Sec. 7
Sec. 46
Sec. 45
Sec. 57
Sec. 87
Prof. Dowdy
100
What is the nature of Darius's relationship with his younger sister, Laleh?
Darius’ younger sister is often seen as perfect in his eyes, doing no wrong. Despite having this view of her being the obvious favorite, he still takes care of her. Laleh is noted to be much more popular in school, and fitting into her family due to being able to speak Farsi. (Reynaldo-Orsburn)
100
What is Nowruz?
Nowruz is the Iranian/Persian New Year. Darius compares it to a Christmas celebration where family and friends get together for a whole day to enjoy each other's company and eat as much of their cultural food as possible. Kids have the day off from school. Foods like baklava and bamieh are eaten on this day. (Bryan Tran)
100
What is Persepolis?
Persepolis is a place in Iran. It has “pillars of stone [that] reached for the sun,” and green lawns and trees (152). The Gate of All Nations is part of Persepolis and has giant stone pillars with structures on the front. It was the Palace of Darioush the First. During the trip to Persepolis in the novel, Darius explores the place. When Sohrab mentions Darioush the First and calls him great, Darius keeps thinking about how he is not great. (Czarina)
100
What does "Mamou" mean?
This is a word in Farsi that means grandmother. Darius’s Mamou is Fariba Bahrami.(Florencio)
100
What is the "Eye of Sauron?"
This is a phrase the author, Darius Kellener used to describe his pimple. The eye of Sauron is most notably used in The Lord of the Rings and it was a symbol of Sauron the Dark Lord. The eye was projected as a mental image to show Sauron’s piercing and attentive perception. The Eye of Sauron was described as rimmed with fire, glazed, yellow, and the eye slit was black. (Anthony de Leon)
100
Darius's Iranian relatives, the Bahramis, practice Zorastrianism, and Sohrab's family practices Bahá i. Most Iranians, however, practice what religion?
Islam
200
Is the following statement True or False?
"Since Darius loved his little sister so much, he did not mind watching Star Trek with her and their father, Stephen."
False
“One episode a night,” Darius and his father never had a good relationship, but a tradition for the two of them was to watch one episode of Star Trek every night. This changed when Laleh came into the picture. She started watching it alongside them, making Darius slightly jealous, but his love for his sister prevailed over his own insecurities. (Marvin)
200
What is Yazd?
“Yazd” is a city in Iran where Darius’s mother group in before moving to the United States. It is also where Darius and his family visit to celebrate the holiday of Nowruz with his family from there that he has not seen. Moreover, it is known for its variety of incredible desserts of all types. (Diego Perez)
200
What is Qottab?
A traditional Iranian pastry that happens to be Darius’s favorite. They are “little pastries filled with crushed almonds and sugar and cardamom, then deep-fried and coated with powdered sugar”(126). His Mamou offered him some while he was visiting and Darius only limited himself to eating one since his dad would’ve commented about his “bad” diet and weight gain. (Griffin)
200
What is Klingon?
The Klingon language is an artificially created language specifically designed for the Klingon culture within the Star Trek universe. It is a constructed language and did not evolve organically. Darius says that he can speak Klingon better than Farsi, which shows how he knows nearly nothing concerning his ethnic language. (Gayathri Vijay)
200
What is "Taarof?"
“Taarof”: This is a word which is commonly described in social interactions when Darius is in Yazd. It is a Persian cultural norm which incorporates politeness, courtesy, and respect between two individuals. It guides interactions between people and can be seen as impolite if not followed. (Arnav Doshi)
200
Why is Darius's mother, Shirin Kellner, especially sad when she says goodbye to her parents?
Her father, Agha Bahrami (Babou), is dying of a brain tumor, and she will likely never see him again.
300
On page 94, Darius says the following: "The Yazd in Mom's old photos gave me a holodeck vision of it: crisp and static and perfect" (94). What is a "holodeck?"
“Holodeck” - The Holodeck is a fictional device from the television franchise Star Trek which uses "holograms" to create a realistic 3D simulation of a real or imaginary setting. (Tsang)
300
What is the significance of Sohar being Bahá i?
Sohar being Bahá i shows how he, like Darius, is also an outsider in where he lives. Darius struggles with his personal identity of being half Persian and half American in both Iran and America. Sohrab faces discrimination in Iran due to his Bahá i faith, which sets him apart from the majority religion in Iran.Although those are two different things it forms a connection between Sohar and Darius because they both feel like outsiders. (Ido Belyaev)
300
What is Bahá i?
Bahá’í is a religion that was founded in Iraq in the mid 19th century. It teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Bahá’í believes that all the founders of the world's great religions have been manifestations of god and agents of a progressive plan to educate the human race. We see this religion portrayed in the book by Sohrab and his family, Darius and Soharb connect very quickly because they both know what it feels like to be an outsider as Bahá’í is seen as a persecuted religion in Iran. (Lauren Jamie Pastoral)
300
What is Melli?
