Sunrise Over Fallujah

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. In March 2003, the United States declared war on Iraq, and soon after invaded the country. Consider your prior knowledge on this subject. What was the motive of the United States for the invasion? How did the international community respond to the invasion? Was the war considered successful? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: This question serves as a broad introduction to the setting of the book: the 2003 war in Iraq. Possible answers to the question about motives include: the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on US soil; the belief in the presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in Iraq; the desire to continue President George H.W. Bush’s campaign to overthrow Saddam Hussein’s dictatorial regime; and economic interest in Iraq’s oil supply. For the most part, the international community disagreed with the US invasion of Iraq, with many Member States of the United Nations condemning the invading coalition.

Given the complex nature of the war, as well as the reasons for the invasion, there is disagreement about whether the war should be deemed a success. For example, while some people maintain that toppling the Saddam Hussein regime was important for the Iraqi people, others believe the power vacuum caused by the loss of the regime coupled with the failure to immediately democratize the country led to the rise of extremist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria/Levant (ISIS/ISIL). Given the complexity of the answers, this short answer question may work best as an in-class discussion or as an opportunity for research, using the following links to guide students’ responses.

• Britannica provides a succinct overview of the causes and effects of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.
• This 2019 article from BBC discusses “The Rise and Fall of the Islamic State Group.”
• This timeline from The Council on Foreign Relations highlights the major events after the US invasion in 2003.

2. From 1979 to 2003, Saddam Hussein was the President of Iraq. What have you heard about the Saddam Hussein regime? How did the United States view his leadership? What about the international community? Now consider the Iraqi people: Did they support this president? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: This question invites students to consider this leader’s regime from different perspectives. While one of the US’s main goals was to remove Saddam Hussein from his dictatorial position and introduce a democratic political system, many Iraqis believed that Saddam Hussein’s regime had brought positive changes to the country. Similar to the above Short Answer question, this prompt would also work well as an in-class discussion using the following links in order to further familiarize students with the topic.

• This article from Britannica discusses Iraq under the Saddam Hussein regime.
• This 2006 Op-Ed from The Brookings Institution shares Arab public opinion of the trial of Saddam Hussein.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Do you believe that people are either good or bad? Or do you believe that there is a mix of good and bad in every person? Provide examples from your own life or your observations to support your viewpoint.

Teaching Suggestion: This Personal Connection Prompt encourages students to consider if they believe human nature to be as simple as either “good” or “bad.” In the novel, many of the characters enlist to fight for the United States under the assumption that the enemy is a clear and unmistakable “bad” guy, while the US soldiers are the “good” guys; however, Birdy and his peers begin to question these black-and-white distinctions, realizing that the reality is grayer. This Personal Connection Prompt connects with the After Reading Discussion/Analysis Prompt.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who would benefit from guided preparation for the After Reading Activity (debate), this question might be modified to promote critical thinking on the topic. In place of the first formulation of the question, students might address this one: “Do you believe war is always good or always bad?” This simplified prompt might better prepare students to understand the complexities and ambiguities of war as depicted in the novel. It will also facilitate a smooth transition into the debate activity.