A Very Large Expanse of Sea

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi is a 2018 semi-autobiographical young adult novel set in America one year after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Sixteen-year-old Shirin, a Muslim girl born in America to Persian immigrant parents from Iran, experiences intolerance and hatred in her school and the outside world. Shirin tries to maintain emotional distance from peers to protect herself, but the hesitant romance that develops between Shirin and Ocean Desmond James, a popular white boy, is too strong to deny. The book was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. This guide references the 2018 Harper Collins Publishers edition.

Plot Summary

The novel begins on Shirin’s first day at yet another new school. She is 16, a sophomore, and accustomed to stares and racist comments from others. Shirin, who is Muslim, was born in America to Persian immigrants from Iran. Others, though, see her appearance and hijab (the traditional headscarf she chooses to wear) and make assumptions: that she is an immigrant, that she does not speak English, that her parents force her to wear the hijab. It is September of 2002—one year after the attacks of September 11, 2001, when terrorists associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda killed thousands of Americans. She recalls clearly when, shortly after the terrorist attacks, two classmates pushed her to ground and tore off her headscarf. Intolerance and hateful remarks now land on Shirin all the time. After many new schools due to her parents’ constant search for better opportunities, she knows the pain of saying goodbye to friends. She decides that it is safer to protect herself behind strong emotional barriers; she can more easily ward off ignorant or hateful comments and others’ cruelty with a thick shell and sharp tongue. This exhausts Shirin, however, and causes others to see her as indifferent and rude. Shirin is eager for college, where she hopes others will be wiser and more tolerant.

Shirin's brother Navid, an easygoing senior, invites Shirin to join his new breakdancing group. Shirin enjoys this challenging activity and devotes hours of practice to training. She makes no friends except the three boys who, along with Navid, make up the breakdancing crew. She does, however, meet Ocean in biology class. Physical attraction and emotional chemistry bloom, but Shirin ignores it, eager to eliminate the risk of hurt feelings. Ocean, a white junior and star of the basketball team, convinces Shirin that they cannot deny their feelings, and that if they make their relationship public, hateful or racist comments will not bother him.

Shirin likes Ocean so much that after a few weeks of trying to see one another quietly, she allows Ocean to drive her to school. On the second morning, a boy throws a cinnamon roll at Shirin’s face, causing her to use a restroom sink to remove and clean her headscarf. A girl takes Shirin’s digital photo and shares it widely, causing Shirin to feel more betrayed than ever; for her, the choice to wear her headscarf is a way to control who sees her hair, and more importantly, how others see her. The photo is a loss of that control. Ocean is shocked and apologetic; now he sees the effects of racism and anti-Muslim bigotry. He becomes increasingly disillusioned with basketball and wants to quit.

Soon after, an anonymous note accuses Ocean of terrorist sympathies. The basketball coach berates Shirin in his office, telling her she is ruining Ocean’s chances of an excellent season; the same day, Ocean’s mother seeks out Shirin to tell her Ocean must get a basketball scholarship for college, and that Shirin must break off their relationship so that he will concentrate on basketball again. Feeling she has no choice, Shirin breaks up with Ocean.

Shirin performs with the breakdancing crew in a schoolwide talent show and amazes students and teachers with her skills. Shirin finds their changed attitude hypocritical and realizes she should not have broken up with Ocean. Ocean approaches her one afternoon to compliment her performance. Flustered, Shirin flees, leaving her locker unlocked. Ocean finds Shirin’s diary in her locker and learns of his coach’s and mother’s roles in Shirin’s decision to break up with him. He punches the coach in the face, is almost expelled, and quits the team. He and Shirin reunite and enjoy several months together. Shirin’s parents decide to move again as the school year ends, but Shirin determines to remember Ocean’s sincerity and loyalty to her and resolves to accept others’ kindness and friendships.