In Morris Gleitzman's novel. Boy Overboard. The author is trying to tell us about how the family background influences them and how their life experiences impact Jamal's life. Spoken by Jamal how he tried to get out of afghanistan and become good at soccer.
Jamal's ancestry influenced him and his family a lot in this novel.
The desert warrior side of Jamal's family influenced Jamal more than the Baker side. Whenever Jamal was doing something challenging he related back to his history. Here is a quote that he used, I remember what Mum told me about her ancestors. Fierce brave desert warriors, tall and proud in the saddles of their mighty Arab steeds. She also told me about Dad’s ancestors, honest hard-working