Martyr!
Chapter Twelve
by Kaveh AkbarThe chapter introduces Cyrus Shams, an Iranian-American navigating life in the Midwest during the post-9/11 era, where he grapples with xenophobia and cultural alienation. Cyrus perceives natural phenomena like storms and sunlight as personal affronts, reflecting his broader sense of isolation. His upbringing is marked by microaggressions, such as a math teacher’s racist joke and a social studies teacher’s condescending remarks about U.S. intervention in the Middle East. These experiences highlight Cyrus’s internal conflict between self-preservation and complicity, as he often suppresses his anger to conform to Midwestern politeness, which he compares to the Iranian concept of *taarof*.
Cyrus’s relationship with Kathleen, a wealthy Republican graduate student, serves as a lens to explore class and cultural dissonance. Kathleen’s privilege is evident in her careless spending, unreturned borrowed items, and casual mentions of political connections like John McCain. Cyrus is both repelled and fascinated by her wealth, which contrasts sharply with his own modest background. Despite their ideological differences, he enjoys the material comforts she provides, such as expensive groceries and paid bar tabs, even as he critiques her obliviousness to socioeconomic disparities. Their dynamic underscores Cyrus’s conflicted attraction to privilege and his struggle to reconcile it with his identity.
A pivotal moment occurs at the Green Nile hookah bar, where Cyrus and Kathleen meet Zee, a Polish-Egyptian server. Kathleen’s immediate questioning of Zee’s name exposes her insensitivity, while Zee’s witty response reveals his adaptability. Cyrus, under the influence of Klonopin and Focalin, observes the scene with detached amusement, critiquing the Orientalist undertones of the hookah bar yet indulging in its offerings. The encounter foreshadows Cyrus’s later connection with Zee, hinting at a potential bond rooted in shared cultural hybridity and marginalization.
The chapter concludes with Cyrus’s sardonic remark, “Apologies to Edward Said,” mocking the Orientalist spectacle while acknowledging his own participation in it. This moment encapsulates his self-awareness and irony, as he navigates the contradictions of his identity—simultaneously critical of and complicit in the systems that alienate him. The narrative paints Cyrus as a complex figure, torn between resistance and assimilation, and sets the stage for his ongoing exploration of belonging and self-worth.
FAQs
1. How does Cyrus perceive his relationship with the natural environment in Indiana, and what does this reveal about his psychological state?
Answer:
Cyrus views meteorological phenomena as personal attacks against him—storms exist “to piss Cyrus off,” snow makes him late, and the sun burns him specifically. This anthropomorphization of weather reflects his profound sense of alienation and victimization in the Midwest. The chapter emphasizes his perception that the world is antagonistic (“Against him”), mirroring his broader experiences of marginalization as an Iranian-American post-9⁄11. This mindset underscores his defensive worldview, where even nature becomes another oppressive force in a life marked by microaggressions and cultural dissonance.2. Analyze the significance of Cyrus’s interactions with his teachers in shaping his identity. How do these experiences connect to the theme of “pathological politeness”?
Answer:
Two pivotal school incidents—a math teacher using a racial slur “conspiratorially” and a social studies teacher praising U.S. intervention in Iran—demonstrate how Cyrus internalizes racism through forced complicity. In both cases, he laughs or nods along despite his discomfort, later hating himself for it. This illustrates the “pathological politeness” he describes as a fusion of Iranian taarof (ritualized etiquette) and Midwestern avoidance of conflict. The chapter positions this as soul-corroding (“burning cigarette holes in your soul”), showing how systemic othering forces marginalized individuals to participate in their own dehumanization to survive socially.3. What contradictions does Cyrus navigate in his relationship with Kathleen, and how do they reflect broader tensions in his life?
Answer:
Kathleen represents a nexus of contradictions for Cyrus: she’s a wealthy Republican who embodies everything he morally disdains (oil money, militarized Christianity, casual class privilege), yet he’s drawn to her novelty, beauty, and financial freedom. His attraction stems partly from self-loathing (“loved that she was… more beautiful than he was”) and partly from pragmatic awe of her wealth (e.g., Whole Foods groceries, 100% tips). This mirrors his broader struggle to reconcile survival instincts with ideological integrity—whether laughing at racist jokes or dating someone whose politics oppose his identity. The relationship becomes a microcosm of assimilation’s compromises.4. How does the author use sensory and pharmacological details to characterize Cyrus’s coping mechanisms?
