The Red Pencil

Dando is Amira and Leila’s father. He is a loving and doting father to both his daughters and sees them for who they are. Amira describes how she feels seen, smart, and able to fly with his encouragement. This encouragement is exemplified in Dando’s gift of the twig, as he truly believes in and values Amira’s innate curiosity and creativity.

However, Dando’s parental affection is not exclusive to Amira. The difficult circumstances surrounding Leila’s birth and physical disability prompt Dando to say that she will make the family stronger, as all will need to stretch to meet her. This response is indicative of his outlook on life—positive and progressive. In a village that otherwise espouses strict views on women and education, Dando is an outlier in his belief that Amira will benefit from an education. Similarly, Leila’s disability is not seen as a burden; rather, it is something to be accepted with love and grace and no hint of shame or regret.

Dando’s worldview is best encapsulated in the game of “What Else Is Possible?” that he plays with Amira. The game teaches Amira to always believe in the possibility of something better, and to actively seek it. Dando is one of the biggest influences in Amira’s life, and the manner of his death is the biggest tragedy that happens to her; it leads to her losing her voice and hope. However, Dando lives on through the resilience he instills in Amira, which she later displays in overcoming her trauma and leaving Kalma in search of a better future.

Muma is Amira and Leila’s mother. She is a strong woman, physically and mentally; her physical strength is displayed in how she carries Leila for a good part of their journey through the desert. Equally strong are Muma’s opinions and convictions. Despite being a wife in a fairly conventional and seemingly patriarchal setting, Muma is assertive enough that Dando believes he will not be able to convince her of an education for Amira. In fact, Dando doesn’t even get the chance to broach the topic with Muma, and when it comes up with Old Anwar, the exchange devolves into a fiery argument.

Muma harbors traditional views on a woman’s role and destiny. She tells Amira that bread is best when kneaded from a woman’s deepest self, views a young girl washing her old husband’s stained underpants as an act of love, and declares that women don’t need an education as they must let their husbands do all the reading and writing. It is evident that Muma’s views reflect her own upbringing. Despite how angry she is when she discovers Amira’s writing, Amira sees curiosity in Muma’s expression when she regards the letters on her yellow pad. This is further explored when Muma, too, begins to draw in the sand; Amira describes this moment as Muma discovering a part of her that she never knew existed.

Leila is Amira’s four-year-old sister. She is open-minded and creative, just like Amira; this is seen in her ability to imagine a cracked plastic bottle as a doll, as well as the “ditties” she composes and sings at various points in the story. Leila is also strong-willed like Amira and shows a similar desire and ability to overcome the limitations she experiences in her life. Despite being born with a physical disability, Leila runs around and plays soccer with her best friend Gamal.

Despite being young, Leila displays a strong sense of self-worth and pride. When Old Anwar makes wooden crutches for her, she accepts them—but instead of using them to help her walk, she turns them into goalposts for her soccer games with Gamal. Leila refuses to let her condition define or limit her in any way; this is further seen in her insistence that she, too, walk with the others when Muma is unable to carry her any longer. Precocious, she longs to wear a toob like her older sister; when Amira eventually passes on her birthday toob, she suggests that Leila’s maturity and personality suit the garment. It is also noteworthy that Amira confides in her much younger sister about her plan to leave Kalma and reasons for doing so, both of which the latter is able to understand.

Old Anwar is a longtime friend and neighbor to Amira’s family. He is considerably older than Dando and Muma, as he remembers Dando as a young boy. Despite being from an older generation, Old Anwar is considerably progressive. He tells Dando that Amira is special and suggests that she would benefit from an education. Old Anwar values curiosity and a love for learning. He reminisces about Dando being a curious child, having been the one who taught him how to write; the cycle continues, as he does the same for Amira.

Old Anwar also displays a sense of equanimity that comes with age. After the Janjaweed attack and Dando’s death, Old Anwar is the one who holds Amira’s family together, while bringing Gamal into the fold. His inner strength seems to be complemented and fortified by his deep faith in a higher power. Despite everything he has experienced, he continues to pray and express gratitude, inviting Amira to do the same. When Old Anwar finds Gamal acting out, he takes him to the prayer tent to help him heal. He eventually teaches Amira the Koran, passing on this source of strength to her.

With his compassion and wisdom, Old Anwar comes to serve as a surrogate teacher, parent, and protector to Amira. He teaches her how to read and write, fighting with Muma to further the girl’s dream. He comforts Amira and brings her a sense of security and family through food. In the ultimate act of love and support, Old Anwar accompanies Amira on her journey to Nyala, to keep her safe along the way.

Gamal is a young boy from Amira’s village who is the same age as Leila. He is the first person to see and treat Leila as an equal, thus challenging her to do things she shied away from before meeting him. Gamal is orphaned in the Janjaweed attack and is thus brought into Amira’s family by Old Anwar. While sometimes belligerent, Gamal’s trauma of losing his parents causes him to act violently. He used to squabble with Leila back on the farm, but his grief leads him to lash out and almost strangle another boy at the camp. Like Amira, Gamal works his way through grief and trauma with the help of art and faith. He sketches his dead parents as a way to grieve and heal. Old Anwar also takes Gamal to the prayer tent to help him calm down after a tantrum. By the end of the novel, Gamal seems happier and better adjusted, playing soccer with Leila again and amicably sharing a half-bottle of Fanta with her.

Halima is Amira’s best friend and presumably the same age as her. Amira assumes that Halima and her will spend the rest of their lives together and is heartbroken when Halima and her family leave the farm for the city. Halima and her family are presented as outliers, relatively modern in their thinking and desire to build a better life elsewhere. Furthermore, Halima will be attending Gad Primary School, a school that welcomes female students and teaches English. Upon learning this, it becomes Amira’s dream to attend the school as well, and Halima frequents her thoughts and dreams at Kalma. Amira hopes to reunite with Halima when she eventually reaches Nyala.