Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussions of domestic abuse.

Maps are typically associated with location and place. Nidali grapples with her Multicultural Identity and the Meaning of Home, and the motif of the map symbolizes her quest to find her place in the world, both geographically and culturally. It reflects her struggle to reconcile her diverse heritage and the ever-shifting landscapes of her life. Just as maps have different scales, Nidali’s identity and experiences are multilayered and complex. The map symbolizes the intricate layers of her life, as she juggles multiple cultures, languages, and personal challenges.

Nidali’s family has a history of displacement due to political and personal reasons. The map symbolizes her family’s roots and the longing for a stable, rooted existence. It represents the desire to preserve a sense of home, even when the physical home is elusive. Baba, a Palestinian refugee, explodes with anger when Nidali says that Palestine is the same as Israel. He forces Nidali to stay up all night drawing the map of Palestine. Finally, in the morning, “Baba checked my last map, the map of home, he called it, and let me go” (68).