Exclusion

Khorram suggests that exclusion results from inferiority for Darius because he only ever feels left out when the in group can do something he thinks he cannot. Darius often feels like an outsider because he cannot speak Farsi. He even calls himself a fake Persian because he cannot communicate with his maternal relatives in their native tongue. In this way, the language barrier Darius encounters not only when he visits Iran but also when he attempts to speak with his relatives using video calling in America makes him feel disconnected from his Persian identity.

Darius also feels excluded from Persian culture because he was never taught it. Throughout the Nowruz celebration, Darius stands off to the side watching his relatives dance and play Rook rather than participate. During this scene, his physical position in the room reflects his feelings of exclusion. He is too intimidated to...