Melli is the national soccer or “non American football” team for Iran. For Nowruz Sorab gave Darius a soccer jersey. This gift made Darius feel like a “true” Iranian. “I pulled the jersey over my head- the collar of my Persian Casual shirt stuck up underneath - but still, I felt like a real Iranian” (134). (Carmen Esquivel-Chavez)
300
Darius is named after Darius the Great. But who is Darius the Great?
A Persian ruler who reigned from 522 BCE until 486 BCE when he died. Darius the Great was renowned to be an excellent leader who strengthened Persia by conquering land and allowing the conquered to live peacefully. Our main character, Darius Kellner, is named after this leader and visits his palace during a trip to Persepolis. (Edmond Pan)
300
When Darius visits Sohrab to give him a gift of cleats, his friend tells him to go away. "No one wants you here," he says (279). Why does Sohrab do this?
He has just learned that his father was killed in prison.
400
Who is Dayi Soheil, and how does he hurt Darius's feelings?
Darius’ relative called him fat. This was mainly due to his downward spiral into depression. The pills and other events happening around him certainly didn’t help either. (Tsang)
This occurred in the chapter entitled "My Cousin, the Ringwraith."
400
What is jasmine, and what is its significance for Darius?
In the chapter called “Main Sequence”, Darius says that he has never smelt Jasmine before. This can be considered as another culture shock for him as he is continuing to discover more things about his country. He specifies by saying he has never smelled the scent that came straight from the flowers. He is continuing to learn more about Iran everyday. (Harika) In the chapter called “Main Sequence”, Darius says that he has never smelt Jasmine before. This can be considered as another culture shock for him as he is continuing to discover more things about his country. He specifies by saying he has never smelled the scent that came straight from the flowers. He is continuing to learn more about Iran everyday. (Harika)
400
What is FTGFOP1?
FTGFOP1 is a tea that Darius brought from the tea shop he works at in Portland, Oregon to give to Mamou and Babou as a gift when the family arrives in Iran. He makes the tea for Mamou and she is thankful for the gift. She said his gift was perfect, which made Darius feel loved and grateful for his grandmother. (Czarina)
400
What is the Shahnameh?
This is a book that is an epic poem that recounts the history of pre islamic persia. The Shahnameh contains 62 stories, told in 990 chapters with 50,000 rhyming couplets. It is divided into three parts—the mythical, heroic, and historical ages. It is where Sohrab's name is from. That's why the name is so common in Iran. (Jessie Garcia)
400
One of the chapters is entitled "Towers of Silence." What are the Towers of Silence?
A circular structure built by Zoroastrians to bury the dead which was a process called sky burial (illegal today). It’s main purpose was to have the corpses be decomposed by natural elements to prevent soil from being contaminated. According to Babou, his grandfather and grandmother were buried in the towers. (Christian Dafalla)
400
After reading the novel, do you still think that Chip is a bully? Support your answer with specific references to the novel.
Prof. Dowdy -- with help from the class! -- will give credit to any answer based on specific instances from Darius the Great Is Not Okay.
500
On 294, Adib Khorram writes the following:
What is the "azan?"
The “Azan”- Azan is the “call to prayer” in Islam. It is an Islamic call that is led by a muezzin. A muezzin calls to a daily prayer five times a day at a mosque. The Azan brings Muslims together; it is supposed to unite them for prayer. It is recited in the ear of a newborn, in a new house, and by everyone at least five times a day. It is everywhere because it is a huge part of the Muslim faith. In English, the phrases are “Allah is Most Great. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. Come to prayer. There is none worthy of being worshipped except Allah”. (Katya Pesochinskiy)
500
What is a Protostar?
A Protostar is mentioned in the 29th chapter of the book. Darius throughout the book often makes references to the Star Trek series, and this one such reference. Protostar, is a star in the earliest stage of development, when interstellar gas was still undergoing gravitational collapse and nuclear fusion at the core had just begun. (Luis Flores)
500
What is "saalam?"
It means peace in Arabic; it is not a Farsi word (Khorrab 86). It can be a gesture of respect or greeting. (Geovanny Miranda)
500
What is the Apadana?
This is known to be a large hall in Persepolis. This is one of the oldest monuments that has a relation to Darius the Great. (Agamjot Singh)
500
What is Zorastrianism?
This is an ancient monotheistic religion that became prominent in Persia until the 7th century. Later, many Zoroastrians immigrated to Mumbai and Gujarat and followers of this religion are known as Parsis. Parsis believe in the fact that the forces of good and evil are both present and that it is the people who make choices between both. The deity, Ahura Mazda, is believed to be the Creator and encourages Parsis to express their devotion through “Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds.” (Diya Patel)
500
In what sense is Darius an "unreliable narrator?"
As a first-person narrator, Darius is subject to the limitations of one human being. Unlike an omniscient third-person narrator, his thoughts and perceptions are limited to his own experiences. He is not like a god-like, third-person narrator, who knows all.
Thus, his view of his father must be taken with a grain of salt, as it were. His views are very subjective.