Perse Satrapi Analysis

Given that western clothes and icons were outlawed in conservative Iran, Marjane’s dressing up in jeans, denim jacket, and Nike shoes is an attempt to express her modern outlooks, Satrapi conveys the importance throughout the text reinforcing the conflict between Eastern values and Western values. In this scene, Satrapi embraces both cultures. She wears modern with a Michael Jackson button and Nike, and says ‘of course, my headscarf’. This displays Satrapi’s multiple personal identities: following middle eastern customs while sharing western values. A portrait image of Marjane is illustrated to show that she is proud of who she is and her posture and body language of her standing tall like she wants to show off her personality. But this doesn’t last long when she meets two guardians of the revolution that arrest women who are improperly arrested. When Marjane is caught, expressionism is used when Marjane is bawling her eyes out. The eyes look ghost-like representing the whole idea swapping personalities so that she could fit the government's likings. Marjane is not being able to fully express herself by wearing the clothes she wanted, doing her hair how she wanted, or listening to the music she wanted. From a young age is prevented Marjane from finding her identity and making her feel trapped. The revolution brought back Islamic ideals and customs, which were welcomed initially but soon became overbearing and restrictive and eventually totalitarian.

However, some may argue that the extent to which Satrapi can challenge conventional beliefs about Iran is limited by her perspective. Satrapi writes from the first-person point-of-view and a child’s nonetheless. Those same people might argue that when Satrapi is challenging generalizations by using personal examples she is manipulating fact, confusing them with opinion, and asserting her bias in a persuasive manner. Historically writing of this kind is often discarded for more specific and omniscient information. However, Satrapi never hides from her bias and desire to introduce the West to her version of Iran. In any persuasive writing a bias is implied and one might influence just as to which examples they choose include to support their argument, this essay for example. She may be employing a persuasive tone, but the extent to which she accomplishes her goal is not altered by such beliefs.

Marjane Satrapi sacrificed many things for education, and her parents made sure she had access to it, no matter what the cost. As a girl in Iran Satrapi faced many disadvantages even beyond a lack of education which was prevalent because of the many restrictions on their clothing, the hijab they were forced to wear, and that they were unable to wear makeup (Satrapi 3-341). These restrictions attempted to control women in every aspect by denying them certain rights and regulating their actions, and because the restrictions are not imposed on men as well, they lead to an inequality that is unfavorable for women. In order to overcome these restrictions, Satrapis’ parents sent her to school in Vienna where she could pursue an education without the restrictions imposed upon her in Iran (Satrapi 145-153). There Satrapi could learn without the distraction of the restrictions she faced in Iran. It also allowed her to freely study and receive the most beneficial education possible for her. Upon her return to Iran, and

In Persepolis: the Story of a Childhood, the concept of contrasting regions is explored by Satrapi when she talks about what it’s like to grow up in Iran, and to be misunderstood no matter where you go simply because of where you came from. The country of Iran acts like it hates

The Iranian government forced its control on children by forcing segregating the schools and making girls wear the Iranian headscarf. Wearing the scarf represents the concealment of childhood in Iran for Marjane and her friends. Reformation in Iran comes with the protests, violence and eventually war which disguise the chance of childhood for the youth of the country. Marjane says, “we found ourselves veiled and separated from our friends” (4). Concealing these children from the childhood they deserved left them to deal with fear, anger, loss and death. Her story highlights the lack of stability children need to grow into responsible adults. Marjane’s story represents the thousands of children in Iran who are lacking the proper elements for child development because of the revolution.

Marjane Satrapi’s memoir Persepolis is considered a “coming of age” story based on her experiences growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. This graphic novel explores the life she lead in Tehran which encompassed the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. Undergoing life with such a chaotic environment, it took Satrapi courage to act and live as her “authentic self” and explore what it meant to her to be authentic. Similar to Aristotle, May and Medinas Persepolis examines the concept of courage, through the view of innocence; through Satrapi’s childhood.

On pages 3 and 4, Marjane gives us the years for, when the revolution began, when children were required to wear a veil and her date of birth. The dates, enable the reader to get a sense the time period and the historical background of Iran. Timelines are imperative to understanding her life story. Next, Satrapi demonstrates pathos through illustrations and the speech bubbles. The emotions of the characters can be shown through their facial expressions and actions they take.

