Surname1

Student name

Instructor name

Course Title

Date

Funny in Farsi

The pursuit of the American dream offers a promise of prosperity; however, it comes

with a myriad of challenges, such as language barriers and assimilation complexities. Moreover,

they are susceptible to loss of identity and struggle to fit into their new environment. One study

reveals that almost half of migrants exhibit signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. Funny in Farsi

is a story by Firoozeh Dumas that describes the story of her family's experiences in America as

Iranian immigrants. The narrative is a non-linear structure showing Dumas's shifts in attitudes in

different eras of her life, focusing on her adulthood. It is a non-fiction memoir of Dumas herself

as the protagonist, showing her immersion in the American lifestyle despite her attachment to

Iran. The book is a clear depiction of how culture is the driving force of people's behavior. This

paper provides a detailed summary of the memoir while exploring the themes of conflicts of

assimilation, discrimination, and the importance of family.

Dumas and her family moved from Abadan to California when she was seven without

English. The sudden move was temporary as her father, an engineer at the National Iranian Oil

Company, received a consulting assignment from an American branch for approximately two

years. Her father, Kazem, was determined to achieve the American dream and would do
 Surname2

anything to ensure his family thrived. "Having spent a few years in Texas and California as a

graduate, he often praised America; it was his first love," the author comments (Dumas 5).

According to him, America was a place for everyone despite their backgrounds. It was an orderly

and accommodating nation full of clean washrooms and where traffic laws were adhered to. "For

me, it was my chance to buy more dresses for Barbie," the author states (Dumas 5). America was

indeed the Promised Land.

Firoozeh's perspective of American Society was that it was kind and considerate. To

facilitate Firozeeh's adjustment to the American education system, the principal at Leffingwell

Elementary School arranged a one-on-one meeting with her new teacher, Mrs. Sandberg. Since

Nazireh, Firoozeh's mother, could not speak English, the meeting was a dialogue between Kazem

and Mrs. Sandberg, where he explained that Firoozeh knew some English. "White, yellow,

purple, green, red," she proudly recited all she knew (Dumas 5). The following week, Kazem

decided it would be best for Nazireh to attend school. Until her first day, Firoozeh had never

considered Nazireh an embarrassment, but the other children's stare was enough to make her

pretend she had no idea who she was. “Mrs. Sandberg was kind enough to escort us to the right

classroom,” the author says (Dumas 5).

Like most women in her generation and culture, Nazireh was barely exposed to proper

education. In her environment, a girl's primary purpose in life was to get married. Going to

school ranked far below desirable qualities such as preparing baklava or serving good tea.

"Nazireh always wanted to be a midwife," Firoozeh states (Dumas 5). Her father, a relatively

progressive man, had rejected two suitors who had shown interest in her so that she could

achieve her dream. Nazireh planned to obtain her diploma and later go to Tabriz to learn the art.

Unfortunately, the teacher passed on unexpectedly, and Nazireh's dreams had to die as well.
 Surname3

Bachelor number three was Kazem," the author mentions (Dumas 6). Like the rest, he had never

interacted with Nazireh. Having spent time in America as a scholar, he asked his older sister to

find a fair-skinned woman with straight, light hair. Sedigeh, Kazem's sister, asked around, and

that was how Nazireh had to give up on her dreams at seventeen and accepted Kazem's proposal.

The first day in school was difficult for both Firoozeh and her mother. As the students

continued to wonder about them, Mrs. Sandberg requested Nazireh to go up to the board, and she

reluctantly agreed. The teacher tried to involve her in the earning process by using gestures and

pointing to the map, asking her to point out Iran. “I only wish Mrs. Sandberg had warned us

about involving us in the lesson so we could stay home,” Firoozeh says (Dumas 6). After a few

awkward moments, Mrs. Sandberg finally realized that English was not the issue, but rather, it

was her lack of geographical content. Firoozeh was uncomfortable as the class kept staring,

probably wondering why they could not understand basic geography and English. I was mad at

my mother for negating the great impression I made reciting colors,” the author states (Dumas

6). Firoozeh decided that her mother should stay home.

