Ask Me No Questions

The novel’s title, Ask Me No Questions, goes beyond a mere directive for concealment, symbolizing the complex interplay of visibility and invisibility that the characters grapple with. For young immigrants like Nadira and Aisha, the motif of secrecy and hiding represents their quest to assimilate and maintain normalcy while wrestling with the fear of exposure. The motif illuminates the paradox faced by immigrants: the struggle to be seen and accepted within their new community while remaining invisible to those authorities and systems that pose a threat. It thus develops the theme of The Struggle for Identity and Belonging in a New Country.

The novel’s title is a fragment of the well-known phrase “Ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies,” which is a commentary on the intricate dance between truth and secrecy. In the context of a narrative about immigration, this title reflects the constant fear undocumented immigrants live with. In a broader sense, this motif reflects societal and institutional attitudes towards immigration—in particular, the unspoken societal inclination to ignore difficult realities. Nadira explains, “That’s the policy at school.