1. Why are Louie and his buddies surprised when the airmen in the bomber plane strafe them with bullets?

i believe that's the correct answer

in our power to make a world happy - to teach mankind the art of being so - to a character hitherto unknown - and to have, as it were, a new creation intrusted to our hands, are honors that command reflection, and can neither be too highly estimated,

the book's theme is the moral ambiguity of the iranian revolution, history of middle eastern relations and the process of growing up during war. it sheds light on the stereotypical views of middle eastern culture and religion.

the author explicitly portrays the issues of class disparities and racism continously throught the whole novel.

the relationship between parents and childrens, the abandonment of faith, modernity vs fundamentalism and class conflict are the 4 main panels that this novel englobes.

hope this , if you would like me to be more specific about a specific excerpt let me know : )