Martyr!
Chapter Twenty-one: Ali Shams
by Kaveh AkbarThe chapter opens with Cyrus Shams in Brooklyn, attempting to call his friend Zee but hesitating to leave a message. His hands tremble uncontrollably, reflecting his inner turmoil. The narrative then shifts to memories of his father Ali’s funeral, where only a handful of people attended, including his high school teacher, ex-girlfriend, and friends. Cyrus recalls the somber atmosphere and the scent of wet soil, a sensory memory that lingers with him. His uncle Arash’s absence is noted, along with the later phone confrontation where Arash expressed fury at not being informed.
Cyrus, restless in his hotel room, opens a window to let in cold air, seeking momentary relief from his racing thoughts. He decides to call his uncle Arash in Iran, despite their strained relationship and his avoidance of past conversations. Arash answers with surprising warmth, his high-pitched voice a result of a botched tonsillectomy. Their exchange is affectionate yet underscored by Cyrus’s guilt over his infrequent contact and his uncle’s declining health. Arash, ever the eccentric, shares snippets of his life, including learning French from his Lebanese caregiver.
The conversation takes a humorous turn as Arash recounts his French lessons, mixing language with his characteristic conspiracy theories about colonial influences. Cyrus listens half-heartedly, distracted by the whirring of a coffee grinder in the background. Arash’s irreverent remarks about religion and politics make Cyrus uneasy, given the risks of such talk in Iran. Despite his uncle’s playful demeanor, Cyrus senses the fragility of Arash’s health, symbolized by his casual reference to the narrow gap between himself and death.
The chapter closes with Cyrus mentioning a painting that reminded him of Arash, prompting a pause in their conversation. This moment hints at deeper, unspoken connections between them, as well as Cyrus’s unresolved emotions about his family history. The painting serves as a bridge to their shared past, though its significance remains unexplored, leaving the reader with a sense of anticipation for what might come next in their relationship.
FAQs
1. How does Cyrus’s relationship with his uncle Arash reflect themes of guilt and familial obligation in the chapter?
Answer:
Cyrus’s relationship with his uncle Arash is complex, marked by both affection and avoidance. The chapter reveals that Cyrus feels guilty for not maintaining regular contact (“preferring the guilt of not calling to the guilt of calling”), yet he still reaches out when emotionally stirred by memories. Their conversation highlights Arash’s unconditional love (“Cyrus jaan! My heart!”) despite Cyrus’s neglect, emphasizing the tension between familial duty and personal emotional boundaries. The mention of Cyrus’s failure to invite Arash to Ali’s funeral further underscores unresolved guilt, illustrating how familial bonds persist even when strained by distance and circumstance.2. Analyze the significance of sensory details (e.g., smells, sounds) in Cyrus’s memories and present-moment experiences.
Answer:
Sensory details anchor Cyrus’s emotional state, connecting past and present. The “smell of wet soil” at Ali’s funeral evokes a visceral memory of grief, while the “cold” from the hotel window briefly numbs his anxiety. These details serve as emotional triggers: the earthy scent symbolizes loss, and the physical sensation of cold provides temporary relief from overthinking. Similarly, the sound of Arash’s coffee grinder and Moka pot grounds their conversation in intimacy, contrasting with Cyrus’s earlier isolation. Such imagery reinforces how sensory experiences can bridge memory, emotion, and immediate reality.3. How does Arash’s character challenge stereotypes about Iranian war veterans, and what might his political irreverence suggest about his worldview?
Answer:
Arash defies expectations as a war veteran through his irreverent humor (“alive, which pisses everyone off”) and openness to learning French from a Lebanese caregiver. His mockery of religious phrases (“some mullah nonsense”) and casual critique of imperialism (“colonial vampires”) reveal a subversive, anti-authoritarian stance. This contrasts with the typical image of a disciplined patriot, suggesting resilience forged through skepticism rather than dogma. His willingness to voice dissent—even at risk—hints at a life shaped by war’s absurdities, where survival and defiance coexist. The chapter subtly critiques political oppression through his unfiltered speech.4. What does Cyrus’s hesitation to leave Zee a voicemail reveal about his emotional state and relationships?
