Essay on Persepolis: Captivity V. Freedom

In Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis, Satrapi states that her goal in writing the book was to dispel many of the hasty generalizations made by the western world about Iran, a principal sentiment being that the country is little more than a nation founded by fundamentalists and home to terrorists and extremists. To combat the misconception, Satrapi enlists the assistance examples of barriers and dissent towards the new conservative regime in Iran from her adolescence. By employing events from her childhood in Iran Satrapi rattles the foundation of the myths and false beliefs assumed by the occident. Satrapi writes that the initial waves of conservative fundamentalism in Iran were met with unified national dissent. To support this

For readers who live in different countries with a huge difference in comparison to their governments such as America. Readers in America would most likely interpret this book as a call of pity or rather an eye-opener to other countries as “Persepolis” shows the culture and economy of Iran. In American they have a democratic government meaning that people have the right to fight and speak up for their ideas and beliefs, in other terms they have the right to freedom of speech, unlike in Iran when people protest to the government or ruler they get shot right in the spot or rather imprisoned and torture.

Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis recounts the conflicts and disillusionment as a result of living through the tyrannies of the Shah’s and the Islamic regimes. Her main motive was to keep alive the spirit of those Iranians who lost their lives in wars fought for freedom, suffered under repressive regimes or who were forced to leave their families. It highlights the daily conflict between tradition and modernity, West and East, dictatorship and individual freedom. Marjane has used several motifs, such as the veil, the mirror, background panels to emphasize on the situation in Iran and this essay focuses on how the veil becomes the dominant motif for portraying the suppression of individual freedom, knowledge

Can you think of a time in your life when you were treated unfairly but there was nothing you could do about it? What if one day your life changed forever and you were denied every right you ever thought you had. The violation of Human Rights is emphasized throughout Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis by giving detailed descriptions of how people were treated during the Iranian Revolution.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic novel that provides insight into a young girl living in Iran during the hardship of war. Persepolis takes place during the childhood of Marjane Satrapi. It gives a background of the Islamic Revolution and the war in Iran. Satrapi attempts to guide herself in a corrupted world filled with propaganda. She tries to develop her own morality concerning religion, politics, and humanity. Satrapi was blessed enough to have high class status and parents who had an open mindset about the world around them. Thanks to her slightly alternative lifestyle, she is able to reconstruct gender norms that society has set by depicting the different ways women resist them. “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others” by Lila Abu-Lughod is an essay detailing the misconceptions surrounding the veil. Through this essay we can see how colonial feminism, the form of feminism in which western women push for a western way of living on their third world counterparts, has shined a negative light on cultures all around the world - particularly Islamic women. The essay shows how women who don’t conform to American societal structures are labeled as women who urgently require saving. Through this essay one can develop a thorough understanding of the veil itself and the many representations it holds to different entities. Although in Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood Satrapi

The graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a political and personal account of a young girl’s growth to maturity. The novel serves as an autobiography of the author’s childhood in Tehren, Iran. It describes what it was like to grow up during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the end of the Shah’s regime, and the war with Iraq. One of the most prominent themes in the novel is the clash between modernity and fundamentalism. The reader can observe this conflict through Iran's internal oppositions, the Satrapi’s modernity, and Marji’s western soci-political beliefs. This aspect of the novel is important because it shows the ideological diversity within Iran and the consequences faced by those in the opposition.

Rebelling has been a part of many people’s lives whether people try to or not, but not acts of rebellion are the same. In Iran, the Iranian people rebel against the Ayatollah in many minor and subtle ways. These small acts of rebellion could result in imprisonment or even death. In Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, the people of Iran bravely protest against the Islamic government in many subtle ways which show their determination to risk everything and fight for not only what the believe in, but also their country.

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.

Rebellion: an act of armed resistance to an established government or ruler (“Rebellion”). The book, Persepolis, follows the main character, Marji, as she grows up during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq war. She and her family participate in rebelling against the monarchy and religious leaders for a democratic republic, whether in the street or in their home. In Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis, the author explores Marji’s evolution from being a confused girl who listens to what she is told to a confident young woman who stands away from social norms, in order to illustrate society’s participation in rebellion against religious leaders who want to create an oppressed society.

During Satrapi’s early childhood, the traditions and history of Iran had been going through drastic changes. The Iranian Revolution was when Iran’s monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown and replaced with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini who led the revolution. ii

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.

Now, my opinion comes in, do I think the Shah was good or bad for Iran? The way he worked around his citizens was often near the top of the list for worst governmental human rights violators, and his secret police and their torture chambers were very much feared by the people. It's safe to say that when the very anti-religion party and ultra religious groups are willing to work together to overthrow you, you are not doing your job very

In addition, the author recalls the Iranian government closing down all bilingual schools or any other symbols of “capitalism” and “decadence”. These became symbols of regression in the eyes of the Ayatollah and everyone must conform. The author struggles with the very idea of politics and religion during this period as laws of forced veiling and oppression came into conflict with her preconceptions of religion. The author cites an instances where the police locked the outside doors of an Iranian cinema, set it on fire, and prohibited people from rescuing those inside. According to the text, “The BBC said there were 400 victims. The shah said that a group of religious fanatics perpetrated the massacre. But the people knew that it was the Shah’s fault.” The secular Iranian perspective of the injustices being committed by the newly formed Islamic Republic was troubling. A release was sought by this group of people, the only problem was enjoying life and not getting caught.

Evident in the abundant arguments regarding freedom and to the extent of which these freedoms are protected by legislation, Americans typically believe that their fellow citizens can be trusted with almost unlimited freedom. Americans exercise many privileges such as speaking freely and having access to news media (whether true or fictitious) that we assume are our basic human rights. We believe that the more freedom we have the better and that we can control ourselves rather than relying on external pressures on freedom However, these are not given to all people and were in fact punishable offenses for Marjane Satrapi in her childhood and young adulthood as a woman in Iran as revealed in Persepolis. While at first she despises the constraints on her freedoms put in place by the government and her family, after struggling on her own with virtually unlimited freedom she goes back to the more restrictive environment in Iran. Satrapi argues that while we should not allow extreme government control of freedom, so restraints made by parents and other family members is crucial in the development and bettering of a person’s upbringing. With too strong of governement restriction of freedom, one has no outlet of self expression or individuality and with too much freedom Satrapi is unable to create a safe environment for herself and remains emotionally unstable and she therefore argues that an environment with some restrictions is best.

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.