The irony of Najwa's role
Najwa is a mother, and although it would easy to say that a mother who chooses alcoholism is a bad mother, Najwa's situation is perplexing. For starters, she's only in her mid-twenties, since she was married at 14 and gave birth to her only son at the young age of 15. Also, she is not an agent of change, because her society oppresses women. Not only that, but in addition, she knows as well as her husband that the government will likely arrest him and maybe kill him. So what is there really for her to do? Ironically, she's as much a victim as her son.
Suleiman's betrayal
In a fugue state caused by a panic attack, Suleiman unwisely confesses all his family's secrets. This causes his situation to become even worse, however, and it's unintended effect is that Suleiman now needs to flee from Libya. When his father dies, Suleiman is 24, but he cannot return home, because of the persecution that awaits.
The irony of home
For the family at the center of the novel, it seems that home is more like prison. In fact, they even let Suleiman's father return to his home after his imprisonment, likely because they have made their point: So long as the family lives in Qaddafi's Libya, everywhere is their prison, and their limitations are enforced by espionage and military power. There is no safety or refuge from totalitarianism.
The irony of friendship
In the novel, Suleiman's best friend is someone he eventually betrays, underscoring the way totalitarian dictatorships undermine the basic principles of friendship. For Suleiman, he feels that his interests are contrary to everyone else, a phenomenon which a psychologist might call paranoia, but since he only a child, he betrays his friend and tells Rasheed's secrets. He is not by nature a traitor, but the calamity has broken him, just like his father.
The irony of dictatorship
Dictatorship is discussed indirectly in the novel since Qaddafi is not a character in the plot, but the commentary is obvious. Qaddafi's regime was the exploitation of the nation of Libya for Qaddafi's own interests. This is ironic, given that the entire enterprise of government is to help the nation thrive. Instead, we see what happens when that power falls into the wrong hands. It does the exact opposite of its intended effect.