Answer:
Cyrus’s aborted call to Zee reflects his unresolved guilt and emotional paralysis. He recognizes his past cruelty but lacks clarity on how to atone (“sorry, probably, though he still wasn’t exactly sure for what”). His trembling hands and avoidance of voicemail signal anxiety and self-doubt, mirroring his broader pattern of avoidance (e.g., neglecting Arash). This moment underscores his struggle with vulnerability: he desires connection but fears confrontation or rejection. The parallel between Zee and Arash—both unmet emotional needs—highlights Cyrus’s cyclical isolation.5. Interpret the symbolic meaning of the phrase “between death and I, it’s like this” in the context of Arash and Ali’s shared gesture.
Answer:
The gesture (holding four fingers close together) symbolizes precarious mortality, a darkly humorous acknowledgment of life’s fragility. Arash and Ali’s shared use of it suggests a cultural or generational bond among Iranian men shaped by war and displacement. For Arash, it reflects lived experience as a veteran; for Ali, it may have been an inherited coping mechanism. The idiom’s origins in a forgotten TV show add irony, distancing it from solemnity. Its recurrence underscores how trauma is both personal and collective, passed down through gestures and humor rather than explicit dialogue.
Quotes
1. “His hands, he noticed, were quivering involuntarily, erratically, as if they were trying to shake themselves out of a dream.”
This vivid description captures Cyrus’s emotional turmoil and dissociation following his conflict with Zee, illustrating how deeply affected he is by their strained relationship.
2. “Mostly he remembered the smell of wet soil, sickly sweet, that earthy sweet he could still sometimes smell in the air after rain.”
This sensory memory powerfully conveys how grief (from his father’s funeral) lingers in Cyrus’s consciousness, showing how trauma becomes embedded in mundane experiences.
3. “Cyrus was always a little surprised at the high pitch of his uncle’s voice; a tonsillectomy decades ago had gone slightly awry, leaving Arash with a permanent falsetto one might think was mocking, if one knew no better.”
This detail about Arash’s voice reveals both the physical scars of their family history and Cyrus’s complicated relationship with his uncle, hinting at deeper tensions beneath their affectionate dynamic.
4. “Between death and I, it’s like this.” (accompanied by the gesture of four fingers close together)
This recurring family idiom encapsulates the chapter’s themes of mortality and inherited trauma, showing how both Cyrus’s father and uncle faced life with dark humor in the shadow of death.
5. “Cyrus generally avoided it, preferring the guilt of not calling to the guilt of calling, hearing his uncle’s endless conspiracies, digressions into his medical histories, of having to apprehend fully the weight of his only living relative’s unwellness.”
This insight reveals Cyrus’s emotional calculus in maintaining family ties, showing how he navigates obligation and self-preservation in relationships.
Quotes
1. “His hands, he noticed, were quivering involuntarily, erratically, as if they were trying to shake themselves out of a dream.”
This vivid description captures Cyrus’s emotional turmoil and dissociation following his conflict with Zee, illustrating how deeply affected he is by their strained relationship.
2. “Mostly he remembered the smell of wet soil, sickly sweet, that earthy sweet he could still sometimes smell in the air after rain.”
This sensory memory powerfully conveys how grief (from his father’s funeral) lingers in Cyrus’s consciousness, showing how trauma becomes embedded in mundane experiences.
3. “Cyrus was always a little surprised at the high pitch of his uncle’s voice; a tonsillectomy decades ago had gone slightly awry, leaving Arash with a permanent falsetto one might think was mocking, if one knew no better.”
This detail about Arash’s voice reveals both the physical scars of their family history and Cyrus’s complicated relationship with his uncle, hinting at deeper tensions beneath their affectionate dynamic.