Satrapi’s family background is very rich in history and in wealth. The ancestry that Satrapi knew and understood gave her a response of support for the 1979 Revolution. As time went on, however, her options began to change. Her heritage is told in little stories throughout the whole beginning half of the book. The first story Satrapi learns about that changes her option and viewpoint is the story about her great grandfather. This story is promoted with young Satrapi

The Shah’s reign came to an end, but nevertheless, a young Satrapi found dispute in the world around her. The graphics exemplify the confusion Satrapi felt as a change in leadership suddenly changed what her peers and her parent’s peers chose to follow. Common belief spread that Shah’s overthrow was a victory to the people of Iran, but as expressed on page 43, strip 7, the young Satrapi could not yet practice her faith. Regardless of what many believed, she felt that the “devil” (Satrapi, page 43), had not left yet. At a young age, Satrapi learned of prisoners that were liberated a short while after the eradication of the Shah. Satrapi describes these prisoners as “heroes”; individuals who demonstrated their bravery by protesting in favor of their beliefs. The stories they shared drove Satrapi astray from her susceptible notion of morality. Now, unsure of how to arbitrate the difference between right and wrong, the young Satrapi appears increasingly adrift (I’m trying to say she appears lost, but I don’t like the word lost either). As emphasized by, “My father was not a hero, my mother wanted to kill people… So I went to play in the street” (Satrapi, page 52). This caption, along with images portrayed, represent the isolation the young Satrapi felt and further emphasizes her internal conflict. Satrapi continues on to write of the torture games she created after learning of what the “heroes” experienced in the prisons. Furthermore, Satrapi writes, “Back at home that evening, I had the diabolical feeling of power…But it didn’t last” (Satrapi, page 53). Here, Satrapi uses her creation of images to express such turmoil her adolescent-self sensed. The change of emotions, illustrated through the graphic images, acts as a symbol of Satrapi’s internal conflict to discover her true religion as opposed to that of

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.

Independence helps Satrapi grow up in Iran during the revolution. Satrapi’s parents went to Turkey to have a wonderful two-people time right after they received their passports. Satrapi asked some presents to bring back for her, included a denim jacket. As they came back to Iran. Satrapi tried on her jacket with an addition of Michael Jackson button and a pair of Nike shoes. Now she need is to go on the street with this cool outfit and headscarf, when she asked her mother to go out:

By allowing the reader to form their own perspective it “makes the reader reconsider the assumptions…[of the] so-called other” by giving the reader the freedom to perceive the events of the revolution as they wish and not reconsider the way that they once understood the people of the east to be (Darda 34). Satrapi is using her experience and graphic novels to show what her experience as a child was, she does not claim at any point to be telling the entire story of the revolution she is merely introducing a new perspective which up until that point had not been seen in the western countries.

In other occasions, Satrapi uses several interactions between her family members to illustrate an environment similar ours. In a series of dialogues involving Marji’s uncle Anoosh, he tells her bedtime stories and speaks of his divorce. Bedtime story telling from my perception is more of a westernized cultural norm and so is divorce. Satrapi chooses these scenarios involving Anoosh to present a fitting glance at her family’s acceptance to western culture. Among her family, she creates an atmosphere in relation to any that can easily be found in our society today.

The world stereotypes different types of culture, but real identity can be only defined by a person who has experienced the specific way of life. In Persepolis The Story of a Childhood, by Marjane Satrapi, the author creates a graphic memoir representing her childhood growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Satrapi evokes perfectly regarding her childhood, her reaction towards the Islamic Revolution. She is rebellious to the Islamic revolution’s new regulations and enforcement and decides to take a secular approach to defend her rights. In Persepolis, the narrator illustrates the opposition against the Islamic Revolution and Shah’s reign and as well as her pursuit in a secular culture. Her opposition and desire allow the readers to reconsider on past stereotypes about the Middle Eastern culture.

For Satrapi, the Islamic faith was a source of comfort for her when she was a child. In fact, she was so enraptured by her faith that she told her school teacher she wanted to be a prophet when she grew up (Persepolis, 2003, pg. 8). However, this sentiment quickly changes when her uncle Anoosh is executed as a result of the Iranian revolution. She confronts God and shouts “Shut up you! Get out of my life! I never want to