A Very Large Expanse of Sea

Students at Shirin’s high school excitedly support basketball and keep traditions like the talent show and homecoming. Shirin reacts to these events in a way that shows her individuality and strong opinions about the high school environment. Consider three scenes or passages of interior monologue that show Shirin’s reactions to traditional events at the “panopticon,” and explain how her opinions of the events work to characterize Shirin directly or indirectly.

Dramatic irony in a novel exists when a character (or the reader) knows something other characters do not. How does dramatic irony increase the conflict and emotional tension in the story? Explain the cause-and-effect relationship between events leading to Shirin’s and Ocean’s breakup in terms of its dramatic irony.

Yusef is a new acquaintance for Shirin; she believes it is easy to be around him. Although Yusef is present in only a few scenes of the novel, he is an important part of Shirin’s overall story. How is Yusef’s impression on Shirin important? How does Yusef serve as a foil to Ocean? Use two to three specific character details in your answer.