4. “Between death and I, it’s like this.” (accompanied by the gesture of four fingers close together)
This recurring family idiom encapsulates the chapter’s themes of mortality and inherited trauma, showing how both Cyrus’s father and uncle faced life with dark humor in the shadow of death.
5. “Cyrus generally avoided it, preferring the guilt of not calling to the guilt of calling, hearing his uncle’s endless conspiracies, digressions into his medical histories, of having to apprehend fully the weight of his only living relative’s unwellness.”
This insight reveals Cyrus’s emotional calculus in maintaining family ties, showing how he navigates obligation and self-preservation in relationships.
— Unknown
FAQs
1. How does Cyrus’s relationship with his uncle Arash reflect themes of guilt and familial obligation in the chapter?
Answer:
Cyrus’s relationship with his uncle Arash is complex, marked by both affection and avoidance. The chapter reveals that Cyrus feels guilty for not maintaining regular contact (“preferring the guilt of not calling to the guilt of calling”), yet he still reaches out when emotionally stirred by memories. Their conversation highlights Arash’s unconditional love (“Cyrus jaan! My heart!”) despite Cyrus’s neglect, emphasizing the tension between familial duty and personal emotional boundaries. The mention of Cyrus’s failure to invite Arash to Ali’s funeral further underscores unresolved guilt, illustrating how familial bonds persist even when strained by distance and circumstance.
2. Analyze the significance of sensory details (e.g., smells, sounds) in Cyrus’s memories and present-moment experiences.
Answer:
Sensory details anchor Cyrus’s emotional state, connecting past and present. The “smell of wet soil” at Ali’s funeral evokes a visceral memory of grief, while the “cold” from the hotel window briefly numbs his anxiety. These details serve as emotional triggers: the earthy scent symbolizes loss, and the physical sensation of cold provides temporary relief from overthinking. Similarly, the sound of Arash’s coffee grinder and Moka pot grounds their conversation in intimacy, contrasting with Cyrus’s earlier isolation. Such imagery reinforces how sensory experiences can bridge memory, emotion, and immediate reality.
3. How does Arash’s character challenge stereotypes about Iranian war veterans, and what might his political irreverence suggest about his worldview?
Answer:
Arash defies expectations as a war veteran through his irreverent humor (“alive, which pisses everyone off”) and openness to learning French from a Lebanese caregiver. His mockery of religious phrases (“some mullah nonsense”) and casual critique of imperialism (“colonial vampires”) reveal a subversive, anti-authoritarian stance. This contrasts with the typical image of a disciplined patriot, suggesting resilience forged through skepticism rather than dogma. His willingness to voice dissent—even at risk—hints at a life shaped by war’s absurdities, where survival and defiance coexist. The chapter subtly critiques political oppression through his unfiltered speech.
4. What does Cyrus’s hesitation to leave Zee a voicemail reveal about his emotional state and relationships?
Answer:
Cyrus’s aborted call to Zee reflects his unresolved guilt and emotional paralysis. He recognizes his past cruelty but lacks clarity on how to atone (“sorry, probably, though he still wasn’t exactly sure for what”). His trembling hands and avoidance of voicemail signal anxiety and self-doubt, mirroring his broader pattern of avoidance (e.g., neglecting Arash). This moment underscores his struggle with vulnerability: he desires connection but fears confrontation or rejection. The parallel between Zee and Arash—both unmet emotional needs—highlights Cyrus’s cyclical isolation.
5. Interpret the symbolic meaning of the phrase “between death and I, it’s like this” in the context of Arash and Ali’s shared gesture.
Answer:
The gesture (holding four fingers close together) symbolizes precarious mortality, a darkly humorous acknowledgment of life’s fragility. Arash and Ali’s shared use of it suggests a cultural or generational bond among Iranian men shaped by war and displacement. For Arash, it reflects lived experience as a veteran; for Ali, it may have been an inherited coping mechanism. The idiom’s origins in a forgotten TV show add irony, distancing it from solemnity. Its recurrence underscores how trauma is both personal and collective, passed down through gestures and humor rather than explicit dialogue.
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