Answer:
Cyrus’s drug use—Klonopin’s citrus taste (“pharmaceutical companies’ gift to recreational users”), Focalin to “level out the high”—reveals a self-medicating pattern tied to sensory experiences. These details contrast sharply with Kathleen’s oblivious excess (e.g., wasting books, erratic tipping), highlighting different forms of escapism. The “Electric Raspberry” hookah and “Franzia with frozen apples” sangria further depict a world of artificial comforts. By emphasizing taste, texture, and chemical effects, the chapter shows how Cyrus numbs himself against both external prejudice and internal shame, using substances to navigate spaces (like the orientalist hookah bar) he finds ethically fraught.5. Evaluate the symbolic role of the “Green Nile” hookah bar. What critiques does the chapter embed in this setting?
Answer:
The Green Nile serves as a satire of American cultural appropriation and shallow exoticism. Cyrus critiques its “orientalist” vibe—soybean farmers’ kids eating Costco hummus while using Taiwanese-made hookahs—yet still participates for free drugs and alcohol. This hypocrisy mirrors his relationship with Kathleen: he mocks her privilege (“Jesus needed a bigger gun”) but enjoys its perks. The bar symbolizes how marginalized individuals must commodify their own cultures to survive in spaces that fetishize them. Zee’s introduction (Polish-Egyptian identity reduced to a “sneeze” joke) further underscores how multiculturalism becomes performative in such environments.
Quotes
1. “It was like Americans had another organ for it, that hate-fear. It pulsed out of their chests like a second heart.”
This powerful metaphor captures Cyrus’s experience of post-9⁄11 xenophobia as an Iranian-American in the Midwest, illustrating how prejudice felt visceral and ever-present in his daily interactions.
2. “At the intersection of Iranian-ness and Midwestern-ness was pathological politeness, an immobilizing compulsivity to avoid causing distress in anyone else.”
This quote defines a key tension in Cyrus’s identity, showing how cultural expectations from both backgrounds create internal conflict and forced compliance with microaggressions.
3. “Midwestern politeness felt that way too, Cyrus learned, like it was burning cigarette holes in your soul.”
A striking image that conveys the corrosive psychological toll of suppressing one’s true feelings to maintain social harmony, connecting to broader themes of assimilation and self-betrayal.
4. “She was Christian but American Christian, the kind that believed Jesus had just needed a bigger gun.”
This sardonic observation about Cyrus’s Republican girlfriend Kathleen encapsulates the chapter’s critique of American exceptionalism and militarized Christianity through dark humor.
5. “Cyrus had chewed some Klonopin before leaving the apartment… the little yellow-orange ones that tasted like citrus when you bit into them—Cyrus believed the pharmaceutical companies did it on purpose as a gift to recreational users”
This passage reveals Cyrus’s self-medication habits and cynical worldview, blending dark humor with poignant commentary on coping mechanisms for cultural alienation.
Quotes
1. “It was like Americans had another organ for it, that hate-fear. It pulsed out of their chests like a second heart.”
This powerful metaphor captures Cyrus’s experience of post-9⁄11 xenophobia as an Iranian-American in the Midwest, illustrating how prejudice felt visceral and ever-present in his daily interactions.
2. “At the intersection of Iranian-ness and Midwestern-ness was pathological politeness, an immobilizing compulsivity to avoid causing distress in anyone else.”
This quote defines a key tension in Cyrus’s identity, showing how cultural expectations from both backgrounds create internal conflict and forced compliance with microaggressions.
3. “Midwestern politeness felt that way too, Cyrus learned, like it was burning cigarette holes in your soul.”
A striking image that conveys the corrosive psychological toll of suppressing one’s true feelings to maintain social harmony, connecting to broader themes of assimilation and self-betrayal.
4. “She was Christian but American Christian, the kind that believed Jesus had just needed a bigger gun.”
