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Internment

by Samira Ahmed

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Student Question

Do you share any character traits with the protagonist from Internment? If so, which one and why?

Expert Answers

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The protagonist in Samira Ahmed's Internment is Layla Amin, and she is a strong character. This is a personal question that you will have to answer for yourself, but we can brainstorm some of Layla's character traits and you can see which ones you share.

First, we might note that Layla has a tendency to break rules, and sometimes she makes rather foolish decisions. She sneaks out to meet David, for instance, knowing that her parents will be angry if they find out. They are trying to protect her, after all, but she has her heart set on seeing David.

Layla is, however, a courageous person who is willing to take risks to stand up for what she truly believes is right. She sees all the abuses in the internment camp, and she cannot stand what is happening. She decides that she will resist in any way she can. She actually leads an uprising at the camp, which requires her to be persuasive, daring, and organized. She has to convince others that the message they are sending is more important than the danger, and she has to believe it herself.

Layla truly cares about the rights of other people, and she is willing to risk herself to fight for them. This shows a high moral standard and an ability to set herself and her preferences aside. These characteristics grow in Layla through her experiences, and we can say that she is much more mature by the end of the book.

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