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Author: Adib Khorram

- Shay Hughes

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Adib Khorram is a writer, graphic designer, and a tea enthusiast. The book has done really well as it shines on the topic of mental health. This story has won multiple awards and was translated into 8 different languages. Adib wrote this story to connect to the main character and his struggles. He also made a follow - up story called Darius The Great Deserves better.

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Darrius struggles with internal battles of depression and mental health (man vs. self). He never feels like he belongs into anywhere. Even within his heritage he doesn't fit into either side white or Persian. He has a struggling relationship with his father that he wish could be different (man vs. man). Even though he has these struggles it ends up shaping him into a better person.

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This story is in first person point of view. He tells it as he is living it. He also shows this to us by using terms I, me, us, we, etc.

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Darrius is a fractional Persian. Half white from father and half Persian from mother. Darrius has dark curly hair with brown eyes. He dresses pretty average like hoodie and jeans for an example. Darrius is a smart kid also. He struggles with mental health like his depression while dealing with his bullies at school. He goes through a lot to find the self-acceptance he needs.

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Sohrab is neighbors with Darrius grandparents. He has short brown hair, he is Baha'i (A religious group in Iran) he is lean, muscular and loves to play soccer. Sohrab would love to be an architect when he grows up. He struggles with bullies at school because he is one of the few boys at his school who are Baha'i. Darrius and him can both be described as good friends and good listeners.

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There were a few different themes of the story the main ones are focusing on Darius mental health and how might culture effect mental health as well. Darius felt often alone because he didn't feel like he fit in anywhere. The white kids would stereotype him at school as well as Iran and the people in it. This even made Darrius stereotype Iran when he visited because of what kids at the school would say. Cultural influence on mental health effects Darius too. He takes pills for his depression and while his parents might understand his grandparents don't. This often happens in different cultures which made Darius feel even more different.

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Persian boy struggling with mental health

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The tea shop in Iran, had smoothing music, dim lights, the smell of tea, tapestries with with Persian history on the wall. He always loved tea and works at a teashop at home but doesn't show his culture well. This teashop in Iran made him connect with his heritage more.

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A Tea Shop in iran with smoothing music, dim lights, tapestries of persain history

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The second setting place is Iran/ Darius Grandparents house in it can be described as a traditional Persian home has a courtyard, a walkway with trees and flowers. And is neighbors next door to Sohrab. At first, he was dreading the trip he is already lonely enough in Portland he thought it would be the same there. He saw the differences in between his two cultures and also the similarities. He wasn't alone since he had the chance to become friends with Sohrab.

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A traditional Persian home with pathway of trees and flowers

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1. Aloof - Not friendly, cool and distant.

Part of speech -Adjective

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an image that describes the feeling of cool and distant

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2. Melancholy - Deep, persistent sadness or depression. Part of speech - Noun/adjective.

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draw an image of a teenage boy struggling with depression and sadness

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3. Taciturn - Reserved or uncommunicative in speech, saying little.

Part of speech - Adjective

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Symbolism - One symbol in the story is tea. Tea represents the cultural connection between his white side and his Persian side. It is a recurring symbol to signify his heritage since it is his favorite drink and talks about the tea shops in Portland and Iran.

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Metaphor - One metaphor in the story was when Darius describes himself fractionally Persian. He says this to express his feelings of not fully belonging to either culture.

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Symbolism - The author also uses symbolism when he is referencing Star Trek. Darius uses the reference to help him interpret his life especially when he is feeling out of place. And helps the bond between him and his father since he also loves Star Trek. When Darius bookbag got ruined he even used a star trek quote to lighten the situation. He says, "Structural integrity field collapse."

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Simile - Darius uses similes a couple times since he is always comparing himself to others. But an example of one is "I'm feeling like a character in a bad 80's sitcom." He says this because of the awkwardness he is feeling.

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"We sat around the table drinking and laughing and smiling, but then we got kind of quiet. It was a nice kind of quiet. The kind you could wrap yourself up in a blanket." I think this is important to the story because a lot of Darius interactions is awkward. He hates awkward silence. For one of the first times though he is enjoying this quiet time while his family are drinking his favorite tea with them.

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draw a 3 person family sitting down at the dinner table laughing and eating together

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"People in Iran don't think about mental health the way we do back home."

"What are you depressed for." Darius Grandmother said.

These two quotes are important to the story because his mental health is talked about a lot throughout the story. And this shows the cultural influence that has on mental health. His grandparents and people in Iran don't understand. They take it as him being dramatic in a way.

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Culture, Mental Health, and How They Impact Each Other

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Find high-quality images, photos, and animated GIFS with Bing Images

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"Soon they're spending their days together, playing soccer, eating falude'h, and talking for hours." This is important to the story, because back home Darius doesn't have many close friends which is another reason why he feels like he will never fit in. But Sohrab came into Darius life and gave him a real friend.

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"I'd been dealing with jokes like that my entire life well ever - since I started school - so it was nothing new." This is important to the story because it makes the reader feel bad for Darius. People reading about him getting bullied and teased at school could make some people even relate more to the story and see his point of view.

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Found on Bing from tempogroup.blogspot.com

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1. The story starts off by talking about his feelings and struggles with depression, feeling out of place culturally and with his family especially his father Stephen.

2. Darius then travels to Iran with his family and visit his grandparents. He then feels disconnected here because he "Doesn't look Persian enough" and can't understand the language fully.

3. Darius meets the neighbor to his grandparents his name is Sohrab who is Persian as well. Darius forms a meaningful friendship with him. Sohrab helps him accept his identity and have self-acceptance within his culture.

4. Throughout his bond with Sohrab Darius starts learning how to talk with his family more and bond with them. Especially his dad they start to do more things together and understand each other now.

5. Darius returns back home to the U.S with a new mind and is ready to find himself more and also return back to school and not let his bully's ruin his self-esteem again. Darius is ready to express his Persian and white side now.

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Plot Stages and Sequence of Events - The Killer Project

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Found on Bing from killerrproject.weebly.com

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Culture is represented throughout the story so much from Darius Persian side, his white, and by being in Iran with his Grandparents. This story focuses a lot on cultural identity and how it might be hard for a mixed kid to really fit in. In Iran Darius gets to celebrate his Persian holidays, eat all various kind of foods. And while he is home in America, he gets enjoy watching Star Trek with his dad and celebrating the American holidays. Darius just finds his Persian identity more anxiety filled since he thinks he isn't Persian enough. This isn't uncommon in todays world.

Sohrab (Darius friend) is fully Persian as he lives in Iran. So, he doesn't understand American Culture as well. But even Sohrab has his own struggles with his culture. Sohrab is Baha'i (His religion) And he was singled out for being it. Other Persians from his school would tease and bully him just for being that religion. It made him struggle a bit with cultural identity as well.

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The most significant event in the story was Darius friendship with Sohrab, because he has never felt a real bond like this. Meeting Sohrab made Darius feel accepted and that it was okay with who he is. It makes you think that if Darius didn't meet Sohrab would he still have found self-acceptance. Or would he go through Iran lost and confused.

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inma moya - Darius the great is not okay

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Found on Bing from byndebondry.artstation.com