Darius the Great Is Not Okay: Magnetic Containment Summary & Analysis

Darius wraps Sohrab’s cleats in newspaper, feeling angry and upset that they have to say goodbye soon. He heads to Sohrab’s house a bit early, but there’s a strange vehicle in front. Nobody answers the door, so he heads around the back. There’s nobody there either. Finally, Darius notices Agha Rezaei pacing in the kitchen. He lets Darius in sadly and leaves Darius to the living room, where Khanum Rezaei is sobbing wildly. Sohrab is holding his mom and sobbing too. Darius is wildly uncomfortable and doesn’t know what to do, so he asks if he can make tea. He knows he said the wrong thing immediately.

Sohrab locks eyes with Darius and tells him sharply to go away. Agha Rezaei tries to reason with Sohrab in Farsi, but he finally just leads Darius into the kitchen and fills the kettle. Darius asks what’s wrong in a whisper, and Sohrab appears in the doorway and snaps that Sohrab’s dad is dead. He says something to his uncle in Farsi, and Agha Rezaei returns to the living room. In English, Sohrab says that apparently someone stabbed his dad in prison. Then he asks what Darius’s box is.

Darius explains that they’re new shoes for Sohrab, but Sohrab smacks the box out of Darius’s hands and shoves Darius. He tells Darius to go away and that he’s selfish: Sohrab’s dad is dead, and Darius just wants to play soccer. When Darius starts to cry, Sohrab tells Darius to stop crying and complaining. He has nothing to be sad about, and nobody wants him here. Sohrab stumbles back into the living room, where he screams. Darius knows Sohrab is right. Nobody wants Darius.