affect the individuals around them as well as their communities. In this work, family dynamics are explored through the lens of culture as well as religion.

Lola's Family

Lola's family life is exemplified in her love for her younger sister and the Kamals, who become her surrogate family. Familial love motivates Lola and gives her the strength she needs to fight in the resistance. While she is living in the mountains among the other resistance fighters, she realizes that family bonds can be created between unrelated members of a community. Through Lola, we realize family is one of the primary factors that allows people to remain kind in the face of abject cruelty and violence. It is also family that allows a sense of community to survive throughout the Nazi invasion.

Hanna's Family

Despite the fact that Hanna never knew her father, her love for him is explored throughout the book. She wishes she had known him and longs for the closeness other parents and children share. Her interactions with Ozren show the other side of the family dynamic. Ozren is devoted to his ailing son to the point where it consumes him. Through the lens of Hanna's broken family relationships, the author shows family often strengthens the individual, but some individuals can be strong without close family ties.

The Kamal Family

The Kamal family is headed by Stela and Serif, a Muslim couple who save Lola after she flees to the mountains to escape the Nazi Invasion in 1940. The Kamals illustrate the importance of family in a multi-cultural setting. Their concern and compassion for Lola are products of their faith as well as their strong family ties. Their family bond not only saves Lola but gives hope to the community around them.

Rita's Family

Rita is shown the importance of family to the individual when she delivers her sister-in-law's baby and decides to keep him. Although her sister-in-law asks Rita to drown him, she instead chooses to take responsibility for him and discovers the significance of maternal love.