Two major phases are narrated from Marjane’s point of view in Persepolis. The overthrowing of Shah is the first phase and the second phase consists of a radical Islamic regime. It was evident from Marjane’s perspective that her family had two different reactions in regards to the two phases. Their reaction to the overthrowing of Shah was excitement and happiness. Marjane’s family was active in demonstrations and protests expressing their feelings towards the Shah. The day Shah left many were happy and it even lead to one of the biggest celebrations of history. The Satrapi’s were overjoyed because the Shah made choices that personally affected their family. Marjane’s grandfather and uncle were both victims of the Shah’s wrath. Their reaction to the second phase of the revolution was rebellion. During this time of the revolution many things the Satrapi’s enjoyed were prohibited. Even though things were prohibited, the Satrapi’s continued to do what they enjoyed even if it was against the rules. The second phase made Marjane’s parents realize that Iran no longer was the place for Marjane, so they arranged for her to finish school in Austria. Leading up to the Shah being overthrown, demonstrations were held and “Black Friday” occurred. This certain day was a day that left many people slaughtered. Even after this day several massacres happened and many others were killed. This signaled that Shah’s reign was coming to an end. Before the ending of his reign, he tries to develop a
The conflict in Persepolis is shown through the changes that are caused between families, women and children when fundamentalist Islamic state takes over Iran. The story progresses though the main character, Marjane’s point of view and experience.
Two major aspects are narrated from Marjane 's point of view in Persepolis. The overthrowing of Shah is the first phase and the second step consists of a radical Islamic establishment. It was evident from Marjane 's perspective that her family had two different reactions in regards to the two phases. Their response to the overthrowing of Shah was excitement and happiness. Marjane 's family was active in demonstrations and protests expressing their feelings towards the Shah. The day Shah left many were happy, and it even leads to one of the biggest celebrations of history. The Satrapi 's were overjoyed because the Shah made choices that personally affected their family. Marjane 's grandfather and uncle were both victims of the Shah 's wrath. Their reaction to the second phase of the revolution was rebellion. During this time of the revolution, many things the Satrapi 's enjoyed were prohibited. Even though things were banned, the Satrapi 's continued to do what they enjoyed even if it was against the rules. The second phase made Marjane 's parents realize that Iran no longer was the place for Marjane, so they arranged for her to finish school in Austria.
The historical background of Iran is the most important idea that influences Marjane 's novel. Mohammad Reza Shah was the leader of Iran from 1941 to 1979. During his reign, Iran was living a westernized life. He initiated a revolution called the White Revolution, which included permitting women to vote, the abolition of illiteracy, land rehabilitation and distribution of oil. Basically, everyone in Iran, including Marjane’s family, was living a westernized live during Shah’s regime. As Satrapi’s mentioned, she used to go to a non-religious French school, in which boys and girls were mixed. On the other side, there was a
With this impression in mind, the theme for the picture above is religion; it shows “Women protesting forced hijab days after the Iranian Revolution, 1979” (online). All the demonstrations made by women, because of this exact same reason, show this theme; moreover, it is a big religious issue. Religious themes are, also, shown when Marjane tells her dad that the Shah was chosen by God, which is false; and, especially, with the Islamic regime. In fact, from the Deliverers of Divine Justice walking around, to school being
In August of 1978 Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini responded to Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi’s declaration that there would be free elections in Iran with, “The people will not rest until the Pahlavi rule has been swept away and all traces of tyranny have disappeared.” Khomeini led the resistance movement against the Shah during the Iranian Revolution despite being in exile. The popular resistance to the Shah begins in January 1978, transforms into a revolution in September of 1978 and eventually leads to the Shah stepping down in January 1979 and Ruhollah Khomeini becoming the Supreme Leader of the new Islamic Republic. This paper argues that the events of Black Friday 1978 are the turning point in the Iranian revolution. Black Friday changed a religious protest movement into a revolution that demanded an Islamic Republic headed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to replace the Shah’s monarchy. To understand how Black Friday came to pass, the background of the event starting with the first protest in January of 1978 will be examined. This will show that Black Friday was the first non-religious demonstration, thereby changing a protest movement into a true revolution. Then the significance of Black Friday will be examined by exploring the fallout of Black Friday, how the revolution changed shape after this historic event. To conclude this paper the importance of Black Friday today will be examined by looking at how it
During her childhood, Marjane was influenced by many different sources telling her many different things, including how she should act, how she should dress, and what was right and wrong. Her Uncle Anoosh, for one, was a hero in Ms. Satrapi’s eyes and she listened to the stories of his past with great interest. While Marjane greatly admired her Uncle Anoosh, her mother held a more important role in Marjane’s life, the role of parent and teacher. Marjane’s mother was an icon of independence and idealistic freedom for her daughter, as well as a voice of forgiveness towards the ignorant. This was important for Marjane while she was growing up because she was being heavily influenced by the world around her to believe things that were not true and to give up freedoms that most people today take for granted. While Mrs. Satrapi was very protective of her daughter, as seen on page 145 of Persepolis, she also allowed her daughter to venture out on her own at a rather young age, as seen on page 131. Marjane’s parents raised her to formulate her own ideas and to be obedient to her elders. This became an issue when the government of Iran changed to a fundamentalist government and strict religious ideals were imposed. When this happened, Marjane’s mother told her to wear the veil and to
Ayatollah Khomeini was exiled for his oppositions for the reforms and laws that Shah made. Wherefore, the Shah imprisoned and then exiled Khomeini to Iraq then for the last few months of his exile was spent in France. While, in his exile Khomeini followers recorded his speeches and played it in Iran. Appointed Prime Minister (Shahpur Bakhtiar) of the Shah. Bakhtiar used military force to control the public when Khomeini demonstrated his speech in public. At this time, the military lost control of the public and lost legitimacy. Prime Minister Bakhtiar was unable to control the desire of the people, because these people wanted change. Shah at this time in 1979 had already left the country and Bakhtiar also left after losing control of public by military action. For this example, this demonstrated the legitimacy of Khoemini influence in the nation, where he openly spoke against the government. In relation, to Persepolis, Marjane can be viewed as a person for became exiled from her country. For example, as a young girl she spoke her mind and questioned the political rule within her country. As she got older she did the same. However, the new government was just like the Shah where it imprisoned individuals who spoke their minds. For this reason, for keeping Marjane safe, her parents sent her to Paris. In relation, she faced clash of culture within the France, where she did not blend in with the people. She faced constant struggle where she had no income. Importantly she
In the early 1950s when Britain discovered Iran’s amazing oil, the shah, a western controlled puppet was put into power to control and nationalize this resource. During the late 1970s the citizens of Iran started to revolt. Marjane Satrapi, a young girl growing up in the daunting oppression of the Shah’s rule and then the perilious danger of the Iranian revolution remains an individual by learning from her parents, keeping a very strong relationship with her uncle and rebelling against the harsh standards of fundamentalist Iran.
