Does My Head Look Big in This

This section illustrates the sharp contrast between the lives of Leila and Yasmeen. Leila's mother was born into the Muslim faith. She is uneducated and wants nothing more for Leila than to marry soon. Yasmeen's mother is British and chose to become Muslim. She is outgoing and friendly toward Yasmeen's friends. She is accepting of other views, probably because she admits to trying out many things as a young woman, including a period when she did not shave her armpits. Some of these contrasts are significant, and they have a great impact on the lives of Yasmeen, Leila, and their friends.

The reference to the 9-11 attacks on America demonstrates that the author is not trying to ignore that situation and that Muslims around the world felt the effects of the actions of the extremist group that carried out the attacks. Amal hates that all Muslims are lumped together in the minds of most people, and she admits that she sometimes has trouble feeling hopeful about life in general.

The need to fit in is one of the novel's themes, and Joe and Mandy exemplify that theme when they invite other people to the gatherings that would typically only include family. For example, they invite Joe's boss, Alan, to Mandy's birthday dinner. The only other guests are Joe's sister, Jamilla, and Jamilla's family. Without Alan's presence, this would have been completely a family gathering and the situation would likely have been more comfortable for everyone. With Alan's presence, Joe goes far overboard in an effort to use Australian slang to show everyone that he has assimilated to the local culture and customs. His over-the-top efforts make the situation awkward.