How Dare the Sun Rise

During her high school years, Sandra wished her relationship with her parents more closely resembled that of her classmates’ relationships with their parents. Though she describes the differences in her relationship with her parents, what were similarities to those of other teenagers? How was Sandra’s estrangement from her parents key to her personal evolution? 

Imagine you are an immigration attorney. Using elements from Sandra’s book, how would you construct an argument on behalf of a Syrian refugee to gain admittance to the United States? 

Discuss the role of faith in this book. The rebels who commit the massacre consider themselves to be Christians, and Sandra’s parents encourage her to never lose faith in a Christian God. In what ways is this problematic? Why do you think Sandra’s parents were able to maintain an unwavering faith despite all that happened to them?

Considering Sandra’s ability to speak out against those who have done her harm, how does this memoir reassert the argument that writing is a form of protest?

Think about the differences between Sandra’s relationships to her mother and father, as well as between her elder sisters and brother. How do these relationships upend the notions of gender roles perpetuated by her tribe? In what ways do aspects of these relationships reassert certain conventions within her tribe?

How does Sandra’s story about the UN’s role in her country complicate the public perception of this organization? 

Sandra began the process of writing about her experiences because of her inability to afford therapy. Based on this, what argument, if any, could be made about the value of making therapy more cost-effective and widely available?

Sandra suffered from numerous indignities during her teen years in the United Sates because of racism and stereotypes about Africans. She resolved these matters with humor and levity rather than anger. What do you think of this approach? How might this method be more effective when confronted with bigotry?