In the last half of the book, Abdul shows significant changes as he grows up into a young adult. One incredibly noticeable change is how Abdul thinks of his mother. When Abdul's mother died, he repeatedly ignored the fact that his mother was dead and acted like she wasn't. When he grows up, he barely mentions anything about his mother at all; only once throughout.
Abdul's conflict is also found all over the world. Like most little kids, Abdul cannot bear the fact that his mother is dead until he grows up. When he's older, it has sunken in to an extent, and doesn't seem to affect the him as much. This is one of the most important lessons in coming of age, to which it shows how much someone has grown up.