The novel “Persepolis” shows many life changes during the Islamic Revolution told through the eyes of a young girl. “Persepolis” was based on Satrapi’s childhood experience in Iran. Throughout the span of the 1970’s to the early 1980’s, Satrapi experiences many changes in her life, not only with the government, or her education, but also with herself. Although she witnessed many violent acts right in front of her eyes, these experiences helped Marji (Satrapi) grow as a young child.
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic memoir that reveals the life of a woman growing up in pre and post Iran, as well as her experiences in Western countries. In this book, Marjane utilizes historical events that affect her life during her upbringing in Iran. These include the oppression of the Shah, as well as the rise and effects of the regime. These events’ integration into the story showcase how they affect Marjane and the other citizens of her country. Additionally, these events are important for the context and understanding that they grant readers unfamiliar with the text.
Upon completing the first part of The Complete Persepolis, I have found myself to be enlightened to the significant historical movement of the Islamic Revolution. This period of history, portrayed by an engrossing storyline and modern graphic illustrations of Marjane Satrapi's childhood, introduced me to many diverse aspects of Iranian lifestyle that wouldn't have been depicted through biographies or informational articles. As I delved further into the book, I became increasingly invested in Marjane's family and their views opposing the revolution, along with their efforts to dispel the characterizations of their country's fundamentalism and terrorism.
Many people in our society don’t always agree and see things the same way, and it is important to realize that this will happen because many people have different perspectives. As a matter of fact, the personal nature of the story, Persepolis, is portrayed through the images of imperialism, gender roles, and religion. These are also the main concepts and themes that Marjane Satrapi has to overcome and deal with in this story. Throughout the story Marjane experiences many conflicts of the nation, her home and herself while watching Iran being controlled in the process of being imperialized.
After the revolution that was sparked by a group of islamic fundamentalists, the people’s support for western ways of life had to be abandoned. That made Iran a more islamic country with a government that reinforces the word and doctrine of Allah. This affected Marjane because she is a westernized woman and grew up in a westernized environment. The context proves that Marjane felt alienated from her culture and society because it’s not where she belongs. This is proven in the chapter ‘’The Socks’’, where Marjane organizes private parties in which she has fun with other women without respecting the society and its restrictions. It also shows a juxtaposition between her behaviour in public and and her behaviour in private. This shows that even if the society obligates her to act less westernized, she continues to do whatever she likes but privately. This proves again the theme of rebellion, she is a rebellious person since her
The story of Marjane opens during a fundamental time period of Iranian history, a period that consisted of the Islamic Revolution. As stated earlier on in the novel, this revolution was the force that caused the Shah to flee from Iran in the year of 1979. Like many others in Iran during this time, Marjane and her family found no interest in the Shah. During his reign, the Shah showed signs of diluting Iran's value of a constitutional monarch, and instead moved the country towards an absolute monarchy. Additionally, with the U.S peddling the Iranian oil supply, many Iranians felt betrayed by the Shah, as he became a so-called puppet for the U.S. Because of this, his popularity slowly plummeted, and an uprise began within the country. This uprise, is then shown through Marjane's perspective. Therefore, through
In Persepolis 2, Marjane is set on a journey of self discovery while living away from her home in Iran to escape the war. She experiences many obstacles varying from finding her self identity heartbreak and isolation. All of these obstacles would eventually lead to a very confident Marjane. MArjane lives in Vienna for most of her adolescence and so it is at this time that she is truly on a journey of finding who she is as a person and developing herself. Upon living in Vienna, Marjane discovered that Vienna is very different from her home of Iran and because of this, she assimilated herself into this new society while distancing herself from her Iranian culture. In her final days of living in Vienna she becomes homeless and it wasn't until this moment that she is notified that she is welcome to come back home to Iran. When she returns home to Iran she discovers that not only has she herself changed, but also how much her home of Iran has changed as well. Modern Iran is similar to Marjane, regarding their similar journey of self discovery and the many challenges that they have both faced.