Forever Cast As Foreign

In "The 'F Word'" by Firoozeh Dumas, Americans tend to judge others by their names.  If they are different in any obvious way, they will treat them as an outcast.  Firoozeh, originally from Iran, moved to America when she was young and she tells of her struggles regarding her name.


Dumas uses humor throughout her memoir to add a sense of sarcasm.  She begins by saying that "...nobody without a mask and a cape has a z in his name."  She does this to issue the fact that yes, she knows that her name is unique.  She creates unity with the Americans by explaining that she understands where they come from by acting indifferent or confused.  She then switches the table and states that "...this would be a richer country if all Americans could do a little tongue aerobics and learn to pronounce..."  This is humorous in the fact that Americans like to stick to simplicity, even when choosing names, and she sees this.


A few paragraphs later, Dumas uses an analogy of a spice cabinet when referring to Americans and the foreign sounds that they refuse to learn.  She says that "having a foreign name in this land of Joes and Marys is a pain in the spice cabinet."


Dumas explains that her most hardships where in the time of grade school.  She reveals that her "name, Firoozeh... In America... means 'Unpronounceable' or "I'm Not Going to Talk to You Because I Cannot Possibly Learn Your Name..."  The humor comes in this statement when she reports that her name is the equivalent of the almost "I'm too embarrassed to mess up your name so I won' try".


Later in her life, she encountered different situations.  She says, "Usually, if I'm waiting to be called by someone who doesn't know me, I will respond to just about any name starting with an F."  She later refers back to this statement with sarcastic humor by saying "I am highly accommodating."  The fact that she feels she has to accommodate according to the typical American person is quite amusing.


By including humor, Dumas can take stress off of the idea that she might actually be upset that people separate her from society over something so dull.  It also helps the reader feel more connected to the author eve if they have absolutely nothing in common.  Dumas tended to criticize the American population inconspicuously throughout this memoir.  By adding humor, it all became less cruel.