This sardonic observation about Cyrus’s Republican girlfriend Kathleen encapsulates the chapter’s critique of American exceptionalism and militarized Christianity through dark humor.
5. “Cyrus had chewed some Klonopin before leaving the apartment… the little yellow-orange ones that tasted like citrus when you bit into them — Cyrus believed the pharmaceutical companies did it on purpose as a gift to recreational users”
This passage reveals Cyrus’s self-medication habits and cynical worldview, blending dark humor with poignant commentary on coping mechanisms for cultural alienation.
FAQs
1. How does Cyrus perceive his relationship with the natural environment in Indiana, and what does this reveal about his psychological state?
Answer:
Cyrus views meteorological phenomena as personal attacks against him—storms exist “to piss Cyrus off,” snow makes him late, and the sun burns him specifically. This anthropomorphization of weather reflects his profound sense of alienation and victimization in the Midwest. The chapter emphasizes his perception that the world is antagonistic (“Against him”), mirroring his broader experiences of marginalization as an Iranian-American post-9⁄11. This mindset underscores his defensive worldview, where even nature becomes another oppressive force in a life marked by microaggressions and cultural dissonance.
2. Analyze the significance of Cyrus’s interactions with his teachers in shaping his identity. How do these experiences connect to the theme of “pathological politeness”?
Answer:
Two pivotal school incidents—a math teacher using a racial slur “conspiratorially” and a social studies teacher praising U.S. intervention in Iran—demonstrate how Cyrus internalizes racism through forced complicity. In both cases, he laughs or nods along despite his discomfort, later hating himself for it. This illustrates the “pathological politeness” he describes as a fusion of Iranian taarof (ritualized etiquette) and Midwestern avoidance of conflict. The chapter positions this as soul-corroding (“burning cigarette holes in your soul”), showing how systemic othering forces marginalized individuals to participate in their own dehumanization to survive socially.
3. What contradictions does Cyrus navigate in his relationship with Kathleen, and how do they reflect broader tensions in his life?
Answer:
Kathleen represents a nexus of contradictions for Cyrus: she’s a wealthy Republican who embodies everything he morally disdains (oil money, militarized Christianity, casual class privilege), yet he’s drawn to her novelty, beauty, and financial freedom. His attraction stems partly from self-loathing (“loved that she was… more beautiful than he was”) and partly from pragmatic awe of her wealth (e.g., Whole Foods groceries, 100% tips). This mirrors his broader struggle to reconcile survival instincts with ideological integrity—whether laughing at racist jokes or dating someone whose politics oppose his identity. The relationship becomes a microcosm of assimilation’s compromises.
4. How does the author use sensory and pharmacological details to characterize Cyrus’s coping mechanisms?
Answer:
Cyrus’s drug use—Klonopin’s citrus taste (“pharmaceutical companies’ gift to recreational users”), Focalin to “level out the high”—reveals a self-medicating pattern tied to sensory experiences. These details contrast sharply with Kathleen’s oblivious excess (e.g., wasting books, erratic tipping), highlighting different forms of escapism. The “Electric Raspberry” hookah and “Franzia with frozen apples” sangria further depict a world of artificial comforts. By emphasizing taste, texture, and chemical effects, the chapter shows how Cyrus numbs himself against both external prejudice and internal shame, using substances to navigate spaces (like the orientalist hookah bar) he finds ethically fraught.
5. Evaluate the symbolic role of the “Green Nile” hookah bar. What critiques does the chapter embed in this setting?
Answer:
The Green Nile serves as a satire of American cultural appropriation and shallow exoticism. Cyrus critiques its “orientalist” vibe—soybean farmers’ kids eating Costco hummus while using Taiwanese-made hookahs—yet still participates for free drugs and alcohol. This hypocrisy mirrors his relationship with Kathleen: he mocks her privilege (“Jesus needed a bigger gun”) but enjoys its perks. The bar symbolizes how marginalized individuals must commodify their own cultures to survive in spaces that fetishize them. Zee’s introduction (Polish-Egyptian identity reduced to a “sneeze” joke) further underscores how multiculturalism becomes performative in such environments.
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