Firoozeh explains that the move to America was both thrilling and frightening, but there

was great comfort in knowing her father spoke English. Despite his previous encounter with

American life, it was clear that he was still new to most things. Judging from the looks of gas

station attendants and store cashiers, my father's English was a new version of what the

Americans used to. "My father spoke a private language," the author comments (Dumas 7). It

was a mystery how Kazem had spent several years in an American school yet remained so

astonished by Americans. His college years were spent in the library, where he successfully

dodged any interactions except with his professors. As long as the conversation touched on fluid

mechanics and surface tension, he was great with words. "One step outside petroleum
 Surname4

engineering vocabulary and, he got two left tongues," the author remarks (Dumas 7). Kazem's

struggle to understand spoken English matched his denial of the problem. Luckily, where he

lacked in speech, he compensated with reading.

One of the most significant challenges faced by the Dumas was the Iranian revolution,

which exposed them to prejudice and discrimination. After over thirty years of working for the

National Iranian Oil Company, my father never doubted his job security and future, Firoozeh

explains (Dumas 60). The Iranian revolution led to the halting of construction of more refineries

in Iran, and overnight, Kazem's skills were irrelevant. Kazem was confident that he would get

another job in America and accepted his early retirement. Unfortunately, as he was settling into

his new job at an American company, a couple of Americans were held hostage in Tehran, and

he was laid off. “Every day, palpable hatred brewed among many Americans, and the media

worsened the situation,” the author mentions (Dumas 60). Vendors began selling T-shirts saying

'Iranians Go Home,' and crimes against Iranians rose. The Iranian government was strict on

pension collection from Iran, and with the crisis, his pension value became worthless.

At almost sixty, Kazem was unemployed with zero prospects because nobody desired to

hire an Iranian. He had to go back to Iran and sell all their property. The greatest irony in the

Iranian hate was that Iranians were the most successful and educated immigrants in America.

“Our obsession with education and work ethic makes us ideal citizens,” the author says (Dumas

60). It was unfair that all Iranians worldwide had to suffer the consequences of the actions of a

few hostage-takers. “One child throws a spitball, and the entire class gets punished,” the author

expresses (Dumas 60). Despite Kazem's devotion to fairness and freedom, he remained a

foreigner with an accent that was associated with all bad things. It truly stung for him to be

regarded as a second-class citizen, considering his obsession with voting and democracy.
 Surname5

With the adverse effects of the Iranian Revolution on her family's financial status,

Firoozeh needed a job. She was lucky enough to find a babysitting gig that paid significantly

more than others. A Parisian family was seeking the services of a French speaker, and even

though Firoozeh only knew basic French, she volunteered. “No diapers, no cooking, just an

eight-year-old, and five times the usual pay was too good to be true,” Firoozeh states (Dumas

63). She soon found out why they were so generous. “No more shortly had the parents left than

the girl started hugging me and playing with my hair,” the author complains (Dumas 63). She

was unaware of the French being extra affectionate. Her three traumatic hours with the eight-

year-old convinced her to venture into a different path.

Firozeeh's culture shock continued as she took up French, traveled to Paris, and

eventually got engaged to François, a French Catholic student. The author reveals, “My marriage

started as a big lie” (Dumas 74). In Iranian culture, fathers only approve of unions if the groom's

family worshipped the bride. Francois's mother declared that she would never accept an Iranian

into her family. Kazem and Nazireh, on the other hand, welcome François with open arms and

even take him to the best Persian restaurant in the city. He ate so much, and everyone thought he

would get sick. “I know how Middle East people love feeding people, and I wanted to impress

your parents,” he explained (Dumas 75). Firozeeh's parents loved François because of his

kindness. Firoozeh remains close with her family throughout her marriage.

Funny in Farsi is a remarkable memoir detailing the joys and struggles of immigrants.

The story outlines how one can remain true to their native culture but still incorporate new

beliefs into their lifestyles. It also shows the harsh reality of how the actions of a few lead to the

discrimination and hate of an entire population. Firozeeh's experiences and how she overcomes

challenges is an excellent motivation for those seeking greener pastures in foreign countries.
 Surname6

Work cited

Dumas, F. (2003). Funny in Farsi: A memoir of growing up Iranian in America. Villard Books.