Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Darius the Great Is Not Okay

by

Adib Khorram

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Darius the Great Is Not Okay makes teaching easy.

The Messenger Bag Symbol Analysis

The Messenger Bag Symbol Icon

The Kellner & Newton messenger bag that Darius borrows from Dad to take to Iran represents Darius and Dad’s changing relationship. Darius explains initially that he hates the bag for various reasons ranging from that he dislikes messenger bags in general to seeing this particular branded one as a reminder that Dad is disappointed Darius won’t ever be an architect like him. It signifies, to Darius, all the ways he’ll never be good enough for his dad—and moreover, Darius insists at this point that it’s not even worth trying to be good enough.

Over the course of the trip though, Darius’s relationship to the messenger bag begins to change, as does his relationship to Dad. It’s surprising for Darius to discover in the airport that carrying a messenger bag rather than a backpack has its perks: he can, for instance, easily carry both his little sister Laleh and the bag. Similarly, as he and Dad finally speak openly and honestly with each other at the end of their trip to Iran, Darius comes to the conclusion that Dad himself isn’t so bad—he’s flawed for sure, but he’s nevertheless doing the best he can to support and protect his son. This mirrors how, when Darius and his family get home, Darius decides to take the messenger bag to school as his schoolbag rather than let Mom buy him a new backpack. Darius has, thanks to his experiences in Iran, become a different person. Though Darius maintains that he’s never going to be an architect and please Dad in that regard, Darius has decided that he can take from Dad any bits and pieces that he likes (such as his bag preferences), and by doing so, he can connect with his father while also honing his own sense of self.

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The Messenger Bag Symbol Timeline in Darius the Great Is Not Okay

The timeline below shows where the symbol The Messenger Bag appears in Darius the Great Is Not Okay. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Olympus Mons
Family Theme Icon
Persian Identity and Culture Theme Icon
Mental Health, Depression, and Connection Theme Icon
...when he discovers a massive zit between his eyebrows. After popping it, Darius packs the messenger bag from Dad. It has the Kellner & Newton logo on it, and it doesn’t fit... (full context)
Family Theme Icon
Persian Identity and Culture Theme Icon
Bullying  Theme Icon
Darius is a little bit grateful for the messenger bag at the airport, as he can easily carry both it and Laleh, who’s still mostly... (full context)
There Are Four Lights
Family Theme Icon
Persian Identity and Culture Theme Icon
Mental Health, Depression, and Connection Theme Icon
Customs Officer II digs through Darius’s messenger bag . He puts aside The Lord of the Rings and Darius’s schoolwork, but he picks... (full context)
The Dessert Capital of the Ancient World
Family Theme Icon
Mental Health, Depression, and Connection Theme Icon
Darius dresses and fishes in his messenger bag for the tin of tea for Mamou. She’s at the sink in the kitchen, which... (full context)
The Cracks of Doom
Family Theme Icon
Persian Identity and Culture Theme Icon
...that he’s found them. Mamou embraces Laleh next, but Darius can’t watch. He throws his messenger bag over his shoulder and approaches Babou. Babou kisses Darius’s cheeks and tells Darius to take... (full context)
The Best of Both Worlds
Family Theme Icon
Bullying  Theme Icon
Darius takes the Kellner & Newton messenger bag to school when he goes back. He still hates messenger bags, but it feels like... (full context)