Dialectical Journal Entry

“On Aadam Aziz, the nose assumed a patriarchal aspect. On my mother, it looked noble and a little long-suffering; on my aunt Emerald, snobbish; on my aunt Alia, intellectual; on my uncle Hanif it was the organ of an unsuccessful genius; my uncle Mustapha made it a second-rater’s sniffer; the Brass Monkey escaped it completely; but on me—on me, it was something else again.”(page 8-9)

Once again, even though it not exactly the Iranian culture this time, the nose is mentioned. In both cultures though, the nose is of great importance and almost seems to hold their personality. While the narrator is describing how the nose affects the appearance of the characters, I imagine in my mind that the characters may act in this manner; and it is all reflected in their nose. Apparently, “Mughal Emperors” would donate their limb for a large nose like that of Aadam Aziz’s. Where in the Iranian culture, a large nose is a symbol of ugliness and must be surgically altered, for the Indian or Kashmiri from what I’ve read so far, it is a sign of power if even the emperors are envious. “Mighty” and “colossal” were words used to describe his grandfather’s nose and the narrator called it his “birthright” in what I assumed to be a proud tone for his nose. Aadam Aziz was told dynasties were waiting inside his nose and it was one to start a family with; almost a prediction of sorts. Aadam Aziz has a good business and a son he was able to send to medical school, a man well-off, and if the narrator also has the same nose, it seems he destined for greatness like his grandfather.