How does the memoir challenge stereotypes about refugees?

• A. By presenting refugees as capable, hopeful, and actively pursuing education and better futures.
• B. By portraying refugees exclusively as victims with no agency.
• C. By ignoring refugees altogether.
• D. By stating refugees are unlikely to succeed.

Answer: (A)

Refugees are shown as capable and proactive, not defined by their displacement. The memoir emphasizes moments where individuals actively work toward education and a better future—learning new languages, enrolling in school, pursuing degrees, finding work, and contributing to their communities. This focus highlights agency, resilience, and goal‑oriented action, which shifts the stereotype from seeing refugees as passive victims to recognizing them as people who shape their own paths and destinies.

By presenting concrete stories of studying, overcoming barriers, and building new lives, the memoir demonstrates that education can be a powerful tool for safety and self-determination. The other portrayals—framing refugees only as victims, ignoring them, or suggesting they won’t succeed—don’t fit the text, which centers on initiative, growth, and hopeful trajectories.